Bucks Council leader accused of secrecy during fiery performance debate
The leader of Buckinghamshire Council has defended his administration’s record after a heated exchange with the Liberal Democrat opposition.
Conservative council leader, Cllr Steven Broadbent, told councillors the authority had achieved “a year of delivery within a challenging context” despite facing a £44.5 million reduction in government funding and rising demand for services.
Broadbent highlighted a series of achievements over the past year, including maintaining weekly bin collections and repairing thousands of potholes.
He also pointed to increased investment in roads and transport, alongside an extra £3 million spent on reducing waiting times for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). The council also expanded SEND places by more than 100 places during the year.
Broadbent said the council had strengthened partnerships with charities and community groups, while schemes such as “Health on the High Street” had been launched in High Wycombe and Aylesbury.
He also praised the rollout of the controversial LibraryFlex scheme, which increased access hours for library users by more than 60 per cent, and highlighted environmental work including solar panels at Wycombe Leisure Centre and tougher enforcement against fly-tipping.
“I reminded you all last year,” he said. “I said, Buckinghamshire expects, Buckinghamshire continues to expect, there is much to do. Our ambition is to realise that all the more, but our confidence is even greater of the bright future for Buckinghamshire.”
However, Liberal Democrat group leader, Cllr Susan Morgan, accused the leader of presenting a “glossy, polished” report that failed to reflect the reality experienced by residents.
Morgan questioned where the council’s “long-term costed plan” for improving roads could be found and criticised the handling of more than £100 million in council asset sales.
She said residents were “tired of the same old political system” and wanted “transparency, not a magic act where assets vanish and scrutiny gets sawn in half”. Cllr Morgan said: “It was glossy, polished, almost convincing if you don’t live in the real world, that is.
“The report claims improved satisfaction with highways. Residents would love to meet these satisfied people ideally in an area with no potholes, if that is at all possible.”
“The Liberal Democratic group will be pushing hard over the next year for the accountability that residents deserve, calmly, publicly and with far fewer secrets than your cabinet papers,” she added.
Broadbent responded, accusing the Cllr Morgan of focusing on “yesterday’s news” while the Conservative administration concentrated on delivering services for residents.
He defended the council’s highways programme, saying more money was being invested into roads and more potholes repaired than ever before. The council leader ended by insisting his administration would continue working to deliver “a brighter future” for Buckinghamshire residents.