Published Tuesday

Today the Conservative administration at County Hall announced the
outcome of the next General Election, forgetting that the public has
yet to vote. In a motion proposed by the Tory leader they said that
‘They would work with the next Conservative Government to deliver a
two year council tax freeze’.

The Liberal Democrat group tried to amend this motion to deliver on
their own manifesto promises and get real results for residents in
Hertfordshire – rather than predictions of the future outcome of an
election yet to be called.

The amendment included reducing speed limits outside schools, lobbying
on behalf of commuters on railfares and investing in the youth service
to give young people something to do. The only substantial proposal
that the Conservative Administration supported was on looking for
measures to reduce the noise pollution on the A1M. They rejected the
other substantive items on cost grounds.

Malcolm Cowan, Liberal Democrat Shadow Cabinet member, said: ‘We
proposed common sense measures which the Tories have rejected because
they are too busy playing party politics. There is no reason to
suppose that supporting a reduction in rail fares could have an
adverse effect on the council’s budget. They have refused to put in 20
mph zones saying that they would cost money: it is quite clear that 20
mph zones and an expansion in the youth service could be funded by
making the council operate more efficiently.’

ENDS