Wokingham

Reading East MP Rob Wilson is accusing chancellor Gordon Brown of not putting his money where his mouth by failing to keep his free-bus-passes-for-all promise to Woodley pensioners.

Mr Wilson has written to Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott demanding assurances that the government plans to honour the chancellor's promises with hard cash.

The pre-election Budget sweetener, guaranteeing free local bus travel to 21,000 over-60s in Wokingham, will cost the district council £800,000.

Some councils, like Reading borough, already provide free passes but Mr Wilson said: "I hope this budget item is properly accounted for and reimbursed, and does not end up as another stealth tax to be picked up by the council taxpayer."

If the council has to foot the bill its taxpayers can expect a big hike in their 2006 demands.

The chancellor's March charm offensive on pensioners also included a oneoff £200 council tax relief package for over 65s.

Mr Wilson told the Chronicle: "It's my duty to raise this matter with the Deputy Prime Minister direct because he will be costing my constituents almost a two per cent rise in their council tax to pay for the policy.

"As this was nothing to do with Wokingham District Council or my constituents, is it right that they should have to pay?"

Treasury spokesman John Battersbey suggested John Prescott's department would be picking up the bill.

He said: "At the moment there's an existing stream that pays every council in England half the price of pensioners' bus travel, which is administered by the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister.

"And the idea is that the amount paid to councils is doubled as of April 2006, which would therefore cover the full fare."

But Mr Prescott's spokesman David Nieberg would say only the full farefunding would arrive as part of the "government finance settlement" - details of which are scheduled for release shortly.

ic Berkshire ~ Wokingham ~ Nov 17 2005