With just one day left till the big debate at Walsall Council about the Budget for 2016/17 there is still little movement in bringing together those who oppose the slash and burn approach of the current Tory administration. 

To bring you up to speed with the situation the Tories want to shut seven libraries most of which serve some of the most deprived areas in the borough. They want to cut back support for the Citizens Advice Bureaux one of the town’s most trusted voluntary sector organisations and plan to strip out local democracy by closing down Area Panels which currently give a voice to the town’s six district centres. All this on top of cuts to social care and children’s services and a 3.99% hike in Council Tax.

The Tories do not have a majority on the council, they only have 25 councillors. Therefore they will need the support of those who effectively put them there following last year’s Local Elections, the three UKIP and three Independent councillors.

On Monday Liberal Democrats on the council went public with their alternative budget in a bid to bring together like minded people in sufficient numbers not only to vote down the Tory Budget but to put in place a radical alternative.

Liberal Democrat group Leader Cllr Ian Shires said:

” Our budget proposals recognise the political realities of the austerity measures being imposed on local councils by the Tories in Westminster.

“We have taken this into account along with the need to plan ahead to bring together all the agencies in Walsall, recognising the importance of the voluntary sector and forming a strategic partnership to make more effective use of the money that is available.”