Lib Dems are the Only Opposition in Shepway

Lib Dem Council Group Leader Lynne Beaumont slammed the Conservative and People First Groups at Shepway for ignoring the needs and wishes of local people.

Cllr Beaumont criticised the Council's Tory and People First Groups, voicing her party's concern that the budget the Council set was irresponsible.

Cllr Beaumont said "This budget only works by using the Council's reserves. It relies on figures which predict how much money the Council hopes will come in - not how much we know will come in. If households ran like this, running down savings accounts and just hoping more money would appear, then the problems would be apparent pretty quickly - and this Council is no different."

She also went on to criticise People First for their disregard for local people's views.

Cllr Beaumont said:

"Cllr Marsh had it right when he talked about how he used to be in opposition. People First are now jointly running our Council, sadly with the same disregard for local people's views as they had when we threw them out of the Liberal Democrats. Cllr Cufley dismissed the views of 1800 local residents who have signed petitions against the rise in car parking charges simply because she couldn't see crowds of angry residents in the public gallery for the entirety of our Council meeting. Is that really what it takes to make Cllr Cufley listen?"

"I think a responsible Council listens when local people talk to us, and doesn't sit back and wait till people start coming to the Council's doorstep shouting for action. It is a fact now that the only Party in Shepway's Council chamber who are actually listening to and standing up for local people is the Liberal Democrats."