I have just read Cllr Britcliffe's wonderfully self-congratulatory Viewpoint on the council website:
Leaders Viewpoint July 2010
Whilst echoing his own column in The Observer and not telling us anything about the real spending going on, the final paragraph is neither professional or accurate.
In actual fact, the Hyndburn Labour group agree that cuts do need to be made across the borough and are not opposing them all as is implied here. The Labour group put forward a motion that was carried at the last full council meeting to send a letter to the chancellor opposing the rise in VAT - Cllr Britcliffe was such a man of the people that he tried to have it quashed and turn it round into an attack on opposition groups.
The cuts that I personally would love to see generally relate to self-serving projects from Britcliffe himself and figure-fiddling that makes it look like he has personally saved us £1.9m over the past year. In actual fact he awarded himself £690k extra last year to fund projects and has just had around £600k from a VAT refund dating back years. With additional creative accounting he hasn't saved a bean, plus he has just increased the 'Cabinet Action Fund' to £100k, despite the fact that he has consistently underspent the £60K allowance in previous years. This fund can be spent in any way that the Leader wishes on anything he chooses and has the right of veto on any application.
This is our money, he is trying to spend vast amounts this year that will leave whoever is in power next year with nothing in the pot. Forget your political allegiances and ask what is good for Hyndburn because Labour, Conservative or other, we will all be in the same boat. Simply attacking the previous administration is not my idea of a good answer or showing that you want to do what is best for the people today.
Do we really need the Floral Market towns project and how much is it costing?
How much is spent on new projects in each ward?
What are the figures for spending the Cabinet Action Fund in previous years and what are the applications that have been passed this year?
I would urge you all to question Hyndburn Council spending and take it up with Peter Britcliffe directly as his contact details are at the bottom of the page on the link above.