Lib Dems Force A Proper Debate On Warwick District Bus Scheme

2.15.04pm GMT Sun 16th Nov 2008

Sharp-eyed Liberal Democrat county councillors spotted recently that the Conservative Cabinet were trying to slip through a major decision on the future of the Warwick District 'SPARK' bus scheme without discussion. As a result, the subject was given an initial airing at an Environment Overview & Scrutiny meeting this week, and both Liberal and Labour committee members outvoted the Conservatives to send the matter back to the Cabinet with the recommendation that it should be debated fully by the Warwick Area Committee before Cabinet makes any final decisions.

County councillor John Whitehouse (Kenilworth Abbey) said:

"County officers don't know why this matter was sent to Cabinet as an 'en bloc' item - i.e. for decision without discussion - so we must assume this was the Conservative cabinet member's decision. The whole thing has been portrayed as a financial decision around the 'Park & Ride' part of the original SPARK scheme, but this was only ever part of a much wider set of major improvements to the bus system in Warwick District. The scheme was to be funded mostly out of a government grant of £12.9 million, which will now be thrown away if the whole scheme is abandoned.

"No-one is now arguing we should continue to go ahead with a 'Park & Ride' for Leamington, especially after the failure of the Stratford scheme to get anywhere near its revenue targets. However, by wanting to abandon the whole scheme the Conservatives are throwing the baby out with the bathwater!

"This needs a proper debate in the Warwick Area Committee, made up of all county councillors from the Warwick District area, before decisions are taken. I hope that the Conservative Cabinet will listen to this reasonable request, rather than just plough ahead."