Conservative leader calls for greater transparency over Sefton Council's budget figures
The Conservatives in Sefton are calling for greater clarity over some of the figures contained in last year’s budget.
At Thursday night’s council meeting, Councillor, Mike, Prendergast, the Conservative leader on Sefton Council, asked a question in relation to the budget for Children’s Services.
The question was, “Can the Leader of the Council confirm the figure that was placed in last year’s budget for agency staff within the Children’s Social Services Department?”
Conservatives on Sefton Council are concerned that years budget might have been passed by Labour with key figures being missed out. Whilst an answer was provided, it did not address the fundamental question that was asked.
How much money was actually allocated for agency staff, what was the number?
Councillor Prendergast said’ “Even though a simple question was asked, we have not been given a straight answer. Where’s the money for agency staff in last years budget?
We are told over and over again that agency staff are very expensive. I do not doubt that, but if that’s the case and we have known that’s the case for a while, then why can’t we just be told how much provision was made to pay for them in last years budget? It’s a simple question.
It’s almost as if the figure was missed off and if that is the case then we need to know why and who was responsible.
Right now we have a £17 million overspend in Children’s Services and Labour have just increased your Council Tax by nearly 5%, to pay for the mistakes made by them.
Has our Council Tax been increased by this much because of a potential error in not budgeting for agency staff correctly?
Sefton residents have a right to know the amount of money that was allocated to cover agency staff in Children’s Services in last years budget. “