Our Campaign for Tunbridge Wells

Fixing Council Finances

We are fighting for better financial management and more accountability for council finances, following 28 years of Conservative mismanagement at Kent County Council.

Over the past 28 years, during which the Conservatives have held control of KCC, they have continuously failed to maximise income from KCC’s assets. They have also failed to extract a fairer financial settlement from central Government. Their mismanagement of KCC finances has resulted in £750m of debt and cuts to key services of £70m this year alone.

By contrast in Tunbridge Wells, the Liberal Democrats have worked hard to fix the Borough Council’s finances they inherited from the previous Conservative administration. Unlike many local authorities, TWBC now has exemplary finances, with no external debt, the first balanced budget in four years, and up-to-date audited financial statements – all achieved by the Lib Dem team while protecting key services and easing the financial burden on residents where possible. 

Protecting Key Services

We will fight to protect key KCC services for residents from further cuts by the Conservatives – such as local buses, special education needs provision, and youth services.

In KCC’s own words, it is very close to being a provider of solely essential services with all discretionary services having been cut.

The Lib Dems are also calling for developer levies at KCC to be used to fund more health infrastructure in Tunbridge Wells.

Fixing Our Roads

We will campaign to get our roads fixed by Kent County Council and ensure that local roads are safer for everyone. Potholes across Tunbridge Wells are exceptionally high following chronic under-funding of road maintenance.

Locally the Lib Dems have also committed to co-fund and support our parishes’ local Highways Improvement Plans (HIPs), working with KCC, to tackle speeding in our villages.