Walsall Council’s Tory/Lib Dem Coalition has challenged the town’s  opposition Labour Group to “Put up or shut up” reports Lib Dem Group Leader Cllr Ian Shires.

The Coalition threw down the gauntlet today following criticism on the Walsall Labour Party web site of the Administration’s “Budget Consultation” launched last week to stimulate debate and give Walsall residents a real input into the budget making process.

The challenge is for the Labour Group to produce an alternative budget to the draft budget published by the coalition administration last week.

Labour have said that they want a “no cuts” budget. This would mean an 18 % Council tax increase which Council Leader Mike Bird along with Coalition colleague Councillor Ian Shires have said “Labour should put up or shut up”

“We are awaiting the result of Walsall’s biggest ever consultation giving residents unprecedented opportunities to influence next year’s budget fulfilling a major Liberal Democrat election promise we gave in the run up to this year’s local elections in May” said councillor Shires “We await with interest the Labour Group’s input into this process” he concluded.

Councillor Mike Bird the Council Leader added “The previous Labour Government got us into this situation and we are left to clear up the mess. Local Government is having to do the dirty work for the Government which has little choice with the financial disaster the current Government inherited from the Labour Government”

The Administration is committed to limit the effect on front line services and challenge the Labour Group to publish their Alternative Budget and stop hiding behind smoke and mirrors misinformation.