Live budget debate: 10am today (From Worcester News)

Thank you for following us this morning! #BudgetWN

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

MT Good idea, especially given number of Hylton Road flood closures. @tomedwardsWN Richard Udall wants a pedestrian crossing in Henwick Road

— @johnwilsonWN 14 February 2013

This live coverage is wrapping up now as the meeting is heading towards the final hurrah before a private media briefing takes place

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Richard Udall wants a pedestrian crossing in Henwick Road, St John's and asks Tory road chief John Smith to look into it

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Alan Amos calls for the old committee system to be reintroduced, but his call is rejected by the leader

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As the Worcester News reported last week there is a scheme going on there to make it more pedestrian friendly this spring

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

As the Worcester News reported last week there is a scheme going on there to make it more pedestrian friendly this spring

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

They have a brief debate about the roadworks off City Walls Road in Lowesmoor, and Simon Geraghty says some disruption is unavoidable

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Adrian Hardman responds by saying they will work closely with the CQC - and increasingly so in future years

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Alan Amos asks the council to monitor private care homes better amid fears old people there are "being abandoned"

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Tory Jane Potter replies by saying three city private schools alone save the state £10.5 million by teaching 3,000 children

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We are now onto questions and Richard Udall hits out at private schools for using "charitable status" to pay less tax

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@tomedwardsWN Freeze is right but allowances must enable good young candidates to be able to afford to be Cllrs. Many have to work part time

— @cllrfranoborski 14 February 2013

There is no debate on it as allowances being frozen forms part of the budget anyway

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Simon Geraghty says he thinks it "odd" the council has final say over it anyway

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

They are debating councillors allowances now - and the Tories want a freeze for the fifth year on the trot

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Geraghty says they have "worked tirelessly" over the last few weeks

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Lots of tributes to council staff who worked through the severe weather to help out this winter - from Lucy Hodgson and Simon Geraghty

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

@tomedwardsWN Hardman ıs not thınkıng.

— @mickeyfree53 14 February 2013

Geraghty also says attempts to get a new Worcestershire Parkway are making progress, citing recent talks with county MPs

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Geraghty says the HS2 is "long overdue" for the UK and backs it

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The subject has come up because the Ketch island, in Worcester, is due a major upgrade next year

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The story made the front page of the Worcester News at the time

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At the time drivers were totally stuck in gridlock due to traffic light failures

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Geraghty says he is"willing to learn" from the disastrous roadworks at the Ketch roundabout after infamous tinkering in 2006

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We've now moved onto questions on business and economy policy to Simon Geraghty, deputy leader

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The Conservative group at the city council wants a freeze too, but on that authority no party has an overall majority

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Worth pointing out that if Worcester City Council increase their portion of the bill it will only add around £3 a year to it

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The police and fire service have already frozen their rates too, it's left to district councils now to complete the bill

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Because the council controls around 70 per cent of the household bill, it means the average band D rate of £1,441 (I think) will hold steady

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Vote on the budget is passed, including a council tax freeze, despite Lab/Lib voting against it

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Labour motion to increase council tax is lost

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Hardman says three years of freezes in council tax is saving households £70 a year - saying Labour "basically believe in tax and spend"

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Adrian Hardman, Tory leader hits back by saying "we've gone out and listened to people"

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Labour leader Peter McDonald, summing up, says the budget "will put people on the scrap heap of unemployment and target the vulnerable"

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This debate has been totally split alongside ideological lines between the ruling Conservatives and Labour

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This debate is well humoured but with plenty of vicious attacks reigning in between Labour and the Tories

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Tory Marcus Hart says Labour have used "scandalous" language while fellow Con John Campion says their rivals are "outdated"

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Tory David Thain says Labour "haven't the faintest idea of asking people what they want", saying "they don't ask, they don't listen"

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Liz Tucker, Lib Dem group leader, says: "87 per cent of people were against a council tax rise this year, I respect that"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Liz Tucker, Lib Dem group leader, says: "87 per cent of people were against a council tax rise this year, I respect that"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

@cllrfranoborski well said Fran

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

@tomedwardswn I am THE Liberal not A Liberal as far as WCC is concerned!

— @cllrfranoborski 14 February 2013

Richard Udall, to lots of booing, says the bankers "greed" wrecked the country and says his party is backing "the working people"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Fran Oborski, a Liberal, says she cannot back a council tax rise

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

The meeting is getting very heated - lots of hissing in the chamber, it's like a pantomime

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

The meeting is getting very heated - lots of hissing in the chamber, it's like a pantomime

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Richard Udall, from the Labour party admits asking for more council tax is a risk but says "we believe in investment"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

They want the pensioners bus pass scheme to be beefed up so OAPs can use it before 9.30am

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Labour want to use a council tax rise to restore £1m into youth provision and provide better bus services

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

He calls commissioning "a farce" and says it will encourage "bored disaffected young people"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Labour deputy leader Alan Amos says a 1.99 per cent council tax rise would be "just 40p a week" to restore "devastating cuts"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Somewhat strangely, he puts some blame for the cuts on Dr George Lord, saying "look where he is now"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

@tomedwardswn I wish they'd switch off street light outside my home. Told a doorstepping councillor that a couple of years ago.

— @Sherb13 14 February 2013

He says the controlling group has "no compassion, empathy or ounce of conscience" to the public

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

He says the leader has an "obsession with cuts" citing youth provision, transport and jobs

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Labour leader Peter McDonald rises to say the Tories have "cut the throats of the people of Worcestershire"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Adrian Hardman said bus passes for young people is "not a priority for the people of Worcestershire"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

The Lib Dems motion is lost after a vote, despite Labour support

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

He said the whole street lights issue is still under review

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Adrian Hardman, council leader, says switching off lights suddenly would be "very dictatorial to communities" and too rushed

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Liz Tucker disagrees and says there will be "energy savings" in the first couple of years

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

He says the Lib Dems motion fails at the first step

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Tory Councillor Ken Pollock says the savings from street lights are wrong - and insists there will not be any savings in the first two years

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

If the lowest pay grade is scrapped the lowest paid staff will be on £6.84 an hour

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

The last few quotes are from Liz Tucker, Lib Dem leader

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

She also wants a better bus pass system for young people which can be used during school holidays

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

She says the measures will help pay for increasing salaries of the lowest paid workers by scrapping the lowest pay grade

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

The Lib Dems want two cabinet posts scrapped completely + street lights dimmed between midnight and 6am in certain areas to save cash

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

She says young people are feeling a "huge sense of injustice"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Simon Geraghty, deputy leader says the freeze in council tax is "helping to not ease the burden on hard pressed households and pensioners"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Hardman says "this is a budget for the people of Worcestershire, driven by their responses, driven by their concerns"

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Council leader Adrian Hardman outlines the budget and says just because times are hard, it doesn't mean we shouldn't be ambitious

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

They say the rise would bring in £2.1m but the ruling Conservatives favour a freeze

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

The Labour Party wants a 1.99 per cent rise on council tax which will cost households £20.64 a year

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Today the council is setting the 2013/14 budget and approving the council tax rate

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013

Morning all and welcome to this budget debate today at the county council

— @tomedwardsWN 14 February 2013