WALTHAM FOREST: Parties row over council budget (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)
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WALTHAM FOREST: Parties row over council budget
1:00pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in News By Joe Curtis and Daniel Binns
OPPOSITION parties in the borough have criticised the council's new budget.
The full council will vote next Thursday (March 1) on the raft of proposals by the authority's Labour leadership, which include savings of £11.7million between 2013 and 2015.
Among the plans are another freeze on council tax for two years and £1million spending on school improvements.
The leadership says it has no choice but to make major cuts due to an unprecedented reduction in funding from the Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government - which in turn blames the previous Labour administration.
Council leader Cllr Chris Robbins said budget decisions were based on priorities set by residents who responded to the 'Big Conversation' consultation in 2010.
He said that efficiency savings had helped pay for the council tax freeze, although the Liberal Democrats say this has been paid for by extra government cash.
The Conservatives, who are the main opposition group, have given a mixed response to the proposals while the Liberal Democrats have been far more scathing.
Both parties said the £125,000 earmarked by the Labour leadership for tackling joblessness was too low.
It comes just days after Walthamstow's Labour MP Stella Creasy accused the Tory-Lib Dem Government of not doing enough to reduce unemployment.
Tory deputy leader Cllr Michael Lewis said he was “really pleased” at the tax freeze.
He said: "it proves us right over the years that there was room to make efficiency savings while keeping it low."
But he criticised rising car parking charges and said there were "one or two" areas where the leadership had not got it right, such as on helping businesses.
Lib Dem leader, Cllr Bob Sullivan, said his party would propose amendments to the budget. He attacked spending of £3million on the Olympics including for firework displays and consultants, and said it was “appalling” that the authority was continuing to subsidise full-time trade union posts.
He said: "Waltham Forest Labour are out of touch, out of steam and out of ideas. They should get their priorities right for residents, stop wasting money on vanity projects and PR".
Labour's Cllr Khevyn Limbajee said: "We are freezing council tax for the next two years and we will be proposing a budget that will deliver fairness and value for money for our residents in Waltham Forest.
"Despite the painful and unfair cuts that this Conservative and Liberal Democrat Government are forcing on our borough, we are resolute that we will protect the most vulnerable, preserve frontline services and ensure that we deliver for all our residents in this Olympic year."
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Comments(3)
Helen, Walthamstow
says...
2:27pm Wed 22 Feb 12
For example, massive unions like Unison and the National Union Teachers should be able to afford to employ their own workers. What else do union members pay hefty subs for?
mdj
says...
4:07pm Wed 22 Feb 12
I question whether the members get good value for this subsidy, seeing how ineffectual their reps have been in protecting front-line staff from job losses: look, for example, at the poor-value Kier contract, which lost over 100 local TU jobs, and saved the local taxpayer nothing, once all the 'unexpected' bolt-ons had been priced in.
Once you're on the payroll, you're less likely to make waves, whatever the context. Coopting the awkward squad may perversely save money.
It's noticeable how the senior management seem to be surviving just fine by comparison with those doing essential shift and weekend work - but they won't be members of the same unions! Close affiliation with the ruling party is, of course, a given for the higher grades.
I agree with Sam on the agreeable novelty of hearing even a squeak of opposition from the Tories; normally one thinks they're happy to sit back and let the Labour elite do their work for them.
Sam Hain says...
2:12pm Wed 22 Feb 12