'If we want drinks we'll pay… not the Kirklees taxpayers' Green chief targets town hall hospitality budget for axe

Huddersfield Daily Examiner (Huddersfield, England), Feb 23, 2008

Byline: By BARRY GIBSON News Reporter

A POLITICIAN wants Kirklees to save money - starting with the councillors' drinks bill at Christmas.

Clr Andrew Cooper has unveiled the Green party's budget plans for 2008/09.

The group wants to set a council tax rise of 2.7% - less than the ruling Conservatives' proposal of 3%.

Clr Cooper said: "We've proposed a number of areas where there could be savings. It's possible to restrict the increase in council tax without cutting a single job or service."

Clr Cooper, who leads the four-strong Green group on Kirklees, wants to stop councillors drinking at the public's expense. He said: "At the moment there is a pounds 3,000 hospitality budget, the bulk of which goes towards Christmas parties run by each political party where they invite along their members and activists."

Clr Cooper said the Green party hands back its share - about pounds 100 - to the council each year.

He said: "If we want to go to the pub and have a drink and a good time with our colleagues at Christmas, we will pay for it ourselves.

"We don't think it's appropriate for the council taxpayer to pay."

Clr Cooper also believes the council can make savings by using low-energy street lights. And he wants Kirklees to combat rising food prices by using council land to raise cattle and poultry and grow crops for school dinners.

The council will decide its spending for 2008/09 at the annual budget meeting on Wednesday.

Clr Cooper is confident that some of his party's suggestions will be implemented - even though the Greens have only four of the 69 councillors.

He said: "We've been in discussions with other parties and we're hopeful that some of the things we've proposed will get into the budget.

"Green party content has been in every budget since 2000, including things like the free insulation scheme and the yellow planning notices that are now put on lampposts."

Your view?

Text: 01484 437767

Tel: 01484 437767

email: e ditorial@examiner.co.uk

Forum: www.examiner.co.uk

CAPTION(S):

SAVINGS: Clr Andrew Cooper, Green Party leader on Kirklees Council, wants to stop councillors drinking at the public's expense