Leader blasts 'political game playing' amid claim Central Beds Council budget has 'more holes than Swiss cheese'

Council leader and Independent Potton councillor Adam Zerny told the local democracy reporting service today (Friday): “I became an Independent councillor to challenge this sort of behaviour and last night reminded me exactly why I made that decision.

“The political parties are playing political games. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have been a major part of the budget process since October, so have had five months to help shape the budget.

“Since the start of that procedure, any reasonable suggestions from all groups have been incorporated. We’re all ears during the next week as to what the political groups have suddenly decided is essential now, and we’ll continue to negotiate. In a week’s time, the budget will pass.”

Councillor Zerny’s ruling Independent administration faces a seven-day challenge to overcome criticisms of its revenue budget plans for 2026/27.

Opposition group leaders on the local authority lined up to vent their frustration with the administration’s financial package for 2026/27.

Conservative Clifton, Henlow and Langford councillor Richard Wenham warned: “This council has been presented with a budget with every appearance of being scraped together in a last-minute panic.

“Rather than a budget with well-planned cost cutting and reshaping of services to minimise the impact on residents, we’ve one with more holes in it than a ripe Swiss cheese.”

Liberal Democrat Leighton Linslade South councillor Shaun Roberts referred to “the third successive year of a budget crisis”, saying: “We’ve seen complete paralysis from this administration.

“We’re not satisfied with the lack of accountability which exists. It feels like giving a blank cheque and I don’t think our residents can support that. We’re fed up with the sticking plaster approach this administration takes to budgets.

“Another year like this, after last year, will put us in Bedford territory and nobody wants to go there.”

A government inspector – supported by two assistant inspectors – is carrying out a best value inspection at Bedford Borough Council. The trio will join the authority for three months to review its improvement journey as it tackles financial challenges.

The Central Bedfordshire Community Network Biggleswade West councillor Hayley Whitaker asked: “What has the administration done to garner that trust?

“Dismissive, flippant comments and secret meetings. I hope we see less of that behaviour. Balancing our books needs to involve making more from our assets, not just taking money from our residents for fewer services.”

Labour Dunstable North councillor Matt Brennan explained: “The public were promised prudence, but we see the opposite year-on-year.

“Revenue outturn for 2024/25 showed the use of £6m contingency to balance the budget, with £6.2m in 2023/24 combined with a £9.4m overspend from reserves.”

Reform UK Houghton Regis East councillor Pat Hamill was sympathetic, recalling: “In 2023, council tax was set at zero.

“That decision has cost this council £40m over the following four years and the new home bonus has vanished. Our financial situation deteriorated from then. Budgets became stretched to breaking point and the cycles of severe cost cutting began.”

Executive member for finance and Independent Aspley and Woburn councillor John Baker told the council: “We’ve taken tough and sensible decisions over the years to put our finances in a place where we can deal with fairer funding.

“We should be looking at an £8.6m surplus in our budget for 2026/27 because of those previous decisions, with £9.7m the following year and then £11.7m for the year after that,” he said.

“Nobody had any idea what the final fairer funding figures would be, but £40m over three years … what was the government thinking when it came up with this solution?”