The council’s Main Opposition Labour Group has submitted its proposed council budget for 2022-23.
It contains a number of changes to the proposed Lib Dem-Green council budget, including cutting back on wasteful spending at the political centre of the authority, and directing resource into resident priorities for the city.
Labour Group Leader, Cllr Pete Kilbane, will propose Labour’s budget at a council meeting this Thursday. He said:
“Our budget tackles those areas of waste such as ruling councillors’ spending on themselves, reverses a major cut to carbon reduction work and boosts funding for mental health at this most vital time.
“We’ve also allocated some money to develop planning policy to restrict holiday lets like Air BnB in the city. An unrestricted surge in whole home holiday lets means more and more people are unable to find an affordable place to live, meaning York will struggle more and more to attract teachers for our children and health workers to treat us when we are unwell.
“We’ll also not allow cuts to parking office staff when the new digital ResPark system has been, and remains, an absolute car crash. The Lib Dems are quite happy to impose the failed ResPark system on city centre residents who they do not represent, but the Greens should not be allowing this to happen. And in yet another betrayal of their voters, the Greens have agreed to a £100k cut in the Carbon Reduction budget, a cut we will reverse.
“This is just the start of what we’d do to get this council back on the right track”.
Fresh from ruling councillors approving the discriminatory decision to ban disabled blue badge holders from the centre of York, their budget contains a new proposal to cut funding for school transport for those with physical disabilities and special educational needs. The saving involves those affected having to make their own arrangements for getting to school, something Labour says isn’t acceptable and which it will reverse.
And through capital investment, Labour would kick-start investment in Acomb Front Street shopping area, five years after a council commitment has resulted in no physical improvements being carried out.
Labour’s Deputy Group Leader and economy spokesperson, Cllr Claire Douglas said:
“There’s been nothing but talking for five years about Front Street shopping area and no capital investment so we are addressing this through our budget. Traders and residents have given their views and the council just needs to get on and do something to support them.
“Our budget will also provide funding for play areas and green spaces across the city after the Lib Dems’ set funding rules, then changed them mid-process in order to send a majority of funding to their own wards. This proposal aims to right that wrong for the residents of Acomb, Westfield and other areas where many play parks have long been a civic embarrassment, and where children deserve the same play opportunities as those in outer wards”.