Lib Dems to lead West Wiltshire District Council

10.14.00am BST (GMT +0100) Thu 12th May 2005

Lib Dems, joined by Labour and two Independent councillors, have formed a new administration to run West Wiltshire District Council.

At the council's AGM on May 11th the Conservative leadership lost the confidence of councillors, and a new administration was formed.

Lib Dem Cllr Sarah Content is the newly elected Leader of the District Council.

The new partnership of councillors believes that the Conservatives failed to maintain a level of services acceptable to the council tax payers of West Wiltshire when they were in charge.

Cllr Content says "Under the Conservatives we saw budget cuts in services that have a real impact on local people's lives: examples include ending support to the back pain clinics and reducing simple health preventative measures."

"There were more cuts to street cleaning and other areas, and town and parish councils were under pressure to make up for this."

The new council leadership is consulting local people on their views about the council and are already acting on them - for example with the Hope Nature Centre, where thanks to the Lib Dems, this centre for disadvantaged young people is now able to go ahead with its plans in Southwick Country Park.