Lib Dems propose improvements for children, roads and sustainability – we can do better than the Conservatives' proposals

Hertfordshire Liberal Democrat Councillors will propose cancelling proposed cuts to youth services, additional monies to improve road safety near schools and doing more to tackle flooding problems when the council decides its budget on Tuesday. These improvements would be funded mainly by spending some of the extra cash that the government has given the council, which the Conservatives who run the council are proposing to use to bolster the council’s reserves.

 Liberal Democrat spokesperson for resources, Councillor Tim Williams said, “Like many other councils Herts is struggling to find the money for the increasing costs of looking after vulnerable children and older people. The extra £10 million that the government has given the council won’t solve that problem but it could make a contribution. The Conservatives say they want to keep it as a reserve for the future but the council is failing to deliver services for children and to cope with problems like flooding now.”

Herts Liberal Democrat Leader Councillor Steve Jarvis added, “Herts County Council needs to do a better job for children and young people, make more progress on dealing with the effects of climate change and improve roads and travel across the county. Increasing demand for services for children and older people coupled with years of cuts from central government make it really tough to do that, but there is no excuse for not doing the best that is possible. Our proposals will provide some real benefits for local people without going beyond what the council can afford.”

 A complete set of Liberal Democrat improvements to the budget will be proposed at the budget meeting.