As the Local Elections are happening next month, most people will receiving a variety of different leaflets tumbling through their letterboxes with all kinds of promises. Often these promises are uncosted or sometimes not even things that are within the control of the Council. Some don’t seem to understand the service obligations that the Council must legally provide.
We must be wary of these promises and take time to understand the consequences. Councillors must be responsible and prepared to sometimes make unpopular decisions in the best interest of our residents, even if it goes against the views of those who seem to be shouting the loudest. Right now, more than ever with the state of what is happening in the wider world, we need a steady ship with an experienced team at the helm.
The Liberal Democrats have been in control of Wokingham borough Council since 2022 and in that time, we have made over £30 Million of savings, making the Council recognisably among one the most efficient in the country. This coming year, the national government will take over 94% of our Business Rates and have reduced many of our grants, meaning that we have to find at least £43M more in income and savings, over the next three years. While we appreciate that residents are also feeling the pinch, we are reliant on Council Tax and other fees that we charge to pay for the services our residents need and have no choice, but to use those income sources. Nearly 70% of our Council Tax is spent on Adult Social Care and Children, which many residents do not see.
However, some notable examples of things we have done since the Liberal Democrats took control of Wokingham Borough Council are the acquisition of two Care Homes, to reduce our Adult Social Care costs, instead of using expensive private homes for our vulnerable residents. We have also built new schools and are expanding others, including our local Special Educational Needs schools, instead of having to send children long distances and to expensive out of area placements. We have reduced the costs of our operational buildings by repurposing them, selling some or ensuring that they are at least being used by charities for the benefit of our residents, rather than standing empty. A good and welcome example is the former Demark Street Library, which is now being repurposed as a SEND College.
There are other projects in the pipeline, that are expected to make savings and generate incomes. These include our Solar Farm Projects, which are progressing and maybe not as fast as we would like, but they are needed now more than ever.
While it is not a perfect world and what is happening on a global scale is certainly beginning to affect residents and WBC, I can assure you that we aim to do our best to mitigate the impact in the best way possible and build a positive future, while continuing to support our most vulnerable residents. It is that, which sets the Liberal Democrats apart from others.
