Long-serving Conservative councillor and former Mayor of Darlington, Charles Johnson, responds to the "appalling" proposals for spending cuts set out by Darlington Borough Council and published in The Northern Echo.

A sustainable attack

The result of Labour Chancellor Alasdair Darling’s budget deficit promoted necessary austerity measures by a newly-elected Conservative government to rectify the nation’s spoilt economy. National austerity measures however are only a part of Darlington’s financial difficulties, the questionable governance of the council also has a part to play.

Closing of the Market

The Conservative council in 1978 fully refurbished the Market Hall, since then it has been neglected by the Labour council which came into power in Darlington in 1997. Nineteen years of poor management has reduced the Market Hall to a building in crisis requiring huge sums to rectify. The council does not have the money so external financial support is therefore required.

Libraries to close

Crown Street library will close and be reopened in the Dolphin Centre - how much of the old style library will be accommodated we have yet to see. Cockerton library unfortunately will close, however there is a good case to maintain the mobile library under these circumstances.

Head of Steam

It has been decided North Road museum will remain open to meet future aspirations however the question is will there be money available to meet those aspirations. The museum is a part of Darlington’s heritage but so is the library and the markets.

186 jobs to go

Conservatives councillors have requested a schedule of all employees since 2010 which we will examine in detail. Questions have been previously been asked on several occasions about vacancy management and its effect on costs, without resolution.

Cuts in government grants

This is a prime example of smoke and mirrors from the council leader. The council budget is made of several parts such as council tax, business rates and various government grants. The Rate Support Grant from the Government which is reducing nationwide, accounts for only 23% of the total disposable budget.

The issue is not only the Rate Support Grant, it is the Labour council's prolific annual expenditure which has increased year on year from 1997.

There has been no attempt to reduce expenditure even when George Osborne switched on the red light in 2010.

Darlington’s problems are caused by Labour’s inadequacy to put right what they knew was wrong, the town hall economy was out of balance, expenditure and income were parting company leaving bigger and bigger deficits. Where have we heard that before?

Balancing the books

It says the “council chiefs” [not sure who they are] are working on cuts of £12.5 million over the next four years and it goes on to say “to balance the books they propose to spend £14.8 million of savings”.

Is it £12.5 million or £14.8 million to balance the books? If there are “cuts” of £12.5 million which will be offset by £14.8million, we can surely expect the provision of the same level of service.

Council Tax

Labour have consistently looked to increase council tax, it is their mantra so when George Osborne recently lifted the cap of 2.0% to 3.99% they couldn’t increase it quickly enough. No thought for resident taxpayers here.

Council members

It is unfortunate the majority of elected members have not been party to the current proposals drafted by officers and sanctioned by nine Labour cabinet members.

Councillors are been given the same opportunity as residents of the town to read and review these proposals. All council members are the governance of the council and have defined responsibility for policy and budgets which is distinctly at odds with the current processes.

Early discussion with local councillors may have generated alternative plans to cuts and closures.

Review of proposed cuts

Considerable documentation has been prepared by the officers to detailed decisions on the proposed cuts.

Documents detail the statutory payments which must be made and further documents detail the optional costs currently incurred, within there are some choices which can be made.

It is a difficult task as no change is not an option so Conservative members will publish their preferred choices in due course.