Cardiff council's deputy leader has said meals on wheels should be prioritised over royal wedding street parties in next year's budget.
The suggestion to spend £5,000 on street parties for the royal wedding came from the Independent group ahead of this week's full council meeting – in which budget proposals for 2011/12 will be discussed.
The ruling Lib Dem/Plaid coalition has already submitted its proposals – including an increase in council tax of 1.94% and plans to make £22m of savings.
But the Independent group – which consists of three Rhiwbina ward members – has suggested an additional £5,000 money pot to cover road closures in support of local residents planning to hold a street party in celebration of the royal wedding on 29 April.
In the Independent's proposals, released today, the group also allocates £2,000 expenditure for a replacement photocopier at Rhiwbina library. The group said its budget could be funded by cutting unnecessary costs of catering for councillors at full meetings – where members are provided a buffet and bottled water.
But executive members have blasted the idea - saying Cardiff taxpayers should not have to pay out for the cost of the celebration.
Councillor Neil McEvoy, Plaid Cymru leader on Cardiff Council said:
"If people want to celebrate the royal wedding with street parties they should carry on and organise them but not at the taxpayers' expense.
"I don't think the people in Cardiff, many of whom are struggling to maintain their homes and jobs, would appreciate the authority spending £5,000 on royal street parties.
"The UK taxpayer is already having to meet the multi-million pound cost of providing security for the royal wedding. The council tax-payer all over Wales also has to foot the bill for a day off for staff, while being told we can't afford a day off for St David's Day.
"I can think of many better ways of using £5,000 such as play equipment in our parks or providing meals on wheels for the vulnerable."
Executive member for traffic and transport Delme Bowen said people in Cardiff would prefer expenditure on pothole repairs rather than road closures. He said:
"It's an interesting suggestion and we will look at it in more depth in the budget meeting.
"I do wish the Prince and his fiance a good future but I don't know whether we would want further public expenditure on their behalf.
"We do welcome celebrations in the city but I don't think for the budget this is high priority at the moment."
Council leader Rodney Berman also said any residents wishing to apply for road closures would be looked at individually. He said:
"I do not believe there is any necessity for such a funding allocation as any requests for road closures can be dealt with within existing budgets and staffing arrangements.
"If people want to apply for any roads to be closed off then the council will deal with any such applications in the way it normally would deal with any road closure applications."
Independent group proposes to cut council tax by 1.13%
The Independent group budget also proposes a reduction in council tax by 1.13%, as well as saving £300,000 by cutting agency staff and consultancy costs.
The budget proposals include introducing parking costs for councillors and officers outside City Hall, County Hall and Willcox house – making a further £490,000 saving from the new fee.
Independent group finance spokesman, councillor Adrian Robson – who is proposing the alternative budget – said:
"This is a budget for the majority of Cardiff council taxpayers whose engagement with the council is little more than the basic council services.
"The executive have made a number of savings this year, but we have demonstrated that they could go further and propose a reduction in tax. All residents of the city are finding these economic times difficult and I believe that the council has a duty of wellbeing which includes the tax bill reducing."
Independent group leader, councillor Jayne Cowan, said:
"I hope that all councillors will look at our budget and see that we have proposed a legally and financially achievable budget which will benefit every council taxpayer in this city."
But leader of the Liberal Democrat group Rodney Berman said cutting councillor catering costs was a 'red herring':
"This is a complete red herring because if they buffet was not provided for full council meetings then councillors would have the right to claim subsistence instead in order to purchase their own food and this could work out significantly more expensive.
"Members of the Independent group have been advised of this many times before."
Proposals for the 2011/2012 budget will be put up for debate at the meeting of the full council this Thursday 24 February.
Conservative group propose cut to Capital Times
The opposition group also submitted their alternative budget proposals ahead of Thursday's meeting today – including cuts to the council-run newspaper Capital Times.
By reducing money spent on council staff, communications and procurement, the Conservative group said they could make savings of £2.5m. The group also propose an unspecified reduction in council tax.
The group said Capital Times wastes £4m of council funds and is "a propaganda sheet for the parties in power".
Correction, Feb 24: We have since learned that the £4m figure is incorrect as it covers the cost of all council communications and not just the publication.
The Conservative budget would also spend £1.5m on road resurfacing – something the coalition executive has also promised to fund.
Conservative leader David Walker said:
"Our proposals take account of the difficult economic times and the needs of citizens to keep their taxes low. The last thing they need this year is a council tax increase.
"No staff would lose employment under our proposals. More employment would be created through our investment in road resurfacing."
What do you think of this alternative budget? We'll bring you news of the Labour and Conservative budgets later today. Leave your comments below.
