Roger Hayes

Liberal Democrat Councillor for Smithills Learn more

Budget Amendment 2014

Our amendment (proposed by Roger Hayes, seconded by Carole Swarbrick) made the following proposals:

  • A freeze of Council Tax, involving acceptance of the Government’s offer of a £1 million grant to do so
  • A cut in Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) of £60,000 a year. SRAs are supposed to be paid to senior Councillors who performs roles with special responsibility paid. Between the 60 Councillors there are now 30 SRAs totalling about £190,000 a year. We believe all these should be reviewed and that many could be cut.
  • An investment of a one-off £5 million into Bolton’s roads, concentrating on roads in residential areas. In 2009 a study estimated that Bolton’s roads had arrears of rep[airs totalling over £50 million.
  • An investment of a one-off £500,000 into Area Forums – £25,000 a ward to allow local priorities to be funded
  • Starting moves to reduce the number of Councillors to be reduced by a third (to 2 per ward) saving around £300,000 a year
  • Funding projects to revitalise outlying district centres   
  • Investigating installing solar panels on Council buildings

Our amendment was accepted as being fully funded. It called for use of the underspend of £1.5 million in the 2013/14 budget and investment of the money that will be received from the sale of the Smithills Estate to The Woodland Trust.

Shamefully, both Labour and the Conservatives voted against these proposals.