At Wednesday night’s full council meeting Cllr Chris Welsford’s motion relating to alternative budgets was debated.
Cllr Welsford proposed that that the council “agrees that all budget proposals presented to Full Council in the budget debate on the 23 February 2011 were legal and balanced”.
Going on to give a lengthy speech putting forward his reasons for bringing the motion before the full council, he stated that Cllr Pugh had made highly political attacks on the February 2011 Independent budget by claiming major flaws in their proposals – as anyone at the July meeting would have heard.
Uncomfortable listening?
Cllr Pugh certainly looked uncomfortable and not his usual confident self, as Cllr Welsford quoted his words from the previous meeting where he stated that there were “some major flaws in their proposals” and that it “would have been extremely dangerous and irresponsible to have adopted their approach”.
Cllr Welsford went on to say that he was challenging the “overtly political behaviour” in an attempt to “correct the impression left by Cllr Pugh’s tirade, that the alternative budgets would not have been workable alternatives”.
Pugh stood by his statements
Cllr Pugh responded by stating that the stood by his statements, going on to day that he never said their Independent budget was unlawful or unbalanced.
He suggested a late amendment to the motion (wouldn’t be a full council meeting without one) to include the words “but not necessarily deliverable” at the end of it.
A number of other amendments were proposed and much debate had.
“Develop a thicker skin”
Cllr Lumley suggested that a thicker skin be developed and they move on from talking about what happened last February, concentrating instead on the “next disaster” being planned.
This was met with cheers from the public gallery.
Motion passed
After further debate and a couple of votes on amendments to amendments, a vote was taken, with 33 members voting for the motion to include Cllr Pugh’s amendment and two members abstaining.
Cllr Welsford’s full speech is embedded below for your convenience.
