The leader of Adur District Council has refused to answer questions about budget plans, telling opposition councillors to ‘speak to senior officers’ instead.
Neil Parkin (Con, St Nicolas) made his statement at a meeting of the full council on Thursday night after Lee Cowen (Lab, Mash Barn) asked how Adur would deliver on its objectives if it continued to put money into the various Platforms For Our Places improvement schemes.
A similar question was asked at a Worthing Borough Council meeting.
But while Worthing leader Daniel Humphreys explained that doing nothing would cost the council money and that ambition was needed to keep delivering what was required, Mr Parkin chose to deflect the question back to officers.
He said:
“I don’t answer questions any more.
"We debate the items but I certainly don’t answer questions.
“If you need questions answered, you need to either speak to the senior officers or somebody beforehand.”
He was within his constitutional rights to do so but it is very unusual for a council leader not to step up to the bat when questions are asked.
As with all councils across the country, there are difficult times ahead for Adur.
The 2021/22 budget gap has widened from the £410,000 predicted in July to £485,000 and the shortfall is expected to stand at £1.8m in 2025/26.
Despite this, a report to the council said it was ‘well-positioned’ to set a balanced budget next year – something it is legally required to do.
The gap will be plugged largely thanks to a number of small cuts, savings and improved income which add up to £561,000.
They include generating more money through green bins and commercial waste.
The budget includes investments in New Salts Farm, between Lancing and Shoreham, which the council said would be ‘preserved and enhanced for generations to come’, and the Gigabit Project to install public Wi-Fi into town centres.
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