Labour Councillors on Chorley council used their majority to defeat a Conservative amendment to the Councils budget for next year. As a consequence hard pressed families will not see a much needed reduction in their council tax bills but will instead be forced to pay extra for borrowed money.
Conservative leader Councillor Peter Goldsworthy stated that the decision by Labour not to cut tax but instead to borrow an extra £2millon pounds was a bad day for Chorley Tax payers already struggling with increases in the coast of living.
“Even worse Labour had inherited for the previous Conservative administration healthy finances. Sufficient money was available to reduce tax by 10%, improve services and communities, improve Astley Hall and help with unemployment, particularly amongst young people all of which would have been good for Chorley.
But no. The Council is now to borrow money to spend on a series of speculative and risky land and property projects. The extra £2m will have to be paid off over the next 50 years by present and as yet to be born Council tax payers. This is total madness” he said
This year is the first budget that Labour as produce following on from the previous six years of Conservative rule that saw and end to Labours high tax and waste strategy but last night this tactic returned and will see the majority of tax payers in Chorley having to pay more taxes for a long time into the future for no benefit. “Councillor Goldsworthy concluded.