Conservatives Propose Devastating Service Cuts and Cost Rises for Residents

The Conservatives have published their budget savings plan for next year, which includes unprecedented cuts.

Included in their plan are:

* Reduction in services for children and families through Children’s Centres and Family Hubs (£118,000)

* Grants for Rural Communities axed (£100,000)

* Climate Change Grants axed (£100,000)

* A threat to road safety through Average Speed Cameras by cutting the maintenance budget (£200,000)

* Removal of the automatic Toilets in Parks (£64,000)

* Turning down streetlights (£60,000)

* Library Cuts (£93,000)

* Reducing grass cutting and maintenance (£100,000)

* Increased car parking costs (£300,000)

* Green bin charge introduced (£850,000)

* Raising Council Tax Bills for the poorest households (£1,500,000)

Also included: Cuts to pest control, building control cuts, Economic Development hit – just as Universal arrive - free parking cut, leisure services cuts. 

Cllr Henry Vann said, “Residents across the Borough will be devastated and horrified by these proposals. Frontline services such as public toilets, libraries and grass cutting are under direct attack. These proposals also take the axe to important support for our rural communities and for families throughout the Borough. And then to add insult to injury, they plan to introduce increased charges for parking, green bin collections and higher council tax for households most in need. We haven’t even seen the proposed fees and charges for next year yet.”

“It didn’t have to be this way. The Mayor and his Conservative colleagues have embarked on a costly spending spree over the last 2 years spending millions on vanity projects and failing to control spending and now residents are going to have to pay the price. When he was first elected, the Mayor boldly compared himself to be like a bloke in a sweet shop who wanted everything. Well after 2 years of this attitude the shelves are now bare. We have seen millions of pounds wasted on buying a costly empty building and splurging cash on the Oasis pool to then announce its closure.”

“During this time Council borrowing has been out of control and has gone from £60m to £129m, with their plans set to take this even higher to £179m. That’s over £900 for every adult and child in the Borough. This is placing a heavy burden not just on residents today but also into the future.”

“After driving the council to bankruptcy, the Conservative response is to announce these devastating cuts – even as their property buying budget of £13m stays in place. But this doesn’t look like the end of the story. Higher council taxes for everyone will be still on the table to balance the books." 

ENDS

 Notes:

Agenda for Executive on Wednesday, 15th October, 2025, 6.30 pm - Bedford Borough Council