County Election 2009 (Analysis) | |
The one thing as your County Councillor I hate the most is the dishonesty of the opposition both Lib/Dem and Labour.
Misleading statements and articles, which are circulated to residents bring our Democracy into disrepute. It is not scoring points, it's nothing more than pure dishonesty. As an example, Hampshire Lib/Dems and Labour claim: Claim: The Conservatives at Hampshire Council have wasted 40 million pounds on a new HQ. This is not a new building, it is the refurbishment of an old building that within 2 years would have been condemned as unsafe for occupancy by the County's staff. The Lib Dem Leader and Deputy both APPROVED THIS REFURBISHMENT IN COMMITTEE! |
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May 2009 photo of Hampshire County Council's new headquarters building nearing completion. | |
The choice was a new building outside Winchester costing £70M or refurbishing the existing HQ at £40M. This will not cost the Council Taxpayer a penny as it is being funded by the sales of unwanted land and buildings. The refurbished HQ building will house double the number of staff and halve the HQ buildings carbon footprint. The County Council will sell 3 office buildings and relinquish the lease of another. The refurbished HQ will absorb twice the number of staff than previously because of its open plan offices. |
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Another Claim: Conservatives have spent £12,000 on 6 taps at Hampshire County Council on the above HQ.
Fact: These are actually 6 complete water systems including boilers, trunking, electrics and circuitry to serve 1200 staff with hot and cold water. |
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Claim: Conservatives at Hampshire County Council waste £4.5M on spin and publicity Fact: About 50% of this money is spent recruiting teachers and staff in our 550 schools to replace leavers. |
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Claim: “….. Meanwhile they have cut our buses” Fact: The budget for subsidising commercial bus services has INCREASED and Hampshire spends more than other counties. |
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False Claims about bus cuts... | |
I voted for this policy, I am not in the business of wasting your tax pounds. As stated above on some bus routes we have been subsidising each passenger per trip of up to £10. RIDICULOUS! Yet the local labour party and Lib/Dems want me to obtain further subsidised bus services. |
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