'Don't play blame game over cuts' - Leeds council told

Quit playing politics and knuckle down to sort out the multi-million pounds worth of cuts we're facing. That was the message from two of Leeds council's smaller parties yesterday amid a political row over cost-cutting at Leeds council yesterday. A full meeting of councillors were told by Green Party councillor David Blackburn and leader of the five-strong Morley Borough Independents Robert Finnigan to stop focusing on who to blame for the cuts and political points scoring and work together to sort out the issues. Conservative leader Andrew Carter had tabled a motion noting his party's dismay 'that the first 100 days of the Labour administration had been a lost opportunity, marked by procrastination, delay and failure to consult on key issues'. Council leader Keith Wakefield hit back at what he called the government's 'idealogically driven' cuts and said that without Labour the country would be in an even deeper recession. But, in a passionate speech, David Blackburn told councillors: "I am disappointed with councillor Carter's motion and I'm not too impressed with Labour's response - it reflects what is wrong here today. We have a financial situation which has not happened before in anybody's lifetime in this chamber and we have got to get serious about it. "Today has all been about petty party stuff. "The administration needs to speak to opposition parties about where we are going. We are financially in trouble and we have got to work together to try solve it for the people of Leeds." Playing the blame game Robert Finnigan added that Leeds people didn't want to see politicians playing the blame game. He added: "What the people of Leeds are looking for is some genuine leadership in difficult times and they don't want to see us bash the crap out of each other." Council leader Keith Wakefield said the serious question facing Leeds council was whether it could withstand 25 per cent or 40 per cent cuts during October's spending review, when two council portfolios were expected to budget deficit of £15 million this year. He added: "Can we stand more cuts in October and provide frontline services that are already at stretching and breaking point? That's the issue facing us. "Our services are going to be badly affected. Some of them are going to be stopped. We cannot afford what we have now, how can we do it with more cuts?" October spending review Wakefield said that when details of the October spending review were in, he would sit down with other parties 'and talk about what we want this council to run as a priority'. Liberal Democrats had earlier in the meeting attempted and failed to send back a decision to the executive board over planned cuts to community organisations. The Liberal Democrats argued they could not vote to endorse the executive board's decision as details of the groups affected had been contained in a confidential appendix which some members hadn't been privy to. They condemned council leaders for preventing a 'full and frank' public scrutiny. What do you think? Have your say in the comments section below.