Robert Marshall-Andrews

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Local MPs Slam “Price of Failure” Tory Budget

Local MPs Paul Clark, Jonathan Shaw & Bob Marshall-Andrews have joined with the Council’s Labour group to slam the Tory-controlled council’s budget, calling it “the price of Tory failure”.

Paul Clark, MP for Gillingham, said “Labour is committed to regenerating Medway.  The government gave the Council an increase of more than £8.7 million this year.  What on earth are they doing with it?”

The budget, which councillors debate this week has been highly controversial, with Tory councillors blaming the Government for their own inefficiency, despite a Government cash boost of 4.4% for Medway this year.

Jonathan Shaw, MP for Chatham & Aylesford, said “Their hypocrisy is breathtaking.  Their party nationally has pledged £4.5 billion of cuts to local government funding, and yet they can't even achieve the savings they identified a year back.  Services are a shambles - in Chatham we've had to turn to cleaning the streets ourselves”.

Bob Marshall-Andrews, MP for Medway, condemned the council’s skewed priorities. “This council has wasted residents’ time and money over the Adult Education Centre.  Their lack of consultation has meant they have had to execute three U-turns in as many months and are now planning a whole new library.  They cannot claim they are under-funded if they can find the £1 million plus for new amenities.”

Glyn Griffiths, shadow finance spokesman & deputy leader of the Labour group on the Council, attacked Tory maths: “Almost £2 million pounds of the shortfall they claim is made up of savings they promised last year.  Why should our taxes pick up the tab for their failings?”