OPPOSITION members have blasted Welwyn Hatfield Council over plans to cut almost �2m out of its budget – as revealed last week by the WHT.

OPPOSITION members have blasted Welwyn Hatfield Council over plans to cut almost �2m out of its budget for this year.

Labour and Lib Dem councillors this week slammed the Tory-led council after the Welwyn Hatfield Times revealed that �1.7m worth of savings would have to be found following the Government’s drastic spending cuts.

Lib Dem councillor Malcolm Cowan said: “When the Tories presented their budget in the spring we warned the numbers did not add up. “We suspected it was a budget solely to help win an election. How right we were – just two months after the election, they have been forced to rewrite their sums.

“But instead of admitting they were wrong and we were right, they have used the oldest trick in the book – blame the Government.

“We should be getting an apology from the Tories, but I suspect it will be a long wait.”

Welwyn Hatfield Labour leader Kieran Thorpe said the council had shown a “reckless disregard” for the poorest in the borough, and an “appalling lack of forward thinking”.

“Many basic council services have been privatised or outsourced already, and it is terrifying to think what will be axed next,” he said.

“People will rightly wonder what they are paying their taxes for – it certainly isn’t to bail out the bloated lifestyles of the rich and powerful, who always seem to avoid being affected by these cuts.”

Council leader John Dean has written an open letter this week to all residents of Welwyn Hatfield, explaining the reasons behind the austerity measures.

You can read his letter via the council’s website, by clicking on the link to the right.