Lib Dems call for 'Carillion-gate' costs to be exposed

12.00.00am GMT Thu 26th Nov 2009

Conservative County Council continue to fail taxpayers

As Northamptonshire County Council prepares to confront the full costs and complications of its failed contract with Carillion the Liberal Democrat opposition are calling for the figures to be made public. Leader of the group Cllr Brendan Glynane (Delapre) made a clear call for openness from the Conservative council Cabinet:

"In the name of all the hard working, scandal-weary taxpayers in Northamptonshire I am demanding that the financial incompetence of the Conservative administration be made public knowledge.

"First the Conservatives made this disastrous contract, now they have to pay the termination fees using tax-payers' money. It is a terrible waste of funds at a time when the cash is needed elsewhere: to pay off the Conservative council debt and to ensure quality care services.

Scott Collins commenting on the continuing farce said "It is a public disgrace to see such mismanagement of the public finances by the Tory administration, not only in the initial awarding of the Carillion contract but now to have the costs to the tax payer to resolve these failings hidden from the taxpayer smacks of holding taxpayers across the County in contempt"

"This from a Conservative Council that constantly crows about how well it is performing, but constantly fails to tell the public the real story, that the facts just do not bare any resemblance to the tall tales they tell"

Brendan Glynane further commented "Tax-payers have a right to know what the finance-bungling Conservatives in County Hall are wasting their money on; especially when that waste is due to mismanagement and incompetence by those they elected to govern sensibly.

"Before long the council tax-payers of Northamptonshire will have to be told of transition costs, legal fees, compensation payments and a host of other costs; the sooner the better.

"As Lib Dems we believe whole-heartedly in openness and honesty; council tax-payers can be sure that we will be pushing the Conservatives for them, all the way until they reveal these figures."

Scott added "We must have clarity if we are ever to be able to believe a single word this Tory administration says. This never ending charade of smoke and mirrors to avoid their true failings is becoming the stock in trade of this Council and if George Osborne (Conservative Shadow Chancellor)* and Eric Pickles MP** to be believed we can only expect this kind of disdain for the public to continue in Whitehall should the Conservatives take power at the next General Election"

The full report on the Carillion contract will be debated at a meeting of the County Council Cabinet on Tuesday December 1st, at two pm. Northamptonshire County Council Liberal Democrats would like to urge concerned members of the public to register to speak at the meeting. This must be done before two pm on Monday November 30th.

The report can be found at http://cmis.northamptonshire.gov.uk/CmisWebPublic/Meeting.aspx?meetingID=461 as a PDF file titled 'Item D1 Facilities Management Update Report'.

• "Conservative Whitehall will have much to learn from Conservative town [/county] halls." George Osborne, speech to Conservative councillors, 10th September 2009.

** "Our Conservative Councils will demonstrate how we will run the country." Eric Pickles (Big Ideas, Building on Conservative Fundamentals, Localis 2008).