New leaflet from Labour - 'Coalition Cuts Special'

Labour volunteers across SE11 are currently delivering a new leaflet, explaining the scale and impact of the government's cuts to Lambeth Council.

Everybody was expecting cuts to council funding, but the harshness with which the Lib Dem- Tory Coalition has targetted local government has taken everybody by surprise.

Lambeth will have to find £90 million in savings, from a budget of around £300 million. To make matters worse, the cuts are 'frontloaded' to the next financial year, meaning £40 million will have to be taken out of the budget by April 2010.

Labour councillors will be doing everything in our power to mitigate the effects of the cuts, but it is inevitable that there will be reductions in services, job losses, and difficult decisions.

Distressingly, cuts on this scale are not even necessary or sensible. As Lambeth's finance chief Paul McGlone explains:

'Like other countries, Britain has big debts from bailing out the banks to save our economy from collapsing. All parties supported that. But while Labour wanted to pay off the debt at a rate the country could afford, the Lib Dems and Tories have pushed through plans to cut services hard and deep - creating the risk of another recession and higher unemployment. It's like trying to pay off a mortgage in five years instead of over 25 - you wouldn't do it, and nor should the government'.

Councillors slam Tory/Lib Dem school building cuts in Lambeth

Labour councillors Lorna Campbell, Mark Harrison and Steve Morgan have slammed the recent admission by Tory Education secretary Michael Gove that he is cutting more than £200 million in Lambeth schools funding, just days before contracts were due to be agreed and building work was to begin.

Local schools including Archbishop Tenison's and Lilian Baylis had been promised rebuilt or refurbished school buildings under the Building Schools for the Future project, but the Tory/Lib Dem coalition government has now dashed their hopes. Michael Gove has now cancelled Lambeth’s entire programme, affecting thousands of pupils at eleven secondary schools. The cancelled investment in schools was desperately needed, both to renew or rebuild tired buildings, and also to provide much needed extra places in the borough, including a new school for Brixton. The creation of hundreds of local construction jobs will also be dashed.

Labour councillor Mark Harrison said: “Teachers and pupils at Archbishop Tenison's school had been promised millions in funding to bring their school up to modern standards. Now the Tory/Lib Dem government have destroyed their dream of modern buildings by cancelling Building Schools for the Future in Lambeth outright, affecting the life chances of hundreds of local children Kennington and Vauxhall. Lilian Baylis school was about to start work on an expansion to their site but this has now been put on hold.

“Lambeth is still desperately short of places for secondary school age children, despite Labour building three new schools from scratch in the last few years. Labour’s plans for school rebuilding would have created the extra places our borough need – but the Tories and Lib Dems will leave our children having to travel miles out of the borough to get to school.

“What’s more, Lambeth has already spent more than £6 million on preparing planning permissions and producing designs for the eleven new schools – local taxpayers will be outraged that the coalition government’s decision will see that money go to waste.”

Lambeth Labour are now leading a ‘Save Our Schools’ campaign, to shame the Tory/Lib Dem government into reversing their short-sighted decision. They are urging local parents and children to write to Education secretary Michael Gove telling him how their decision will affect their education, and urging him to restore the funding Lambeth needs. He can be contacted at:

The Rt Hon Michael Gove MP
Secretary of State for Education
Sanctuary Buildings
Great Smith Street
London SW1P 3BT

Or email: ministers@education.gsi.gov.uk

Pictured: Lilian Baylis School's expansion is now on hold, whilst other schools' plans have been cancelled altogether

Council approves historic budget for Lambeth

Last night Lambeth's Full Council approved the Labour budget for 2010/11, after a debate in which the Lib Dems and Tories appeared to have given up.

The headlines for the budget are:

-A Council Tax freeze for a second year

-£30M of waste cut out

-Healthy reserves for lean times ahead

-Investment in new and expanded services, including lunch clubs for older people, youth services, better noise nuisance services, and anti-crime measures

The Lib Dems' 'alternative budget' was roundly criticised for being irresponsible and completely incoherent.

