CHIEF MINISTER Mike Torode abstained in the vote to increase revenue spending limits - because he felt his position did not allow him to follow his conscience. Last year Deputy Torode supported Deputy Peter Roffey’s previous attempt to raise extra revenue for departments. He felt it was important to offer room for manoeuvre, which would not mean ‘throwing money around’.
‘I believe that there has to be a limit but enough room for flexibility. I’m not sure that just RPI gives us enough of that flexibility.
‘Some essential services are very strapped and nobody is going to thank us if we cut back on medical or education services.’
But he felt unable to back the Health minister this time. ‘As chief minister I could not be seen to fly completely in the face of the Policy Council’s agreed policy,’ he said.
Deputy Roffey’s amendment was criticised by some who felt that his own position on the council had been tainted by his attempt to increase scope for revenue budgets by an extra 1% a year.
He said yesterday that he would not resign and that to do so would be to ‘run out on the department’ when in the run-up to ’securing a reasonable departmental budget for 2008′.
He proposed a ’short-term fix’ - encouraging departments to spend unspent balances as part of 2008 budgets, freeing up extra cash for those under most pressure.
‘Maybe what is needed is some inventive thinking and redistribution. This is not a recurring source of funding and using it won’t make the spending restraints any more sustainable over the next few years.
‘However, at the moment my focus is on avoiding a damaging meltdown next year.’
Article posted on 28th July, 2007 - 12.00am
Loading ...
Most Commented: