The Labour-led Council set the budget with no increase in Council tax at the start of March. However with a grant cut from government for the first time since before 1997, we are forced to make £18m of cuts and savings – it has been the worst budget ever.
We know that savings have to be made to address the national deficit, a deficit triggered by the international banking crisis. But Mr Pickles’ response to local Councils can be summarised as cutting too far, too fast and grossly unfairly
Our budget for Hounslow reduces as much as possible the level of direct service cuts – and protects our services for the most vulnerable, those that keep people safe, and help people back into jobs.
We are:
· Building 300 new Council homes, as part of 1200 affordable homes in the pipeline now working towards our pledge of 2500 new affordable homes.
· Launching a dedicated grime-busters phone-line to report fly-tipping and graffiti
· Launching 100 uniformed officers on the streets and CCTV in crime hotspots
· Retaining Childrens Centres, so investing in Children at the start of their lives, and investing in new school places
· Working with employers to deliver training and new jobs
· Investing in the CAB to provide much-needed high-quality advice to those affected by the various benefit changes and struggling with housing or debt issues.
· Improving services through a Modernisation fund to get better value for money for taxpayers in a time of reduced funding.
· Getting our buildings working harder – fewer of them, used throughout the week, accessible, energy efficient and near to where people are.
Following the all-borough consultation we withdrew proposals to cut the youth service, to close libraries until after a full review, and decided not to cut the street cleaning and the school crossing patrols.
However the closure of some day centres will continue – these were part of a long-term programme to provide more appropriate and less institutionalised services to elderly and disabled residents and specialist support to those with dementia
We are working with other Councils and other organisations across West London to share services and pool back-room costs. These are already bringing some savings.
On budget night the Tories couldn’t even provide viable amendments, let alone an alternative budget, and they were all over the place in the Council debate
There is no doubt that this has been an incredibly difficult time for the Labour Group. Cuts mean having to make around 150 posts redundant, some will have to take compulsory redundancy – not something that we got elected to do. But to refuse to make a budget would mean Eric Pickles forcing a budget on this borough.
We now start planning the 2012/13 budget, where we are expected to need to make another £18m savings.