In the debate Prince's ward Councillor Mark Harrison said:

'Labour's budget continues the previous three years' positive investment, which has benefitted Prince's ward massively. Our expanded Safer Neighbouhoods Team is working well and involving residents in the policing of the area. The Better Neighbourhoods Programme has resulted in resurfaced pavements and roads, and new trees across the Ethelred Estate. Labour's huge investment in our schools has seen Lilian Baylis increase its GCSE pass rate by 15% in just one year. The increased spend of the Housing Capital budget has seen major works to improve more than 1000 homes on the Vauxhall Gardens, Ethelred Towers and Whitgift Estates.

'Even in my position as the Council's newest member, I'm fully aware of the historic nature of this budget. this is the first time in recent decades that an adminstration has managed to freeze council tax whilst preserving and expanding services and reserves.

'Compare this to the Lib Dem plans - cutting the vital 'Invest to Save' programme to pay for an unaffordable council tax cut and a 1/2 million pound fund purely for Councillor Bradley to dangle at Vassall's voters - plumbing new depths of Lib Dem fiscal irresponsibility. This Labour budget reaffirms my pride in standing for election as a Labour councillor in Lambeth.'

Mark launches crime action plan

Labour's candidate for the Prince's ward by-election, Mark Harrison, has launched a five point action plan to cut crime and anti-social behaviour in Kennington and Vauxhall.

The measures are:

1) Compulsory tagging for dangerous dogs on estates

2) Guaranteed funding to get CCTV working again

3) Save the Lilian Baylis Old School Site so young people have positive things to do locally

4) Hit drug dealers and buyers with ASBOs that ban them from SE11

5) Support Labour's Neighbourhood Police Team - say no to Boris Johnson's police cuts!

Mark commented: 'My action plan will make local people safer. I know what the problems are because I live here. I know tough action against criminals and more investment to give young people things to do is the only way to crack crime on local streets'.

Labour's record on tackling crime in Lambeth stands in sharp contrast to the Lib Dems'. The Lib Dems:

- Served no ASBOs at all for three years

- Voted against Labour's neighbourhood police teams

- Left Lambeth with the worst funded youth service and the highest level of gun, gang and knife crime in the country

- Wanted to legalise brothels and kerb crawling on local streets

- Even campaigned against the Police's own plans to improve local police stations!

Mark has asked local people to get in touch to let him know what more can be done to fight crime and anti-social behaviour in their area. Email markh@lambethlabour.com or phone 07534 136085.

Mark takes fight for lower rents to Westminster

Lambeth Council was forced to put up rents this year because of an appalling catalogue of Lib Dem incompetence dating from their time in office from 2002 to 2006 that left the council with too little money to pay for the housing service.

When the Lib Dems were voted out of office in May 2006, they left:

-Housing overspend of £8m

-Zero financial reserves

-£3m missing in the biggest housing fraud in British local government history

-£11m Government subsidy for de-pooling rents and charges unclaimed

-A contract for temporary accommodation that caused a £12m overspend because the housing had to be paid for even after the number of homeless people was reduced by half.

The total Lib Dem financial black hole adds up to £34m.

Even though Labour cut the costs of managing council homes by one third and got them down to the London average, council rents still had to go up to pay off the difference.

Now the Lib Dems have called a special vote at the town hall next week, claiming that the rent rise is "still not enough". Labour will not be supporting this Lib Dem attempt to force through an even higher rent rise.

Instead, Labour councillors and Mark Harrison, Labour's candidate in the Princes Ward by-election, are calling on the Government to step in with some of the cash the Lib Dems failed to claim.

Mark Harrison said: "This year's rent rise was forced on the council by the Lib Dem legacy of fraud and failure, and now they've called a special vote to put rents up even higher. I'm backing calls for the Government to step in and help the council out instead. Why should tenants be left to pay more rent just because Lib Dem incompetence created a £34m black hole in the finances?"

