County Council Should Concentrate on Basic Services - Not Spin

10.57.51pm GMT Tue 9th Feb 2010

Addressing the serious failings and shortcomings in basic services, such as safeguarding vulnerable children, must be the Council's top priority, and less money should be spent on promoting the Council's corporate image, and on publicity and spin. This was the message from the Liberal Democrat Group from the Budget Meeting of Essex County Council at County Hall, Chelmsford today [9 February].

Speaking about the Tory Administration's Budget, Cllr Tom Smith-Hughes, the Liberal Democrat Group Leader, said:

"Independent inspectors who, in 2008, had found procedures for safeguarding vulnerable children were some of the worst in the country, were so concerned at the lack of progress that, at the end of last year, they downgraded their assessment of the performance of the whole County Council. At the same time, the County Council, in one year, increased its publicity budget by a massive 25%.

The Tory Administration had become obsessed with image and forgotten its main purpose was to provide services and serve the County's people, in particular the vulnerable. The damning report on Children's Services and the further downgrading of the Council's performance should be a sobering wake-up call to those running the Council.

The neglect of basic services must stop. The new Leader of the Council must totally focus on meeting the serious challenges facing the Council. He should work with all County Councillors in a spirit of greater openness in this vital task".