The Conservative group of Aberdeenshire councillors have proposed a budget every year which has maintained services but restricted council tax increases to the rate of inflation, all very possible with prudent management of finances.
So why this year, when last year the Liberal Democrat leader of Aberdeenshire Council was forecasting potential "meltdown" in the council's financial position, have the Liberal Democrat administration managed to keep the increase in council tax to 2.5%? This is below the rate of inflation for the first time since Aberdeenshire Council came into being and in a year when the council is facing huge budget pressures.
Could it be that it is an election year?
Do they really believe the public can't see an election bribe when it's staring them in the face?
This election bribe has been forthcoming because the Liberal and Labour Scottish Executive coalition has given an additional grant of £5.7 million to Aberdeenshire.
The Liberal Democrat administration of the council promises that additional money will be put into areas the public want to hear about; for example an extra £300,000 for the recruitment and retention of teachers. We must indeed address the pressing problem of the recruitment and retention of teachers but this year there is a forecast underspend on the budget for Permanent Teachers of £2 million. More money is not the answer.
Yours etc.,
Jill Webster,
Conservative councillor for Mid Deeside.