Tories Play Election Games With Your Money

12.59.00pm GMT Tue 9th Dec 2008

Conservatives on Essex County Council are hoarding our cash rather than handing it out to hard-pressed residents now. Instead, they are hinting at "cash-backs" to be announced early next year, just before the council election.

The revelation was made at a cabinet meeting today (9 December) by the Conservative leader, when a council tax rebate for only a small number of residents in Essex was approved. The rest of the council's substantial reserve funds were left untouched.

Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes commented: "This is just about the most unscrupulous case of political gamesmanship it is possible to imagine. Members of our community are trying to provide their families with the best Christmas celebrations, while also worrying about whether they will have a job in the new year. However, the not-so-compassionate Conservatives will wait until they can make a pre-election splash at their budget in February before we see what financial help they will offer.

"People need to know now what the council can do to help them and what was offered by the council today was a totally inadequate response. The Liberal Democrats want to see a major use of the substantial reserve funds, to help around three-quarters of council taxpayers across Essex. Instead, we have a gesture to a limited number of people that may only be payable when applied for.

"The Conservatives have been taking unnecessarily high amounts of council tax from residents that have been used to swell the council's coffers, instead of being spent on essential services.

"Essex residents need this money now much more than the council does. Residents have seen their council tax rise by over 100% over the past 10 years and the opportunity should have been taken to announce a scheme to benefit the majority of council tax payers. The scheme announced today will help only around 5% of the households across the county."