Liberal Democrat councillors have persuaded Luton Council’s Scrutiny Board that the consequences for Luton taxpayers of the Luton – Dunstable Busway project costs running out of control are so serious that they should monitor its progress carefully.

“Major capital projects at Luton Borough Council usually end up costing more than originally planned”, says Liberal Democrat leader David Franks.

“When you start with a budget as massive as £90 Million even a 10% budget over-run would cause very serious problems. It is vital somebody keeps a close eye on this scheme to see whether it is progressing on time and on budget.”

“The guided part of the route has already been reduced to save costs and so much of the way the buses will run on ordinary roads. With much of the claimed benefit being dubbed ‘doubtful’ we really need to see what Luton is going to get and how much it is costing.”

On 22nd August Luton Council’s Labour Executive is due to take a decision “To Further Rationalise & Restructure Local Authority Elder Persons’ Homes” and Liberal Democrats asked at last Tuesday’s Council meeting for assurances this does not mean more closures of Council run residential homes.

Despite repeated questioning from Liberal Democrat leader, Councillor David Franks, the Labour Councillor responsible for old peoples’ care could not be budged from her refusal to give any guarantees.

“I really hope this is not leading to another round of the anxiety, concern and uncertainty which surrounded Labour’s closure of Sherd Lodge and The Mount,” said David Franks. “I’ve not met anybody who believed those so called consultation exercises were real; most thought they were a bit of window dressing with the decisions already taken beforehand.”

“If they are planning residential home closures then they should come clean and own up, the sooner the better. It is just not fair that they create these long periods of uncertainty. It causes totally unnecessary pain and anguish for all those involved.”

A report considered by the Labour executive committee of Luton Council on Monday 11th July has revealed that Central Bedfordshire Council is planning to set aside £250,000 a year in future budgets for maintenance of the Luton – Dunstable Busway. Luton’s Labour Council has already included £307,000 a year from 2013 onwards in its financial plan taking the total figure to £557,000 a year.

“For years Labour Councillors have told us that once it was completed the Busway would be self financing,” says Liberal Democrat leader David Franks. “There have been regular claims that future costs would be covered by the fees the bus companies paid to use it. We never believed that and always thought it would be a constant drain on Luton’s Council Tax payers.”

“This is a Council Tax funded £557,000 a year maintenance cost for a Busway that almost nobody wants. It’s an outrage.”

At the meeting of Luton Council on 19th July Liberal Democrat councillors tried to force a review of a vital service plan which will define the way the Council inspects food premises across the town for the next 12 months. But their proposed amendments were rejected by the Labour run Council and what Liberal Democrats described as an unsafe plan was approved by the Labour majority.

“I am sure most food establishments operate to very high standards of hygiene and produce & sell perfectly safe high quality food to satisfied customers,” says Liberal Democrat leader David Franks. “Sadly not all achieve the required standards.”

“Just look around the town, you cannot avoid seeing the explosion in numbers of fast food shops and it’s the Council’s job to make sure they all live up to the high standards of the best. Yet this service plan says fewer food premises are to be inspected.”

“Horrible, food hygiene related health problems like e-coli are on the increase. People die of e-coli. Yet Luton’s Labour Council plans to cut back on food premises inspections at a time when risks are increasing and the numbers of fast food outlets is rapidly increasing.”

“Labour members should be ashamed of themselves for approving a so called ‘service plan’ which actually states the Council will not meet its statutory obligations.”

“The service plan says 30% of medium high risk food businesses due a hygiene intervention will not get one. 414 food premises are due an inspection so 124 of them will not be inspected.”

“The service plan even says the Food Standards Agency insists microbiological examination & analysis of food, including inspection for and identification of insects, is a priority enforcement tool. The so called Service Plan also says there will be a 30% reduction in microbiological examinations & analysis.”

“The Labour Council has the bare faced cheek to actually force through Council a Food Law Enforcement Service Plan which puts Luton residents at greater risk of serious food related illness and states perfectly clearly the Council will not even meet its statutory obligations.”

Luton’s Liberal Democrat Councillors have welcomed a decision by backbench councillors to review the number of decisions that are taken by Council officers.

Elected councillors launched a formal review of delegated powers at Constitution Committee last week after the Overview and Scrutiny Committee agreed to refer a call by Liberal Democrat councillor Martin Pantling to look again at decisions that should be taken by councillors.

Councillors in all parties now seem concerned at the number of decisions Labour delegated from 2007 to 2011. The issue has gained some attention in the context of the Old Drill Hall, where neither councillors nor officers have yet put their hands up to deciding to sell the site for use as a community centre after its long-standing designation for housing.

All councillors have now been asked to identify areas where they believe elected councillors, not paid officials, should take the key decisions.

Liberal Democrat Deputy Group Leader, Martin Pantling comments:

“I’m pleased that the concern I raised over how many decisions are now being taken by officials has been echoed by backbench colleagues across political groups. People don’t go to the polls to elect their local councillors only to find out they don’t have any power because too many decisions have been handed to unelected officials.”

“We’re lucky to have in Luton a professional officer team who are very capable of delivering for the town. But they shouldn’t be left to guess what councillors want, or be hung out to dry for decisions that have been taken because of political pressure behind closed doors.”

“The debacle over the Drill Hall is a classic example of what happens when lines are blurred as to who is responsible for taking key decisions. It would seem that nobody in particular took the decision to agree the sale. Most people can think of numerous other examples.”

“With a new Council in place, this is an ideal time to put things right for the next four years. I hope councillors of all parties will seize it so residents can see some real transparency.”