The Conservatives on Pendle Council attempted to get a grip of the spiralling debt of the Council last night, but were denied by the Labour and the Lib Dems.
The Conservatives are just two seats short of a majority, and their budget focussed on “moving Pendle forward”, by paying down the debt, putting the economy front and centre and improving educational attainment of the Borough’s children.
Debt on Pendle Borough Council has more than doubled under the Labour and Lib Dem coalition running Pendle Council. Five years ago under the Conservatives the Council’s debt stood at £9 million. Today that debt stands at £18.4 million. That figure could increase another £9 million in next year, tripling the debt. That’s the equivalent to around £675 a year for every in Pendle, hitting local families even harder.
In the past 12 months the Council has purchased No1 Market Street and The Ace Centre in Nelson, which is expected to add £5.8m to the Council’s borrowing. To address this, the Conservatives suggested immediately selling £3m worth of property, whilst preparing for sale other buildings which are surplus to requirements. buildings in the near future. This would have been offset against the address.
The Conservatives also put the emphasis back on creating more jobs and opportunities in Pendle, bringing in more businesses and helping the local economy thrive. Over the last three years, funding for growth has fallen by a third in Pendle with no sign of movement on further investment.
They also proposed matching the County Council’s £100,000 of funding to The Pendle Challenge, a Headteacher-led flagship education project which aims to raise educational standards in the Borough. Pendle has the lowest level of educational attainment for children in the whole of Lancashire
Deputy Leader of Pendle Conservatives, Cllr Paul White, commented, “This Administration is putting at risk future generations by racking up huge, unsustainable debt, by failing to promote the economy and by not investing in our children. We need to move Pendle forwards, and this coalition aren’t doing that. They’re frittering money. They are the confetti coalition”.
We have to live within our means. The Labour and Lib Dem coalition running Pendle plead poverty, but then spend, spend, spend. Cllr Iqbal, Leader of the Labour Group has clearly been having economics lessons from his Leader Jeremy Corbyn.”
“Time and time again, it’s the Conservatives that have driven economic investment in Pendle. The Government are funding the expansion of Lomeshaye Industrial Estate, which they anticipate will create over 1,000 jobs; the Government are investing in the Brierfield Mills, thanks to the tireless lobbying of Andrew Stephenson MP, which again is expected to create over 500 jobs and, when I was the Executive Member for Growth for Pendle, we established the ‘Gearing up for Growth fund’ which has helped local businesses expand whilst remaining in Pendle, securing local jobs.”
“We have to do something about educational attainment in Pendle. Rather than buying up big chunks of Nelson Town Centre, a Conservative Administration would invest in our children”.