Today (26 February 2021) Redbridge Conservatives warned the Labour Council residents would “not forget” the Budget they presented at full council last night, which slashed support for arts and leisure and hiked council tax, whilst protecting the salary of councillors.
Labour rejected Conservative amendments to the Budget which would have cut councillor pay by 10% to improve the council’s financial position. Labour defended their decision to protect their own pay, arguing that councillors “work hard”. The public watching council proceedings saw Labour councillors defend their pay despite pressure on council finances and the challenges hard-working residents face due to the Covid-19 pandemic.
Labour councillors also spoke “proudly and strongly for” hiking council tax by 4.99%, rather than following the example of Wandsworth Council in freezing council tax for residents, many of whom have experienced the sharpest drop in their incomes in generations.
Group Leader Councillor Linda Huggett said:
“Labour’s budget priorities are all wrong. The Conservatives believe we should all be in this together, but Labour has helped its councillors by protecting their pay and hurt residents with a massive 4.99% tax hike.”
“Labour has protected councillor pay and slashed support for music, drama and sport when our children need these activities now more than ever. Despite the Covid-19 pandemic, they hit residents with another council tax bombshell and left small businesses in Redbridge to fend for themselves. Residents will not forget this disastrous Budget.”
At last night’s Budget council meeting, Finance Cabinet member Cllr Kam Rai also confirmed Labour’s budget “removed the subsidy” from Fairlop Sailing school, contradicting his party’s claims that the future of the Sailing school’s future was secure. The campaign by residents for Fairlop sailing centre, which saw a petition gain over 8,000 signatories, forced the Council to commit to reopening the centre in April this year. However, staff who had redundancy notices served have yet to be reinstated.
A cut in councillor pay proposed in the Conservatives’ Alternative Budget would have reversed all Labour cuts to Redbridge Drama and Music Centre, Fairlop Sailing Centre, Ashton Playing Fields, Cricklefields Athletics Ground, Redbridge Cycle Centre, the Youth Games and Hainault Farm. Labour rejected these proposals.
Labour also voted down a £1million proposal from the Conservatives to support businesses in Redbridge most in need of support following the challenging financial year they have endured, claiming that businesses were “the wrong priority”.
