Arrogant Tories on Walsall Council have warned that they would reimpose cuts thrown out in favour of  a Lib Dem/Labour alternative budget at a fiery meeting of the full Council last night.

During the debate the Leader of the Council Cllr Mike Bird (Con) warned on more than one occasion that the council does not determine the budget that is the job of the Cabinet. Cllr Bird went on to warn that when his group wins the Local Elections in May they would reinstate the Conservative budget cuts.

This comes just a few short weeks after Cllr Bird had warned that if you think this years budget’s been tough next year you could be looking at a 10% increase in Council Tax.

It took a two hour adjournment to bring together elements of alternative budgets submitted by the Liberal Democrat and Labour groups on the council. After a lot of hard bargaining a new budget proposal emerged and was put to the vote.

Twenty nine Lib Dem and Labour members voted in favour. There were twenty eight abstentions (all twenty four Tories in attendance last night abstained as did two of the Independents and two from UKIP). Independent Councillor Pete Smith voted against as did the UKIP Leader Liz Hazel.

The new package agreed between the Liberal Democrats and Labour commits to keeping all libraries open, removes the increase in rents at district centre markets and the reduction in street cleansing. The full grant to the Citizens Advice Bureaux (CAB) was reinstated and talks are to take place between Labour and the Lib Dems on how best to strengthen the voluntary and community sectors in the borough to enable them to take on some of the work that the council is finding it increasingly difficult to do due to Government austerity measures.

Also contained within the Lib Dem/Labour package was a commitment to local democracy with the funding for neighbourhood management and area panels being reinstated, money has also been put in the budget to help develop community based clubs and activities for people with disabilities and the cut to street cleansing has be reversed.

So not only has a new budget been set, but the battle lines have also been drawn for the up coming Local Elections in May. “It is clear from what was said by the Conservative Leader” said Lib Dem Leader Cllr Ian Shires “a vote for him and his Party on the 5th May would see libraries close along with grants to the voluntary and community sectors as would money for developing activities for people with disabilities. Local residents would also find it more and more difficult to voice an opinion and resolve local issues as neighbourhood management and area panels would be consigned to the dustbin along with street cleansing.”

The new budget will see Council Tax increase by the same amount as proposed by the Tories, 3.99% which includes the 2% allowed by the Government in recognition of the effects of their austerity measures on social care provided by councils.