Lib Dems warn of budget timebomb

12.00.00am GMT Fri 1st Mar 2002

Liberal Democrats on Bedford Borough Council last night urged caution over the councils budget, which fails to provide any funding for the extra costs of the Mayor.

Cllr Michael Headley, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, said after the meeting:

"This is not the budget that Liberal Democrats would have planned but we respect the wishes of the people of Bedford Borough who have chosen to elect a Mayor. We acknowledged from the beginning that the election of a Mayor would mean an increase in costs and the council are now faced with the prospect of finding where that money will come from. This comes as a double blow following on from the councils need to cover the shortfall in government funding. The budget set by the council fails to find further funds to cover the Mayors salary and support costs. As we have said all along this is a financial time bomb and it will go off at 10PM. on 17 October this year when the Mayor is elected. Extra costs will then have to be picked up by council tax payers from next year.