Tories - Double Figures, Double Lies

12.00.00am UTC (GMT +0000) Tue 18th Feb 2003

Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Chris Maines has launched a scathing attack on the Tories running Bromley Council, as they announced that they were putting the Council Tax up by almost 11%.

Bromley Tories won seats at the local elections in May, having attacked large increases in the Council Tax and the withdrawal of money from the Council's reserves, dismissing them as "imprudent". However, now they have gone back on both of those principles. The Council Tax is to go up by 10.6% with over £3 million coming out from the Council's reserves.

Cllr Chris Maines, the Liberal Democrat Leader, said that the Tories had blatantly misled electors in May. "Many Conservatives won their seats in May after attacking previous Council Tax increases. However, they have put the Tax up by over 10%, despite the fact many workers and pensioners are getting below inflation rises. They have conned the elctorate. That is inexcusable."