York council's Claire Douglas says 'stop undermining us'

Cllr Claire Douglas, the Labour leader of the City of York Council, defended her administration and told Liberal Democrats to ‘stop undermining her party at every opportunity’ following criticism that she had watered-down manifesto pledges.

When putting the leader’s report to the full council on Thursday, September 21, Cllr Douglas emphasised the difficult financial situation the council faces due to low government funding, inflation and the lack of reserves, which means the council has “no option” but to make cuts. 

“The most visible topic concerning local government is the long-term impact of dwindling financial support from central government, the inflationary pressures on services and the increasing demands on adult and children’s social care,” the leader said.

“Approximately 60p of every pound of council tax in York pays for social care and very small amounts for the upkeep of roads, emptying of bins, provision of libraries and the numerous other services the council delivers.

“The previous administration was not clear on the severity of these pressures on the council budget and spent one-off funds including substantial amounts of important reserves to plug the growing gaps.

“This cannot go on.”

But Cllr Nigel Ayre, the opposition Liberal Democrat group leader, attacked the Labour administration.

Cllr Nigel Ayre

“You have systematically watered down iron-clad promises that featured in every leaflet,” he said.

“On top of that you are introducing stealth taxes in the form of green bin charges that were never mentioned in the election process.

“No longer can people expect a free school meal for their children as they were promised.”

READ MORE:

• Cllr Claire Douglas: 'We won't spend money we don't have'
• Labour accused of ‘watering down’ free school meal pledge
• York council set to charge for garden waste collections

Earlier this month Cllr Bob Webb said he was “very hopeful” that Labour's free school meal pledge would be delivered to every primary school child by the next council election. A trial has also been announced to take place at Westfield Primary School.

Conservative group leader Cllr Chris Steward said there was “a lot of good stuff” in the leader’s report.

“We do see, however, as Cllr Ayre has said, the watering down of election promises,” he said.

“Free school meals for all primary school children; we’ll see what does actually happen there.

“I think Labour are realising that was a really tough pledge to make.”

He added: “I don’t doubt that finances are tough.

“I genuinely don’t doubt that, but we’ve heard this before.

“What we’ve got to do as a council is that we’ve got to be more sensible in the way that we budget.”

Cllr Douglas said: “It really does disappoint me that Cllr Ayre is so dreadfully negative at a point in time when I think really our city and our council and our leaders should be trying to come together.”

Cllr Claire Douglas

She added: “We have some fantastic opportunities, we have a great set of policies that the city is really behind, we have a fantastic civic society who really wants to support what the Labour administration is trying to do and yet we just get undermined at every opportunity.”

The leader’s report outlines the council’s four-year plan.

It includes progressing with devolution in the form of the planned joint authority with North Yorkshire, building thousands of new homes and continuing plans to get York to net zero by 2030. 

In the report, Cllr Douglas urges opposition councillors to “be grown up” about the city’s circumstances.

She wrote: “The council’s finances are in a precarious position and we cannot as an authority continue to spend beyond our means. 

“I have no doubt that any councillor came into local government to make cuts to services, but we have no option. 

“We can turn this into a political football or be grown up about it and work out ways of making those cuts that have the least impact on those in most need. 

“We can continue to lobby central government for fair funding for York while highlighting the appalling settlements across local government, NHS and education that put York bottom of the national pile.”