Budget Reflections
Now that the dust has settled on the recent budget, we are pleased that several Conservative priorities were approved after more than 12 hours of wrangling.
We welcomed from our amendment:
- Reviewing grit rounds to improve winter maintenance;
- Increasing parking enforcement;
- Extending Christmas opening hours at council tips;
- Exploring ways to allow North Kirklees residents to use neighbouring councils’ waste facilities
- A further £5m investment for road repairs
We were also pleased to see that the funds we secured last year to ‘clean up Kirklees’ were also included.
These practical measures reflect our focus on doing the basics well - supporting neighbourhood services that residents see day to day and improving core local infrastructure.
However, we voted against the budget overall.
Why we opposed it
Despite securing some key changes, we fundamentally disagree with parts of the final package that we believe take the council’s spending in the wrong direction.
- Cuts to road safety funding remain a serious concern. Reducing line painting, signage and preventative safety work is not something we can support.
- At a time when town centres are under pressure, we believe rejecting two hours’ free weekend parking was a missed opportunity to support local businesses.
- The budget includes the creation of Climate Bonds - an untested and speculative financing tool. The council should be focused on delivering vital public services, not on experimenting with complex financial schemes.
We continue to believe that the council should prioritise frontline delivery first - roads, waste, enforcement and neighbourhood services - before pursuing unproven projects.
What it means for May 7th
There is a clear choice in the all-out council elections on 7th May.
Do residents want continued spending on fanciful, unproven vanity projects that distract from core service delivery?
Or do they want a Conservative council that will take control of wasteful spending, focus on essential services, and do the basics well?
We will continue to stand for financial discipline, accountability and practical action that delivers for local people.
What do you think? Do you feel we've secured a good deal for you?