The amendment was table about 2 nano-seconds before the start of the meeting and the Mayor had to adjourn the meeting for 15 minutes at one point ‘cos nobody had had time to read it – and what was also painfully obvious was that this included more than a couple of Labour Councillors. There was also a rumour going round that the Labour group leader hadn’t read it either. Maybe somebody could clarify that?

The amendment was rejected by the Council but, as I said at the meeting, if it had been submitted as part of the budget making process or that there had been a bit more notification of it, then there may have been a good chance of it getting support from members other than those in the Labour group.

It was certainly a political decision by the Conservatives to make the increase just 2% – nothing wrong with that as it stands – but too many hypocritical arguments were used over the amount being decided by what the Council required rather than admitting it was a pure political percentage.

Sadly Labour’s amendment, even if not meant that way, came across as an amendment for the sake of an amendment.