WALTHAM FOREST: Tory budget would slash 'propaganda' fund (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

WALTHAM FOREST: Tory budget would slash 'propaganda' fund

10:00am Thursday 28th February 2008

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SLASHING the council's publicity and media budget by £500,000 could fund Waltham Forest's cultural showpieces, Conservative councillors insist.

The Tory groups' alternative budget proposes cutting the council's current corporate communications funding of £1.6 million and ploughing the money into the William Morris Gallery and Vestry House Museum.

Further savings would be made by removing "politically correct and unecessary additional spending on Labour pet projects".

The budget would also finance the re-opening of St James Street Library and the purchase of new books without increasing council tax above 2.5 per cent.

The council's corporate communications department produces promotional literature on behalf of the authority, including their bi-monthly publication WFM.

The proposals also include lowering hall hire charges for charities and voluntary groups, buying another bus for youth initiative Worth Unlimited and reinstating the £121,000 cut in adult education service CLaSS.

The budget would allocate about £600,000 for street repairs, graffiti clearing and general improvements to the environment.

A further £100,000 would be spent to ensure closer montioring of the council's contracts with outside organisations and companies.

Conservative group leader Cllr Matt Davis said: "Unlike Labour and the Lib Dems we have been listening to what the people of Waltham Forest actually want and our budget priorities clearly reflect this.

"The Labour-run council keep cutting the services that our residents care about. It is totally unnecessary for the council to spend over one million pounds a year on propaganda and personal publicity for cabinet members, especially while failing to maintain our streets or deal with graffiti and fly posting in a timely fashion."

The budget recently agreed by cabinet will be debated on Thursday.

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