This in from Luisa Hillard, prospective Island Independent candidate for East Cowes. Ed
Luisa Hillard, Independent candidate for East Cowes has refuted the claims in a current Councillor’s campaign leaflet which incorrectly states that Independent Councillors “voted against” this year’s Council Tax freeze and would “probably put it up, given half a chance!”
In reality, most Councillors outside of the ruling group, including Independents, voted not to accept the Budget of the ruling group as a whole due to the severity of cuts, and not on the basis of freezing council tax.
Independents did not plan a council tax rise
The ‘Island Independents’ – a working of Independent Councillors – have submitted alternative budgets for the past three years, none of which included a Council Tax increase.
Therefore no tax rise was planned for this financial year due to Central Government having offered the Isle of Wight Council a financial incentive to freeze council tax rates.
“Over the last two years the Government has provided grants of around £2 billion to help freeze Council Tax. On 8 October 2012 the Chancellor of the Exchequer announced extra money for local councils in England to help them freeze Council Tax for a third year*.”
As an Independent Councillor I would accept this tax-freeze incentive too, wouldn’t you?
Value for money?
What about the idea of value for money? No council could justify an increase in tax whilst continuing to cut services (would anyone even dare in an election year?). We have seen consistent cuts to jobs and services – removing funding for public toilets, libraries, youth clubs, paddling pools etc.
The burden of running and funding many of these services has been transferred to the Town/Parish Councils. Where County Councillors from the ruling group also sit on the Town/Parish Councils (as in East Cowes) there is the interesting situation of having voted to cut funding for services on an island-wide level, but then subsequently having voted to make us pay extra for them on a local level, through the Precept (town/parishes portion of Council Tax).
Services forced onto town council has increased precept
In East Cowes these services include the Library and the children’s Paddling Pool – which means that our Precept has increased by £30,000 in the last two years. One could say that our Council Tax has been increased by stealth.
I am told that Section 106 money is being used to refurbish the paddling pool, so at least that is an expense we have not had to pay for directly but we will still be liable to running costs and maintenance.
Why I’m standing
Many people are worried that our wishes and best interests are not being represented by the current ruling group and want different spending priorities. This is why I have decided to stand as an Independent candidate for East Cowes.
Loyalty to ANY political party must come second to the qualities of each individual candidate, judged on their own MERITS, according to the ‘Principles of Public Life’, set out by Lord Nolan in 1995: selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honesty and leadership.
Ask yourself: What has my candidate actually done for my community, on a grassroots level?
Bacon: “Act on behalf of each resident”
I received some good advice from Cllr. Jonathan Bacon, who said, “Councillors must act on behalf of each resident in their own wards, representing their best interests in issues with County Hall. It’s not just about voting at Council meetings.”
Never has overcoming voter apathy been so important. Make your VOTE count. The local Council elections are on 2nd May. Are you going to vote for more of the same, or vote for change?
*Third year. Source
