Luton Council’s Executive rejected recommendations from the Council’s Performance, Resources & Assets Scrutiny Committee at it’s meeting on Monday 7th January 2008.

The Scrutiny Committee had looked at plans by the Labour Executive to stash away £1.7M in ‘reserve’ funds and the Committee decided to recommend that instead of bolstering already adequate reserves, the money should be used to pay for long promised community facilities.

“This is an opportunity for Labour to deliver on some of the promises they made during the election.” says councillor Qurban Hussain.

“They promised to provide a shelter for people attending burials at the Vale Cemetery where currently people have to wait around in the wind and rain. The previous Liberal Democrat administration planned to build a shelter and during the election Labour promised they would carry on with this project. Now they have the chance to get on with it and have refused. Labour Councillors Malik, Akbar and Saleem even voted against it at the Scrutiny Committee meeting.”

“They promised to expand Luncheon Clubs run by voluntary organisations for many of Luton’s deprived community groups. Why are they not doing it now they have the finance?”

“More and more local people are complaining about anti-social behaviour. The Scrutiny Committee suggested they should strengthen the Council’s actions and again they have refused.”

“How can we believe a word they say when they walk away from their own promises the first time they actually have an opportunity to do something about them?”