Council to set controversial budget
UPDATE: Young campaigners against the cuts to the Council’s Youth Service have been denied the chance to speak at today’s full council meeting to set the next year’s budget.
Campaigners had asked for three minutes to address the council before a decision was made on the future of several major services including the youth service.
However Council chairman, Bernard Hughes had said that standing orders prevented parties from speaking in the council.
Cllrs Claire Wright and Frank Biederman moved that standing orders be suspended in order to allow the campaigners a chance of address.
Bernard Hughes said that the campaigners had been previously informed that they would not be given an opportunity to speak but carried out a vote by show of hands.
However the Council voted against the suspension of standing orders and the young campaigners denied the three minutes sought.
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The future of several popular services will be decided later today at a meeting of Devon County Council to set this year’s budget.
The budget which responds to further cuts from central government has already proven to be controversial as services including day centres, the youth service and the Exeter refuge come under threat.
Campaign groups set up to protect the services are expected to stage protests outside county hall later today.
Independent Cllr Claire Wright, who described the budget as looking “like a bloodbath of cuts” said that opposition groups are likely to challenge several areas of the proposed budget.
However, with cuts from central government requiring a further £110 million in savings to the council’s already severely reduced spending power, the money must be found from elsewhere.
Significantly the deputy leader of the Council, John Clatworthy will ask councillors to back calls on the government for more funding for road and rail transport in the county.
While some funding has been confirmed for rail resilience work in the wake of the recent destruction of the line at Dawlish, Devon still faces a backlog of at least £750m for road repairs.
However, this figure doesn’t take into account the damage to road surfaces caused by the recent extreme weather so the real cost is potentially higher.
Cllr Clatworthy’s notice of motion reads: “The county council calls on the Government to make funds urgently available to assist in the immediate enhancement of the vital rail and road transport arteries linking Devon and the wider South West with the rest of the country.
“Devon’s main rail link has been cut off for two winters running and it is vital that work to improve its resilience at vulnerable locations such as Cowley Bridge, Dawlish and Teignmouth is undertaken urgently.
“The county council also seeks support to repair and improve our road network to ensure that Devon remains open for business so we can ensure our local industries have the right climate to create more jobs and not threaten the continuing economic recovery.”
Another motion confirmed for discussion comes from Labour Councillor Jill Owen who moves that the council votes to keep any potential future badger cull off Devon County Council land.
Campaigners against the Badger culls are expected to stage a protest outside County hall later today to voice support of Cllr Owen’s motion.
The protesters will be joined by campaigners for Devon’s youth service including members of the Youth Parliament.
The youth service is expected to see cuts of £970,000 as the Council pulls out of running many of the county’s youth centres.
The centres while not a statutory service provide education and support to young people around the county many.
The campaign launched by 16-year-old Youth Parliament member George Downs and 18-year-old youth volunteer Alfie Wheeler argues that the education offered by these services is vital.
