Labour are at it again. Twisting the facts and telling half-truths.

Labour leafleted where I live recently claiming, correctly, that the Conservatives had abstained on their proposed budget. However, the clear intent is to scare-monger people into thinking the local Conservatives would put council tax up. That could not be further from the truth. We abstained because we refused to support a pay rise for the council deputy leader, Clyde Loakes, when he has got by just fine on his allowances for three years and ten months.

Unfortunately, that meant we could not support Labour’s budget, despite it having many good things in it, mostly taken from past Conservative budget proposals!

As with their ludicrous claim on their last leaflet to be responsible for increasing police numbers in Waltham Forest – actually, courtesy of Boris – this is just another example of spin and half-truths from a Labour council that has nothing to say about Waltham Forest residents’ real priorities; repaired roads, more free parking and support for our childrens’ centres.

Cllr Jemma Hemsted, Valley Ward