Thursday, February 24, 2011

Youths stage walk-out but 'tough' Leicestershire council savings passed

Leicestershire County Council last night approved controversial plans to save �79 million over four years.

Dozens of youngsters walked out of the meeting at County Hall as councillors agreed to cut �2 million from youth services budgets.

Cuts will also be made to trading standards, park wardens and debt advice services.

However, council tax was frozen for the next four years.

Council leader David Parsons said: "This is the best budget we could have agreed, given the tough circumstances we face.

"I do not underestimate the tough challenges ahead as we implement this financial plan. We are, however, well prepared.

"We have looked after the people of Leicestershire by freezing council tax. This is real value for money."

The County Youth Council, who protested outside County Hall ahead of the meeting, said slashing youth service funding showed the council was "out of touch".

Tim Monk, 16, chairman of the youth council, said: "We did not create this mess and we cannot vote for who we want to sort it out, yet we are the ones who are suffering the most. The money is there, they just don't care."

Liberal Democrat leader Simon Galton said: "These plans go too deep and too far and are being implemented far too fast."

Councillors did agree to raise the amount of cash spent on adult social care by �29 million over the next four years, and pay �9.4 million for a special school in Loughborough.

Some �1.5 million was set aside to repair winter damage to roads.

The �170,000-a-year home-to-school transport service will also be retained until 2012.



Source: http://rss.feedsportal.com/c/32715/f/503348/s/12ef4e6e/l/0L0Sthisisleicestershire0O0Cnews0CYouths0Estage0Ewalk0Etough0Esavings0Epassed0Carticle0E32631570Edetail0Carticle0Bhtml/story01.htm

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