Lemington Budget Under Threat From Labour

The new Labour Leader of the Council has warned that he intends to "change the way the Council allocates resources …. this means more will be targeted to where it's needed not simply to areas on the basis of the number of people living there."

Lemington Ward now has an annual budget of over £31,000 to support local groups and activities, which increased more than threefold under the Lib Dems compared with when Labour last ran the council.

"Just like other parts of the city, we have older people and our youngsters who need facilities and backing, and we have community groups that need supporting. I intend to stand up for fair resources for local people " said Lemington Councillor Liz Langfield. The Lib Dems also brought in local budgets, equal in every ward, for capital projects. Lemington has used the funds to improve security fencing at The Orchard, provide more grit bins and litter bins, install seating at various locations and provide goal posts to improve children's play opportunities.

"We already know Labour are scrapping ward charters which guarantee that the council will address the priorities of local residents in Lemington in favour of new centrally-imposed top-down 'minimum neighbourhood standards'. We don't yet know whether Labour will continue with the ward capital funds but it would be a betrayal if they scrapped them too and also cut the local revenue budgets just to favour their traditional areas" says Liz.