Labour’s decision to abstain from a vote over Bedford Borough Council’s defeated budget has sparked a debate over whether it was ‘sitting on the fence’.
The budget, proposed by the Conservative administration, failed to pass on Wednesday evening (4 February).
Labour Group leader cllr Abu Sultan said the party could not support a budget it believed was not “strong enough”, but argued abstaining was a responsible choice.
Read: Borough Council executive forced back to drawing board after narrow vote rejects budget
“This is not fence sitting,” he said.
“We cannot vote for a budget we do not believe is strong enough, but nor will we pretend that voting against a lawful budget is a serious answer to the financial challenges we face.”
Read: Labour says abstaining on Bedford council budget was a “responsible choice”
Labour said the budget would “get the council through another year” but did not fix the underlying problems and pushed “the hardest decisions further down the road”.
Deputy leader Sue Oliver said the administration needed to “accept responsibility and take ownership of the consequences” as savings plans begin to take effect.
But the Liberal Democrats, who voted against the budget, rejected Labour’s stance.
“Fence sitting isn’t an option”
Cllr Michael Headley, deputy leader of the Bedford Borough Liberal Democrats and finance spokesperson, said: “Fence sitting isn’t an option.”
He said councillors had a duty to act if presented with an “ill-thought-out budget plan that leads to even bigger problems ahead”, adding that budget setting was “a process, not an event”.
The Green Party also argued that abstaining risked giving credibility to proposals they believed were not viable.
Green Group leader cllr Ben Foley said: “If a budget is not credible, the most responsible thing to do is to vote against it.”
He referred to warnings from CIPFA last year about the council’s reserves position and said the financial situation had since led to “dramatic and unwelcome cuts” and an application for Exceptional Financial Support.
Read: Balanced Bedford Borough Council budget only possible with Government emergency financial support
The Conservatives defended their budget and pointed to wider national pressures.
Cllr Graeme Coombes, leader of the Conservative Group, said: “This is not a situation unique to our authority, councils across the country are facing the same challenges after years of central government reducing the funding available for local services, while demand and statutory responsibilities continue to rise.
“This isn’t a budgetary position of this administration’s making, it is years of poor planning and financial management.
“Our priority is ensuring the council remains sustainable and able to deliver for the community.”
The next Full Council meeting will be held on Wednesday, 25 February.
by John Guinn
Local Democracy Reporter
