2 weeks Ago By [email protected] (Carmelo Garcia)
Nigel Farage won’t take up the Conservatives' challenge to debate Shire Hall’s finances amid concerns over “misinformation” in Reform UK election propaganda leaflets. challenged the Reform UK leader to a debate after his party posted “misleading” party propaganda to voters. In the letter sent to postal voters in the county Reform makes the claim that council has “wasted vast amounts of taxpayer money, run up huge debts and keeps cutting services”.
Mr Farage goes on to say that residents' bins are not being collected frequently enough – something which has nothing to do with the County Council. Rubbish collections are the responsibility of the six district authorities in Gloucestershire which include Gloucester City Council or Cheltenham Borough Council. Mr Farage was asked during his meet and greet with candidates and supporters at the Clavell and Hind Brewery and Tap Room near Cheltenham today (April 22) if he would take the offer of a debate or full briefing on the real picture of the council’s finances.
“I can’t do 24 debates over the next ten days,” Mr Farage said. “What I would say to him is I’ve had this row in Cornwall and elsewhere, I've got a bit of a shock for him. The numbers are his numbers, we got them from freedom of information requests.
” Cllr Stowe said it was “disappointing” Mr Farage could not find time in his diary for the people of Gloucestershire. He said he would have liked to have spoken to him about some of the “misinformation he has put out”. "He’s happy to throw around comments, some of them quite wild accusations, he always comes over as someone who would like a chat.
“I would like to chat with him about some of the misinformation that he has put out. Particularly with regard to Gloucestershire and the lack of context. “It’s disappointing that he can’t find time in the diary for the people of Gloucestershire.
The case is Reform does not understand local government. It has got very quirky sets of finance. "A lot of budgetary pressures which are statutory services and a lot of our services cannot be cut the way Reform would like to see them cut.
“There is no doubt, in the scheme of things, Gloucestershire has been managed prudently. We are a prudent council with a good balance of cash and revenue in reserves.” Gloucestershire County Council’s elections are on May 1.
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