Labour councillors have welcomed the announcement that many of their key demands have been included in the District Council’s draft budget for next financial year. These include:
reinstatement of Age UK’s grant, previously cut, to ensure continuation of their elderly befriending service
a strengthened street cleaning team with extra staff and a new dedicated vehicle
funding the next phase feasibility study into recovering energy from mine water to heat the Coalville and Whitwick Leisure Centre and stop using gas;
restoring the council’s community focus team to full strength
a scheme to address the current double taxation of residents of Ashby, Castle Donington and Kegworth for maintenance of their closed churchyards
reinstatement of Ashby museum’s grant
We are pleased that there will be 2 hours free parking in Money Hill car park in Ashby - Cllr John Legrys, Labour Group Leader
The draft budget was debated at the council’s corporate scrutiny committee on Thursday. Labour Group Leader, John Legrys, said,
“This year we laid out a series of important issues we wanted the ruling Conservative, Lib Dem Alliance to include in their budget and we are pleased to see that most are there. We also welcome the announcement that the threatened 10% increase in car parking charges has been dropped following pressure from all sides.
“We did not support the inequitable treatment of Ashby with the proposed addition of 2 hours free parking in more of Coalville’s car parks. We made it clear that any new periods of free parking should be applied consistently across the whole District. We are pleased that there will be 2 hours free parking in Money Hill car park in Ashby and that there will be a further review of Parking throughout North West Leicestershire.
“We also believe that there is scope for the new £2m Legacy Project Fund to be considerably larger. The Labour government’s Fair Funding Review is providing significant addition resources to the council for capital projects in the run up to Local Government Reorganisation and the council needs to be investing this money now into local community projects across the whole district rather than hoarding it in reserves.”