Conservatives lose control in Bradford (Bradford Liberal Democrats)

Bradford Liberal Democrats <info@bradfordlibdems.org.uk>

Conservatives lose control in Bradford

May 25, 2010 2:41 PM

Following their defeat in the local elections, when they have lost seats to both the Lib Dem and Labour Group., the Conservatives have now lost control of Bradford Council.

Councillor Jeanette Sunderland, Leader of the 14 strong Lib Dem group said,

" The Conservatives did not publish a plan for the District in the run-up to the election - that only appeared last Thursday and contains no new ideas or vision from their new Leader. They simply do not have sufficient support in the Council Chamber to remain in a leadership position.

" The Lib Dem group did not vote positively for the Labour Party Leader who, in our opinion, was not effective in Opposition and was responsible for leading the Labour Group when Bradford's Education Service was a national disgrace. He has consistently refused to work with others for the last eight years. This is a position he still supports and will leave the Executive on Bradford Council poorer for it. He places the blame for this onto the Regional Labour Party. We need to be assured that he will put Bradford before the Labour Party.

"The future of the District will be defined by the size of the national debt. This cannot be ignored so the Lib Dems have suggested some positive arrangements for the future to ensure that front line services are protected, particularly those to the most vulnerable, that schools serving the most deprived areas receive the funding they are entitled to, focus is shifted onto Bradford City Centre and that the District achieves value for money.

"These arrangements will include cross party working to deal with the reducing the amount of money the Councils spends and dealing with the end of short term funding schemes. There will be much more scrutiny of local services by the Councillors representing those areas and Council Officers will not be able to use under spending to prop up areas of overspending. Everyone knows the size of the national debt accrued under the last Labour Government will affect us here in Bradford. It is up to all politicians to work together to make sure our District delivers excellent quality front line services to local people."