Gosport council disputes Liberal Democrat leaflet over £8.4m cuts claim

Summarised from 2 outlets · Updated 20 Oct, 10:32 · Archive

Gosport Borough Council's Conservative leader has challenged Liberal Democrat figures claiming £8.4 million in council cuts.

A political row has erupted at Gosport Borough Council over claims of millions in spending cuts. Council leader Cllr Zoe Huggins challenged figures published in a Liberal Democrat leaflet during a full council meeting on 14 October, which claimed £6 million in regeneration cuts and £2.4 million in service cuts alongside scrapped high street markets and a reduced community grants board.

Cllr Huggins told councillors that no decision had been made over the waterfront park regeneration project and the £6 million remained ring-fenced. She said the council was not familiar with the £2.4 million service cuts cited in the leaflet, and stated that grants had not been removed and markets had not been scrapped. Instead, the council was recruiting an in-house staff member for markets management. She noted the authority faced a £3.3 million structural deficit left by the previous administration and was seeking £1.5 million in efficiency savings for the next two financial years.

The Liberal Democrats defended the leaflet, stating the £6 million figure reflected money held up in a freeze to the waterfront regeneration programme. The party also pointed to the council's £3.3 million savings plans, which it said would inevitably lead to significant service cuts.

How it is being reported

• Row erupts at Gosport Borough Council over Liberal Democrat leaflet claiming millions in council cutsConservatives have questioned where the figures have come fromThe News, Portsmouth · 20 Oct, 09:54
• Row erupts over leaflet claiming millions in council cutsGosport council leader has challenged a Lib Dem leaflet over £8.4m cuts claimsSouthern Daily Echo · 19 Oct, 10:58

In this story: Gosport Borough Council · Cllr Zoe Huggins · Liberal Democrats · Gosport

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