The Conservatives on Cambridgeshire County Council with the help of three independent councillors chose to push through by one vote a totally inadequate budget based on a 2% council tax rise for adult social care only, rather than the 4 or 5% rises being supported by the majority of Conservative run County Councils.

This decision will mean Cambridgeshire has to make harsher and deeper cuts to services than most councils.  Cambridgeshire’s health and education services are already under funded by national standards, and this decision will lock in that under-funding for further years.

The Lib Dem County group did all we could to try to persuade other councillors to support a 4% rise (or 45 pence a week for the average council tax payer), which would have given us an additional £5.1 million to spend looking after our most vulnerable residents, ensuring there is care for people when they leave hospital, ensuring children’s centres can continue to support young parents, and that there would be better public transport available to allow young people access to education and work.

Sadly this money is now lost, not just for this year, but for every subsequent year.