“THE RULING Conservative Group is badly divided and has lost their way. They are just floundering about, hoping that someone will provide a way forward.”
This was the stark warning from the leader of Wokingham’s Liberal Democrats, Cllr Lindsay Ferris, who was addressing an extraordinary meeting of the council on Friday, December 14.
He said of the changing of the leadership: “It is rather like changing the Captain on the Titanic. The splits, lack of leadership and direction here simply mirrors what is going on with the Conservatives in Westminster.
“The Council has all but stalled under the leadership of the Conservatives with the Local Plan delayed until 2022, borrowing out of control, escalating from £50m a few years ago to over £450m now and forecast to reach £600m by 2020. There are serious levels of overspend in Children’s Services and Adult Social Care. The number of interim and temporary staff has skyrocketed these past couple of years leading to a lack of leadership at the Council and to poor staff morale.”
He added: “This administration has treated residents across the Borough in an increasingly arrogant manner.
“The Council has left local businesses in the centre of Wokingham to fend for themselves whilst leaving the town centre like a bomb site for 17 months. The standard of business cases, when they are provided, are simply not good enough. How can we control costs if we cannot even do this properly?”
He concluded: “We, in the Opposition, will be directly challenging the ruling Group over the coming months. Many in the Borough feel it is time for a change. It is our role to provide that change.”
