Conservatives: pay more, get less

Hampshire County Council is increasing its share of Council Tax by 4.99%, pushing Council Tax bills for a band D home to over £1500 a year. But despite putting taxes up again, the Conservative County Council is cutting services:

Local bus services cut

Services and routes in Farnborough, Aldershot and the wider local area have been reduced, altered or cut over the last few years. This includes cuts to the number 41 running between Farnborough, North Camp and Ash Vale. The 30 and 31 to Frimley Park and Basingstoke have been axed completely, along with the 77. Across Hampshire, the Conservatives have cut one in five subsidised buses.

Roads and pavements

Local roads and pavements are in a disgraceful state, with the Conservative-run County Council racking up a half million pound repair bill insurance bill for trips and falls. They have paid out thousands more to compensate motorists for damage caused by potholes. Pavements are also in a bad way - parents with pushchairs, the elderly and wheelchair users are all finding them more dangerous. But at the current rate of repair it will take the Conservatives 123 years to resurface the county's pavements!

More Conservative cuts

Other services on the Conservative hit list have included libraries - with cuts to the Library Book Fund, and mobile libraries closed altogether - and children's services, with 43 Sure Start centres closed across Hampshire, including all three of Farnborough's. Green energy and recycling services have also been cut. These cuts to local services are yet more examples of the Conservatives charging more but delivering less.