|
|
 |
| |
Committed to good service
• IN his letter (An economic recovery plan that’s costing local businesses, January 9) Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg makes a number of inaccurate and misleading claims.
First, the suggestion that the council has “refused to pass on the 2.5 per cent VAT cut to users of local services” is wrong.
Many council services such as on-street parking and licensing are not subject to VAT, while other invoices raised for VAT have been reduced to 15 per cent.
Moreover, our contractor Nuffield, which provides leisure facilities on behalf of the council, was due under its contract to raise prices by 5 per cent in line with inflation in January, but thanks to the VAT discount, the rise has now been reduced to 2.5 per cent.
The council has also decided to freeze the “pay-as-you-go” rates for residents in 2009 so they can continue to enjoy the increasingly wide range of leisure facilities for the same price as last year.
Compared with other London councils, Westminster has some of the best prices and concessionary offers for residents including free swimming for young people, disabled persons and over-60s.
Secondly, rent on the council properties in Church Street is reviewed every five years in line with the current market value.
In order to best assist shopkeepers with any proposed increase we have implemented payment plans for those facing financial difficulties and will assist tenants with cash flow by allowing monthly rather than quarterly payment of rent.
If the rents had been frozen this would have reduced the income of the housing revenue account and that would have affected council tenants with less money available for housing repairs.
Thirdly, the number of motorcyclists coming into Westminster has increased considerably in the last few years, particularly following the introduction of the congestion charge.
In response we have created an extra 2,000 spaces for motor-cyclists both on-street and in our car parks, for which we believe it is only fair that motorcyclists make a small contribution to park.
A permit costs as little as £1.50 for motorcyclists to park in any motorcycle bay anywhere in the city, all day, which we believe offers value for money. We have also made a commitment to fix this rate for the next three years and are currently considering concessions on annual permits for Westminster residents.
Fourthly, all tennis coaches used to be charged £89 per month but now those coaches who sign up to the council’s community scheme, which is endorsed by the Lawn Tennis Association, will not be charged a monthly fee at all. Our new tennis academy has a greater and more accessible range of low-cost LTA-accredited courses, which is raising standards and encouraging more local people and schools to take up the sport.
We remain fully committed to providing the best possible services to local people and businesses.
Cllr Melvyn Caplan
Cabinet Member for Finance
|
 |
|
|
| |
| |
| |
| |
|
|
|
