Ministers fiddle while Plymouth burns, says local Lib Dem

6.17.00pm GMT Wed 3rd Feb 2010

Stuart Bonar opposes the millions spent on chauffeur-driven cars for ministers

The Government is "wasting millions" on chauffeur-driven cars for Labour ministers while Plymouth councillors face a multi-million pound black hole in the council's finances, according to the Liberal Democrat prospective parliamentary candidate for Plymouth Moor View, Stuart Bonar.

Plymouth city council needs to close a funding gap of between £10 million and £14 million in the next financial year. With time running out, local people are braced for redundancies amongst council staff and cuts in services to local people.

At the same time, the latest official figures show that £6.3 million was spent in the last financial year on cars and chauffeurs for government ministers. The average annual cost to the taxpayer for each of the 93 ministerial cars was £67,540. Approaching a further £1m was spent on cars for senior officials within central government departments.

Commenting, Stuart said, "With the axe about to fall on local jobs and local services here in Plymouth, it is sickening to see so much public money wasted on ferrying Labour ministers around in chauffeur-driven luxury.

"So much public money is wasted massaging the egos of government ministers. If you want another example, take the £208,000 that was spent on artwork for the Ministry of Justice's new London headquarters. Wrong, wrong, wrong!

"This culture of waste and excess must end. If less public money was wasted on chauffeurs, cars and artwork for government ministers then places like Plymouth wouldn't be facing the colossal financial shortfall that we are now facing."