Not such a Freedom Pass

One of the more eye-raising, rather then eye-catching, announcements from the Medway Conservative cuts budget last week was the mention of the Freedom Pass proposal

Many readers of this blog, and of the former Musings from Medway blog, will be aware of its campaign to get the Medway Freedom Pass locally.

The Freedom Pass proposal is one operated by Kent County Council which makes travel easier and more affordable for young people. The principle aims of the scheme are to:

• empower young people
• improve safety
• financially assist families
• promote healthier lifestyles
• encourage greater use of sustainable transport
• reduce congestion and journey times (especially during the school runs)
• ultimately increase quality of life accross the county.

Medway Labour has led on the Freedom Pass proposal locally with motions and campaigns with local interest groups and parents.

It now appears however that the Conservatives are proposing the same scheme whilst challenging Labour on a lack of policy substance.

Particularly ironic because it is another glaring fib. Sadly the Tories may not have been aware of just what they said at the time, and fully public, on the Freedom Pass, so its just worth reminding people:

Cllr Jarrett stated in an article for the press, titled, you could not make it up - 'Opponents would slash spending for passes' the following:

'The subject up for debate was a Labour proposal to introduce a Freedom Pass giving free bus travel for children. A laudable enough idea, if only it were affordable – with a projected cost of at least £3 million a year.

Councillor Jarrett admits it was a Labour idea then...

The basis of the argument being was if Kent County Council could afford a Freedom Pass, then so can we.

Yes, which he presumably has also agreed with by introducing the scheme

The argument misses the central point that in Medway, Council Tax is almost £150 per year less than in the rest of Kent. In Medway a Freedom Pass would add up to three percent to our council tax bills.

Interesting point this, because as we now know the Tories are only allocating £250,000 to a scheme that cost £3m (assuming he is not wrong on this figure)

The debate was revealing, for Labour, Lib Dem and Independent councillors rattled off a list of cuts to service delivery that they would make in order to finance their latest wheeze.

A wheeze that the Tories now support

Schemes such as road safety improvements, new and improved allotments, sports and play schemes, community safety initiatives such as CCTV, plus a host of minor road improvements would all be cut to pay for Labour’s latest gimmick

Unsurprisingly, the sums do not add up, for the cuts they outlined would not fund even half of the £3 million bill. It leaves you wondering what else they are planning to cut.

The irony of this statement is that it is a Conservative Government which has cut £23.5m from the local budgets. Yet Cllr Jarrett claims no hits to front line services whilst in this article he indicates a £3m cut will hurt, yes, front line services.

Each year they callously try to block the Conservative budget, trying to deprive both young and old of the support they need in these difficult times.'

So why is it when a Council has £23.5 less to spent that we can suddenly afford the scheme which we could not last year

The public are fed up of being treated as mugs by the same old Tory spin

It simply beggars belief that less then 12 months later we have a Conservative Councillor stand up and claim, with a straight face, that the Freedom Pass was their idea locally, and secondly that they can now afford it.

So on the face of it we should be applauding the administration you would think.

Ah, but no - the sting in the tail. Councillor Jarrett, on a announcing the scheme, forgot to mention how much money he had allocated to the scheme. A pathetic and miserely £250,000. On his own numbers it would take 12 years to pay for one year of this pass.

Sadly ladies and gentleman, this is a Conservative u-turn waiting to happen and another case of Medway Conservatives taking you for a ride, whilst your children have to pay for theirs

Shame on them for playing the public like this. It is time for a new generation of change.