Lambeth Conservatives

Cash and gas guzzling councillors to pocket taxi fares

Labour-controlled Lambeth Council is proposing to dole out taxi cab fees to councillors, despite the fact that the Council's Cabinet members have already awarded themselves thousands of pounds extra in allowances which in the past have been regarded as containing an "expenses" element. The councillors will even be able to claim back at public expense the tips they give to taxi drivers.

The proposal is being put before a meeting of the Full Council on 7th May.

Conservative Cllr John Whelan says: "This flies in the face of Government policy to encourage the use of public transport and cut greenhouse gases.

"Labour should schedule meetings that preserve family life and coincide with good public transport services. Instead they are living the high life at public expense. Labour cabinet members receive allowances well above the average wage and they should put their hand in their pockets like everyone else.

"They argue that public transport is not always available or safe - to which we might ask, 'whose fault is that?'"

Labels: Allowances, Expenses, Labour Lambeth, Public transport, Taxis

Lambeth Labour - highest council tax in London

Labour Lambeth has set the highest council tax hike in London - a whopping 4.75 per cent and well above pension and inflation increases. This goes with the 7.23 per cent rise in rents for Lambeth tenants, which hits low income earners hardest who are not on benefits.

"Labour is spending money like a drunken sailor on shore leave, but it's not their money," says Stuart Barr. "Spin and propaganda such as the new tabloid Lambeth Life are costs an extra £200,000 a year. Labour councillors voted themselves huge salary expenses and they go on rising year on year."

Meanwhile, many Conservative councils elsewhere in London are cutting council tax or freezing it. "Lambeth Conservatives proposed an increase of just 2.4 per cent without any cuts in services," says Stuart. "This shows what can be done if waste and red tape is cut. The council has actually employed an interior designer at £40,000 a year - it shows what they think is important. Decorating the town hall instead of helping the elderly, disabled, homeless, and vulnerable."

Labels: Allowances, Council tax, Elderly people, Homeless people, Interior design, Labour Lambeth, Lambeth Life, Red tape, Rent, Stuart Barr, Vassall ward, Vulnerable people

Lambeth Labour - highest council tax hike in London

Council is “wasting money like a sailor on shore leave”

Labour-controlled Lambeth Council’s proposed council tax increase is the highest in London – and much of the increase is being wasted on gimmicks, greed, and spin.

Labour proposes that the tax should rise by 4.75%, well above inflation and above pension increases. London’s second highest rise was in Kingston at 4.4%.

Meanwhile, Conservative controlled councils are either cutting council tax (Hammersmith & Fulham is down 3%), or freezing it (Hounslow and Westminster).

But Labour is not spending its extra cash wisely.

Propaganda costs are rocketing. A council-produced tabloid newspaper is now distributed fortnightly, increasing costs by some £200,000 pa.
In a single day, the council advertised for “communications” staff whose full salary cost will be approximately half-a-million pounds each and every year.
Labour councillors previously voted themselves huge salary expenses, and they carry on rising.
The council set aside some £70,000 for a youth mayor – but spent around two-thirds of the money on advertising and admin, thereby cutting potential youth services.
The council employed an interior designer at approximately £40,000 pa, instead of contracting out the work. When the refurbishment programme ends, Lambeth will be left with the most expensive “flower-pot arranger” in London.
Within satellite budgets, money is wasted hand-over-fist. In at least one Lambeth school, misbehaving pupils are given foot massages in class time.

The Conservative Group has proposed an alternative budget that promotes efficiency, and cuts waste and gimmickry. As a result, it would protect front-line services and yet knock two percentage points off Labour’s budget-busting tax rise with a rise of only 2.44 per cent. For a second successive year, the Conservatives have offered a fully costed alternative budget that has received a clean bill of health from the Council Finance Dept (i.e., no financial “warnings” necessary).

Conservative Group Leader Cllr John Whelan commented: "Labour is spending money like a sailor on shore leave: But it is not their money. They have forgotten that the money comes from local residents, many of whom are financially hard-pressed. The council should protect services and cut waste.

"At the last election, Labour implied that they would cut tax, and now they propose the largest increase in London. As with the ALMO, they are sneaky and sly. Remember, this tax increase is in addition to (not instead of) previous tax increases Labour used to condemn!"

Labels: Allowances, ALMO, Council tax, Finance, John Whelan, Labour Lambeth, Propaganda, Youth Mayor

Labour's 'double-whammy' tax hit

Tenants in Vassall ward have been clobbered with a 'double whammy' of tax and rent rises by Labour councillors.

First there was an inflation-busting 7.23% rent rise for council tenants. Now Labour Lambeth will rubber stamp a 4.75% council tax hike - and bills will drop through our letter boxes in early March.

"Both the rent and council tax rises are the maximum allowed by Gordon Brown," says Vassall by-election candidate Stuart Barr. "At the same time tenants face the prospect of wages and benefits increasing by less than half those rates."

The bad news will continue.

"Labour also propose increases for tenants in parking and garage charges," adds Stuart. "In the meantime, Labour councillors have their snouts in the trough and are happy to award themselves massive and undeserved increases in their own take home pay at your expense."

Conservatives will fight to keep council tax and rent increases down - like Tory-run Wandsworth where council tax is half that of Lambeth.

Labels: Allowances, Council tax, Housing, Rent, Stuart Barr, Vassall ward