The Tories have attempted to limit the opportunity of opposition Councillors to Call In Council Cabinet decisions by requiring the Councillor seeking the Call In to have a meeting with Council Officers, the Leader of the Council and the relevant Portfolio Holder before allowing decisions to be called in. As decisions can only be called in within 5 days that severely restricts the ability of the Councillor seeking to make a Call In.
Thanks to the Lib Dems there will be no increase in Buckhurst Hill Parish Council tax this year. The Lib Dem-led council voted to keep the tax at last year`s level.
From the Guardian article
Henry Vann, Bedford and Kempston Parliamentary Candidate for the Liberal Democrats has criticised the budget for failing to take the poorest people out of income tax. He said:
Sandgate Valley Parish Councillor, Season Prater, went out on the beat with PCSO Mark Wilson last Friday night. Season and another resident joined Mark as he walked around Sandgate watching out for any anti social behaviour or crime. This "enviornmental audit" was the first in a series Mark hopes to run over the coming months.
When the borough council had drawn a blank in getting 191 blocks of flats in the borough to expand their recycling, councillors offered to help.