Together with Kate Hoey MP, Mark has already met with Housing Minister Margaret Beckett to argue that Lambeth tenants should have this year’s rent rise reduced.

To read Kate's speech in the House of Commons on Lambeth's rents please click here .

Rent rise “not enough” say Lib Dems

Local campaigner Mark Harrison is calling on town hall bosses to think again after tenants on local council estates were hit with a £12-a-week rent rise. But Lib Dems have provoked fury by saying the increase is “still not enough”. Mark, who lives on the Ethelred Estate in Kennington, is calling on Labour Government ministers to step in with financial help to cut the rents.

Lambeth was forced to put up rents after Lib Dem councillors failed to claim an £11m grant while they were in charge at the town hall. This shocking Lib Dem blunder forced rents up to balance the books.

Mark said: 'I’m taking this issue right to the top. I’m going to see the Minister for Housing to explain why the Government must help'. He continued: 'Labour wants to limit the rent rise, but Lib Dems say the increase is not enough! Why should local people suffer just because Lib Dem councillors were so incompetent while they were in charge?”

Lib Dems challenged over rents

While tenants have been digesting the news that Lambeth Council's rents will have to rise this April, Lambeth Lib Dems have again demonstrated that they haven't dropped their irresponsible approach to the housing finances.

Labour has exposed the secret Lib Dem plans to savage Lambeth's housing service with £9 million of cuts. Their refusal to increase funding for the service means that, to balance the budget as the law demands, they would have to impose cuts on a scale never before seen in Lambeth.

The Lib Dem axe would sweep through housing, removing staff and frontline services and leaving it facing meltdown. The last time Lib Dems were running Lambeth's housing service they were so incompetent they managed to cut services while making them cost more at the same time in a botched restructuring plan called 'Reframing'. This time, they plan to make the same mistakes only on a far bigger scale.

When they were finally voted out of office in 2006, the Lib Dems left behind a toxic cocktail of £7.78m overspends and no financial reserves in the bank. The council has already been forced to raise rents to clear up the Lib Dem mess.

Labour's Steve Reed commented: 'By opposing the rise in rents, the Lib Dems would have to introduce savage cuts to frontline services. The Lib Dems want to cover up the truth about their plans, but today Labour can expose exactly where the Lib Dem axe will fall.'

Here's the nightmare that £9m Lib Dem cuts would mean:

• Half of all housing staff sacked

• Area offices closed down

• Rent collection staff reduced and rents left uncollected

• Pest control service scrapped

• Safety patrols slashed

• Call centre waiting times increased

• No window cleaning

• All concierges removed

• CCTV switched off

• External repairs and redecorations left undone

• Household repairs scrapped

• One in every three homes left without central heating or watertight doors, windows or roofs

Pictured: estates like Cotton Gardens would lose their concierge if the Lib Dems were allowed to set the housing budget

Labour freezes council tax

Labour councillors have voted to freeze council tax for the next two years to help local households cope with the economic recession. Labour was elected two years ago promising a council that’s “on your side” with council tax increases kept below the level of wage inflation. During the previous four years, a Lib Dem and Conservative coalition forced council tax up 40% - the biggest increase in Lambeth’s history that cost the average household an extra £1000 in council tax payments.

Labour’s two-year tax freeze is intended to help residents who are struggling to cope with the effects of the global recession. With rising fuel prices and many facing job losses, Labour wants to help families and individuals keep more of their money. The freeze will be delivered without cuts in frontline services. This is possible only because of the careful way Labour has managed the council’s finances over the past two years, restoring them to stability after the Tories and Lib Dems left the council with no money in the bank and millions of pounds in debt.

