Bedford’s mayor has warned councillors that failure to approve the council’s new budget could mean unelected government officials running the council, according to a leaked letter.
A letter to all councillors warning of the consequences of not having a budget has been leaked to the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS).
In it, mayor Tom Wootton (Conservative) said the council faces a “grave financial situation” driven by rising demand in adult social care, children’s services and homelessness, inflationary pressures, reduced government funding and the “collective decision over the past decade” not to raise council tax by the full allowable amount.
The letter warns that if a budget is not set, it is “highly likely” the council could be placed into special measures, with commissioners appointed to run the authority.
This could remove elected members from the decision-making process, he added.
The mayor says commissioners elsewhere have sold community assets, placed non-essential services at risk, and overseen staff job losses.
“I want to be absolutely clear: every councillor has been given the opportunity to contribute to the budget process. This has not been a closed exercise,” he wrote.
“The cabinet member for finance, cllr Marc Frost, alongside a number of others, have spent significant time listening to members from across the political spectrum, considering concerns and ideas, and shaping a budget that is responsible, realistic, and capable of commanding broad support.
“This budget is not about political wins or losses. It is about whether Bedford Borough continues to be governed by elected representatives accountable to residents, or whether those decisions are handed to commissioners with no local mandate.”
Urging councillors to support the budget, mayor Wootton said the decision is about whether the borough continues to be governed by elected representatives or by commissioners with no local mandate, adding that residents would lose their voice if control were taken out of local hands.
Residents tired of “same old silly politics”
Mayor Wootton told the LDRS that it was “really disappointing a confidential email to councillors has been leaked”.
‘It is no secret that the council is on a financial cliff edge,” he said.
“I have warned councillors to stop playing political games – the consequences for residents of this borough going into special measures is very real and frightening.
“Councillors voting against the budget will essentially be giving government the power to come in, shut down services, sack staff and sell off what they want in community assets.
“We’ve heard that with elections round the corner, some of the other parties want to try and win votes by playing school ground [sic] politics rather than putting the borough and its residents first.
“I know residents are tired of the same old silly politics,” he said.
The letter added that the Section 151 officer’s Section 25 report confirms the budget is “viable and lawful, with risks managed and safeguards in place”, allowing the council to meet its statutory duties with Exceptional Financial Support.
A section 151 officer is responsible for the proper administration of an authority’s financial affairs, ensuring legal compliance, and exercising professional oversight over budgetary, financial, and regulatory matters.
Mayor Wootton wrote: “This is the formal judgement of the section 151 officer, not a political view.”
The budget will be debated at this week’s Full Council meeting on Wednesday (4 February).
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
