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Reading Lib Dems attack Labour for "playing politics on the rates"
02 April 2008
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Pressure from the Reading Lib Dems has revealed the true cost to the Reading tax payer of the Labour-run Reading Council’s ‘Reading Live’.
A question by Lib Dem Leader, Cllr Bob Green at yesterday's full Council meeting found that the glossy magazine which was sent out with the Council tax demand JUST WEEKS ahead of the local elections in May cost the Reading Council Tax payer a whopping £39,099.90.
Lib Dem Deputy Leader and Reading East Parliamentary Campaigner Cllr Gareth Epps also attacked the Labour administration for “shameless self-promotion and publicity seeking ahead of the local elections”, after Lib Dem research revealed a total of SIXTEEN mentions of prominent Labour Councillors (including two who are standing for election in 2008) and no mentions whatsoever of the TWENTY-ONE other ward councillors of other parties who represent residents in Reading Borough.
The document has even omitted the contact details of councillors, in a break with previous years.
“Once again the Labour administration is “playing politics on the rates”, just weeks ahead of what are likely to be Labour's worst set of local election results in a decade.
“It is cynical politics of the worst kind and Reading residents have written to us to say that they are well and truly sick of Reading Labour's propaganda tactics. It is a scandal that the Reading tax-payer has been forced to pick up the bill for what is essentially a Labour party manifesto from a failed administration.”
Editor's Notes:-
The breakdown of cost is as follows:
1. Design work £2,200
2. Printing of 150,000 copies £42,399.90 (However 63,000 copies were mailed out with the council tax bills. This was at no additional postage cost compared to previous council tax mailings. All of the information from page 24 onwards is information that has, in the past, been included as separate leaflets, which have then been mailed out together with the council tax bill. Some of the remaining copies are distributed to council outstations for 'pick up' with the remainder held by Council Tax and used to meet their needs for the coming year - as new people move into the area etc.)
3. Therefore the total cost for 150,000 copies is £44,599.90,(less £5,500 from Berks West PCT as contribution towards their pages at the back) comes to £39,099.90 (approx 26p each).
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