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People need money in their pockets
• I WAS disappointed that both the Conservatives and the Liberal Democrats chose not to go further in their 2009 budget, discussed by Camden’s full council on Monday.
In the meeting their councillors were determined to over-egg the impact of their plans, which might look good on leaflets but have very little real impact.
After months of waiting the council finally came up with its recession plan, a rehash of existing central government initiatives and schemes the council is already committed to, with precious little else.
Presenting the alternative budget, Labour wanted to put real money in people’s pockets. The council is today sitting on large surpluses this year of £18million, on top of historic budget reserves in excess of £80million. This comes from fee hikes to after-school clubs, meals-on-wheels, parking and other services as well as doing less for the vulnerable.
With 1 per cent on council tax equating to £1million, the council had scope to do far more for local people, like give some money back.
Labour’s plan would have seen a larger recession package to help residents and high street shops now. This included a targeted use of the surplus to give money back to people in the form of a £65 recession payment similar to other councils. This would have equated to at least £50 extra to all Camden households, the equivalent of just above a 4 per cent cut in council tax this year, without threatening any public works projects.
Sadly, the budget passed by the Town Hall does not give any of this surplus money built up over the past three years back to local people. Our other proposals to cut senior officer and councillor bonuses, or refurbishment projects, were also rejected.
Labour would also have restored long-term funding for debt and advice centres, for this year and beyond as well as an apprenticeship scheme for long-term unemployed.
Our proposals would actually have gone further – this year and next – than the 0 per cent proposed, helped the poorest in Camden and targeted the massive surplus in the Town Hall coffers.
CLLR THEO BLACKWELL
Opposition Labour finance spokesperson
Green vision
• CAMDEN Council set its budget this week but Green Party councillors are concerned about the absence of a strategy to tackle climate change, create green jobs and ensure lower energy costs in the future.
A missed opportunity.
As a key part of a Green New Deal, we put forward a proposal to begin insulating homes. This involved using some money from the “recovery fund” that has been set aside as well as borrowing cheaply, which councils can do, and raising money from energy companies. This would allow residents to borrow to refurbish their homes to high energy standards at low interest rates, and give low income households access to grants for cost-effective measures like good draught-proofing.
Combined with skills training and proactive action by officers, this would lay the foundation for a larger programme.
The Lib Dem/Tory administration put some money last year towards insulating homes – 9,000 of 100,000 or so homes. But we have little time to deal with climate change and the need for jobs will be this year and the next. Our scheme would have allowed the council to begin this year.
The Greens also proposed measures for Camden to be a fair and decent society. This included £1million to ensure employees of Camden’s contractors receive at least the London living wage. We also asked for some modest sums of money for intergenerational and youth services; funding for social cohesion workers to strengthen services in our poorest areas. Through modest sums we can collectively make real progress on jobs and climate change while improving life for the most vulnerable.
CLL RMAYA DE SOUZA
Green Party Group Leader
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