16 March (Part 2) - Jackson on Jeremy
Councillor Jeremy Fosten (Labour, Belvedere) did not immediately attack the
Budget but thought having a go at newly Independent James Hunt was a better option. Juvenile stuff!
Then there came gloating over the election of a Labour Government followed by a
reference to a name I had never heard of. Google told me he is an American
rapper. Where the Hell is Jeremy going with this?
Ahh, the Budget at last. The Council has done well to close the gap it was
facing but the gap will be three times as big next year and no steps have been
taken to close it. “They are rearranging the deckchairs and the Council does not
look any less unsightly.” On CT Reduction Scheme the Council will be increasing
enforcement costs in return for a minuscule amount of money. How will it make a
dent in the deficit?” Then he went back to rap songs and some growth in the
economy for which Rachel Reeves was given the credit. There was no reference to
the growth being only a quarter of what the Chancellor had predicted on October 30th.
Apparently Income Tax thresholds have been increased to keep in line with
inflation. (Where did that come from?) “Let’s not fool the public” he said immediately after doing
exactly that.
Councillor Carew (Conservative Vice-Chairman of Adults Services) didn't like the
withdrawal of the Winter Fuel Allowance - who does? - and spoke about Bexley
Boxes and freezing old people. There was in practice nothing that you have not read here many times before.
Councillor Andrew Curtois (Conservative, Falconwood & Welling) for some reason gave a lecture on the convenience of
modern technology and our reliance on it - if you have the money to buy it
and are of a technological bent. Once again there was nothing much new said.
Howard Jackson (Conservative, Barnehurst) thought it was remarkable that Bexley
Conservatives had produced 19 consecutive balanced budgets, forgetting for a
moment that that is a legal requirement. The Labour opposition once again has
not come up with ideas for the budget. “There are no suggestions, there is no
amendment, all there is is Socialist fire, witty repartee and jokes Mocking the
Council, no alternatives, no ideas, no savings. Nothing. They just like making
fun of us because they have nothing else to do. They have not been working hard
and they didn’t work hard to deliver the Bexley Boxes even when we asked them to help.”
Councillor Craske said that on 31st March last year the Labour Group promised
that a Labour Government would freeze Council Tax for every Bexley resident
while in practice the only thing frozen was 34,000 pensioners. They are “cruel and wicked”.
They pledged that Bexley residents would see a £600 reduction in their
fuel bills but bills have gone up three times since the election.
Labour Greenwich has been given an extra £3·8 million, Lewisham £5·3 million,
Hackney £11 million and Tory Bexley nothing.
Then Labour had another go. Will there be jokes?