£62 REBATE "NOT GUARANTEED" ADMIT WOLVES TORIES

02-07-2008

Wolverhampton’s Conservative leader Neville “Granpa” Patten has been forced to admit for the first time that his party might be unable to fulfil its election pledge of a £62 Council Tax rebate.

"We can't guarantee that we will deliver it.  We can guarantee that we will be working towards it," Patten told The Stirrer

He blamed the previous Labour administration, saying the local authority’s financial position was “far worse than we thought”.

The news follows Monday night’s setback when the city’s Scrutiny Panel confirmed – in the face of Tory opposition - that the A449 Stafford Road Red Route should remain (see link here).

Cabinet members could still reverse that decision - but if they do, it will cost an additional £150,000 to restore the original double yellow lines. All very embarrassing.

Patten has just returned from a family holiday in the United States and in his absence, councillors also approved a 10p increase in school meals and a 50% uplift in the cost of school milk.

"If Labour were in control, school meals would have gone up 20p and because we're in control we kept it to a bare minimum" he said.

Labour leader Roger Lawrence scoffed at suggestions that his administration was to blame for Conservatives failure to deliver their £62 pledge.

"They were in opposition and could say anything they wanted because they didn't think they would be elected" Lawrence said.