There was an article in the Evening Post a few weeks ago detailing strategic risks to the Council taken from a committee report. Unfortunately, they did not publish it on their website. Here are the seven risks identified:
Unable to protect children from harm
Failing to provide school places for every child
Not ready to run a general election
Failing to meet fire safety regulations
Failing to keep within budget
Unable to maintain and service delivery from the Civic Centre
Failing to deal with projected cash shortages expected in the public sector.
This is pretty damning for the Labour Party who have been running Reading many years. However, if they wanted to the Lib Dems and Tories could get together and run the Council themselves -- as Labour do not have a majority -- but they are reluctant to do this as it is far easier to be out of power and criticise the Council.
5 comments:
You mean you think the LibDems and Tories could agree on a general plan despite the fact they are at loggerheads on almost all issues?
Why don't you suggest 'Independent' Jones rejoins his old party instead - that would have just the same effect and is much more likely considering his historic membership of Labour and his continued trade unionism.
It would be better if you saved your advice for your own side rather than playing dirty games like this. Your current positions shows what your advice and judgement is worth, and it's clear you need every bit you can get.
Oranjepan, Labour currently have 19 councillors, if Tony Jones were to rejoin them they would have 20 -- but they still would not have a majority and so would continue to run a minority administration. This is because the Tories have 18 councillors and your party -- Lib Dems -- have 8. Your party and the Tories could still out vote Labour or run the Council if they wanted to. Have I misunderstood your comment or did you get your numbers wrong? Which disagreements would you say are so fundamental as to prevent you from working together?
Then why don't you suggest any form of coalition, rather than one which is politically advantageous to your personal campaign in Park ward?
If it was just about numbers you'd have taken a non-partisan perspective.
Clearly you are less concerned about issues than the interplay of parties.
I think you may well be right Rob, I don't know if the Libdems, and particularly the Tories, would know what to do if they were in charge.
Its a frightening thought that they may get into a position of power next year on the basis of national swings and the fact that the general and local ections could happen on the same day.
I guess they would have to dream up some policies pretty quickly if that were to happen!
PS, --I don't understand the Orange way of doing maths either-----perhaps the Libs should not deal with the council budget in the event of a deal with the Tories!
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