Beware misleading claims from the Tories

7.19.19pm BST (GMT +0100) Sat 4th Apr 2009

The Conservatives recently circulated a leaflet that makes claims that need rebutting.

County Council is not rated four star

The leaflet exclaims "Top Marks for West Sussex County Council", claiming "top four star status for quality of key services". This is wholly misleading. The Audit Commission has just downgraded the County Council from being a four star to a three star authority on account of Children's Services now being rated only adequate and the safeguarding of children being inadequate.

Do the Tories not regard services to children as a key service?

County Council is not leading the way on recycling

Only from this month are the contents of our recycling bins processed in West Sussex - up to now they've been sent to Hampshire because West Sussex hadn't built any facilities to sort waste. The majority of our waste will continue to be sent untreated to landfill - the least environmentally acceptable form of waste disposal.

What the leaflet didn't say

That the Conservative controlled County Council's share of the Council Tax has increased by more than the rise in the Basic State Pension in ten of the last twelve years - the exceptions were both in election years. And that in each of these twelve years the County's increase has been bigger than the District's - and the District Council has received worse settlements than the County from the government.