Support Children and our Roads, not Political Advisors

The Liberal Democrat Group at KCC have submitted amendments to the budget moving money away from political advisers and senior councillors and into educational support for children with special needs, fixing potholes and transport costs for young people in further education.

The three Liberal Democrat amendments, which have been signed off as financially sound by council officers, would provide £180,000 from axing political assistants and the cabinet member for DOGE.

In its long history, KCC has never had political assistants until the Reform administration voted to create them just before Christmas. They are taxpayer funded staff to promote a party’s political interests, unlike other council staff who are politically neutral.

Matthew Fraser Moat resigned as cabinet member for DOGE recently.  Having been tasked with finding waste and inefficiency he admitted finding nothing to cut.  The council already has a large team of internal and external auditors.  Opposition Groups have also pointed out that financial efficiency should be the job of the cabinet member for finance and should not need a second person.  Despite the failure of the role so far Reform quickly filled the post.

Council finance officers have advised that removing political assistants will free up £140,000 and axing DOGE cabinet member will  save £40,000

The Lib Dem Group are offering the council three alternative uses for this:

• Expanding the team of educational psychologists and speech and language therapists to help children with special educational needs who currently face long delays for assessment.
• Use it as additional funds to help repair more potholes
• Reduce the cost of the 16+ Kent Travel Pass, currently £630, by £38.  This will help young people, many of whom use it to get to further education or work.

Lib Dem Leader Antony Hook said:

“This year’s KCC budget is a disaster.  It leaves the council with a huge £411 million risk exposure and tiny reserves currently around £45 million to meet those risks.  Reform’s overspending this year and cavalier attitude to risk as made the possibility of financial disaster far more grave.

“From opposition there is a limited amount the Liberal Democrats can do to improve Reform’s mess but our amendments will, if passed, make the budget slightly more focussed on the public’s needs rather than making jobs for members of Reform.”