ONCE again the Independents are unnecessarily sensationalising issues to feed their addiction to the soundbite. They claim to have uncovered a "financially absurd" capital programme and unbalanced budgets inherited from Labour. There's nothing new in these revelations. The whole council is aware of the issues they highlight and their criticisms are unfounded.

Firstly, Labour's £53m 5-year rolling capital programme will be fully funded except for a remaining £1.2 m to be found this year. The whole council approved this programme in February and instructed the estates committee to continue seeking acceptable asset sales to do this. If the Independents were unhappy with this, they offered no alternative options when pressed to do so then, nor at the subsequent budget council or since.

The development of the Kingsway area will itself generate capital receipts expected to more than cover any initial shortfall. Additionally, releasing the Kingsway site enables a £30m development to take place for the benefit of the district. Secondly, the current revenue budget raises no major concerns; the budget is tight but manageable.

The Independents identified other issues including: the future of Bubbles - this is dependent upon any conclusion to the marketing of the site. A development brief was issued and council will have to consider options for the future in response to any outside interest shown (minimal so far). Nothing new here. However, the public should be reminded that Bubbles has been privately managed for some years but with a large council annual subsidy (currently about £268,000) in support of Morecambe tourism industry.

The Winter Gardens - further work on it is needed and its use is yet to be finally determined but this is not a financial responsibility of the council.

The Salt Ayre contractor challenge - the dispute on construction costs relating to extra ground work etc is now the subject of arbitration between the council and Birse - nothing new 'uncovered' here. council has been fully informed of the position.

The Christley legal case - Mr Christley has given notice of a legal action against the council without as yet specifying detail and this has been referred to the council's insurers. It is 'sub judice' as far as councillors and officers are concerned.

The dire state of Lancaster Market - the estates committee is in the process of considering options for use requested by the Labour administration in consultation with market tenants and other parties to help maintain the visibility of the market.

The leading Independents implore people "to bear with them" as they work "to keep a tighter hold on the purse strings". This is not just a slur on the integrity of the Labour group and those other local politicians who supported many of its main policies but is also veiled attack on those professional employees who have a fiduciary duty to ring the alarm bells if Labour's financial control lacked probity.

Yes, Labour lost the local elections but the Independents with only 22 seats out of 60 did not win control and have no leader of the council. We have a hung council and anything Independents seek to do will require consensus support from the other four groups. When the Independents tell us what they would intend to do, what their policies are and what the budgetary implications will be, then council consider their views, taking into account any required professional advice, and then make its decisions.

Cllr Abbott Bryning

Labour Group leader

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.