29 January (Part 1) - A short report on a very short Cabinet meeting
Paul Thorogood speaking directly into a microphone only a few inches away
from him, as I hoped, competed much better with
the Unite hooligan’s antics than mine 40 feet away did.
We heard once again that the Council will overspend £1·9 million this year after
injecting £2·4 of contingency reserves. About 2% of its budget when put
together. Interest charges were blamed along with investment income being lower than expected.
Capital expenditure is rather different; £148 million of expenditure had been
approved but only £78 million spent. The Agenda made it clear that there was an
across the board underspend including Education, Public Health and Adults’ Social Care.
For the coming financial year a shortfall of £2 million is currently forecast
increasing steadily and reaching £31·5 million in 2023/24. Exactly the same
as reported a few weeks ago.
Cabinet Member David Leaf said he would not repeat what he had said before
but still managed to keep going for six minutes against the background of miscellaneous tunes from outside.
He thanked those who took part in the Budget Consultation, thanked Conservative
Members who had commented on the proposals and defended the use of consultants -
loads of them who have taken away six figure sums. Later he criticised Labour
Councillors for not commenting outside meetings
That was about it really.
Cabinet Member Craske chose to report on some of the things that money had been
spent on during the current financial year. A new footpath to Danson Park and a new
jetty. A new Thamesmead Library under construction and similarly the new library
in Sidcup and the associated cinema. “Millions of pounds into the Abbey Wood area and Harrow Manorway.”
The Thames Road rubbish dump has been improved, 200 more street trees and a fence around Shoulder of Mutton Green to prevent
incursions by motorcyclists and the travelling community. Never happy unless he
can take a swipe at Labour Councillors he said they were against it and wanted to take it away.
I don’t think that is true. As I understand it a teenager
campaigned to have the fence removed and asked me to publicise his efforts
which I did because I think youngsters showing an interest in the community
should be encouraged. Three months later the individual came out for Labour at
the election. I’m not even sure he is old enough to vote let alone be a Labour
Councillor but when did Craske ever let the facts get in the way of his fanciful stories?
There was a minor spat between Councillor Linda Bailey (Conservative, Crook Log) and
Councillor Daniel Francis (Labour, Belvedere) when she accused him of saying something he
quite clearly hadn’t but there is probably nothing else from this meeting worth reporting.
Maybe just one thing; four Councillors (two from each party) were very welcoming
and exchanged pleasantries as I arrived and when the Leader threw me out before the meeting
went into secret session, she did so most graciously. I wasn’t unhappy to leave
because I had run out of cough sweets. (Doctor’s appointment on Friday - only a week’s wait.)
