Open Letter to David Hodge
Following last week’s row over County Council’s budget, Residents’ Association and Independent County Councillors Eber Kington and Nikki Barton sent an open letter to David Hodge, demanding the details of his deal with the government. Please find their email below:
Dear David
We are emailing in regard to texts sent by you that have now come to light showing discussions you had with individual called Nick at the DCLG in the period before Tuesday’s Council Budget Meeting. I reproduce below words from the texts that appeared in the media last week.
I am advised that DCLG officials and my Director of Finance/CE have been working on a solution and that you would be contacting me to agree an MOU [a memorandum of understanding?]
I have been advised that the chief sec at Treasury is looking at the proposals now, are you in the picture? I am being chased to appear on Sunday TV which are avoiding where possible to avoid any confusion over the work being done in the last days to resolve SCC budge position.
Nick I have received clarification from my CE who confirms Matthew Styles and Sheila Little have just spoken and the numbers you indicated are the numbers that I understand are acceptable for me to accept and call off the R….[referendum?]
If it is possible for that info to be sent to Sheila Little or myself, I can then revert back soonest. Really want to kill this off.
You and the Prime Minister have both denied that there has been what is called a “sweetheart deal” but the DCLG has admitted that it had confirmed to Surrey County Council that it could take part in a trial allowing the council to retain business rates to fund social care from 2018. So there have been talks.
Can you therefore provide us with information on the following issues arising out of the texts:
- The solution that “DCLG officials and [your] Director of Finance/CE have been working on”
- The numbers the DCLG indicated which are “acceptable for [you] to accept and call off the R” (referendum). For example do they relate money and , if so, how much?
- What you expected to appear in the Memorandum of Understanding.
At the Council Budget meeting you stated that there was no plan agreed with the Government. However, the Government has since admitted you had asked to take part in the pilot of a new business rates scheme and has also stated that all conversations between the government and Surrey had been “entirely appropriate.”
- Given that you were in discussions and these were apparently “appropriate” why did you refuse several times to confirm the details of your discussions with the DCLG when asked at the Budget Meeting?
- Finally, what prompted your decision to abandon the Recommendation for a 14.99% increase in council tax in favour of the 4.99% increase – which you have previously rejected and which Members were told would be irresponsible to pursue? Whilst most Surrey residents are probably relieved by your change of heart, they are entitled to know why. If it was not because you had arranged a deal with the Government residents are left to speculate that it might because you knew you would lose the referendum or even seats in the County Council elections. Perhaps you would therefore confirm what it was that made you substitute 4.99% in place of the much trailed 14.99%.
You have regularly made clear your commitment to open and transparent local government. We do hope therefore you will provide responses to the questions listed above.
Yours
County Councillor Eber Kington and County Councillor Nikki Barton