Steve Reed is Leader of Lambeth Council. He commented: “one thing the council does that affects just about every household in Lambeth is set the council tax. With Labour, our council tax is already one of the lowest in the country. But this is a council that’s determined to be on the side of ordinary people, so we will be freezing council tax for the next two years with no increase in people’s bills. We know that’s the best way we can help people manage through the economic downturn. And it’s a clear difference from the record-breaking 40% hikes we got from the Lib Dems.”

Christmas comes to Lambeth- but Lib Dems try to ban it again!

It seems the Lib Dems haven't learned their lesson from 2005 - back when they made Lambeth an international laughing stock by attempting to rename Christmas lights as 'Winter lights'.

This year Labour have insisted on proper Christmas celebrations for residents across the borough. A German Christmas market has been set up on the South Bank, and on 3 December Father Christmas travelled from Waterloo to Streatham on a motorised Christmas sleigh, turning on Christmas lights in each town centre.

The events have been a huge success - but that hasn't stopped Lib Dem councillors kicking up a fuss. One councillor has been campaigning to shut down the market, whilst others tried to ban the Christmas sleigh! It seems the Lib Dems just refuse to enter into the festive spirit!

What's Labour done for me in Lambeth?

Alex Bigham from Stockwell's Labour Action Team has written an interesting blog about Labour's record in Lambeth that I thought was worth putting up here:

What has Labour done since getting elected and ousting the Lib Dems in 2006? Let's look at Labour's manifesto commitments in Lambeth, and see if they have met them, and what Labour inherited from the Lib Dem administration.

1. Your Council Tax kept down

Under Labour
In the 2 years since Labour came to power, council tax in Lambeth has only gone up in line with inflation. In the next 2 years, it will be lower or frozen if possible.

Under the Lib Dems
The Lib Dems raised council tax by 40% when they were in power – adding around £1,000 to your council tax bill.

2. Your safety improved

Under Labour
Labour has introduced safer neighbourhood teams into each ward in Lambeth, including Prince's, as promised. We cracked down on drug dealers in Brixton and in the last 12 months, violent crime in Lambeth has gone down by 50%. We're tackling the long term causes of crime by trebling the funding for youth services.

Under the Lib Dems
The Lib Dems were soft on crime, opposing measures to tackle criminals, and being on soft on drugs. They even let a fraudster walk off with £3 million of council money – and even tried to hush up allegations when one of their own councillors was caught stealing public money.

3. Your street bright and clean

Under Labour Labour is doubling the investment to repair roads and pavements. The number of street sweepers in Lambeth is going up and there are new street lights across the borough.

Under the Lib Dems
Pavements were left cracked and dangerous, and potholes were not repaired. They wasted millions on buying luxury office blocks and paying off staff, instead of repairing pavements and keeping the borough safe and clean.

4. Your child given the best start in life

Under Labour
3 new schools have been built in Lambeth, and major repairs and refurbishments are happening . Labour introduced the first ever Youth Mayor for Lambeth, elected and with a budget to spend on the services that young people want.

Under the Lib Dems
500 children were not allocated a school at all, a problem Labour sorted. The Lib Dems had the worst funded youth service in London.

5. Your environment greener

Under Labour
Labour expanded recycling in Lambeth, so you can now recycle more waste, like household food packaging. Lambeth now has the toughest carbon reduction targets in London.

Under the Lib Dems
The Lib Dems tried to limit your recycling options until Labour forced them to offer both orange sacks and green boxes. They slipped 60% behind the best councils and didn't let us recycle items that residents in other boroughs could and cut the regular garden waste recycling service.

Labour also had a separate housing manifesto - to make all homes in Lambeth safe, warm and dry. Under the Lib Dems, 10,000 homes didn't meet the decent homes standard. Labour has introduced a new management team - the ALMO called Lambeth Living to bring in £240 million of extra funding to make sure this happens.

We aren't complacent about life in Lambeth, but it's clear that things are better under Labour, and would be much worse under the Lib Dems.