27 February (Part 1) - Council Tax. It’s up by 3·99%. Did anyone believe otherwise?
Once again I didn’t manage to be at a Council meeting in person but maybe the excuse is a better one than usual. A family
funeral. I was driven to it by a cousin and she was in no hurry to get away.
The meeting had been called to rubber stamp a maximum possible Council Tax rise
of 1·99% plus a 2% Adults’ Services Precept. Bexley has no chance of rising above
it’s rather shameful 8th most expensive borough in London.
Finance Director Paul Thorogood began the formal proceedings with his report.
Most of it was a reference back to earlier reports so there were no surprises. A
previous assumption had led to an imbalance of just over £2 million for the
coming year which had to be addressed. “The 2021/2022 budget is currently
forecast to have a significant deficit.”
Cabinet Member David Leaf (Resources), said the budget proposals had been in the public
domain since last November; “residents and partners had engaged constructively”.
He went on to tell an amusing story about a Labour supporter he had met on a
doorstep who liked everything that Bexley Council had done. Libraries, bins,
potholes etc. and he hoped he had won her around to rethinking her local vote.
He thought a 4% Council Tax was entirely reasonable. Despite speaking for eight
minutes there is nothing else of any note worth bringing to your attention.
Cabinet Member Philip Read was next to speak reeling off a list of
claimed successes. “Better services at lower cost.” He again referred to the high cost
of looking after “unaccompanied asylum seeking children with the cost falling on
Bexley’s Council Tax paying residents”.
He said that his department (Children’s Services) had been “a significant
element in this administration’s success and dealing with the reduction in funding”.
Cabinet Member for Adults’ Services Brad Smith said his budget for the past year was just over £57
million but he ended up spending nearer £58 million. The demand was hard to
predict and the provision of suitable housing had slipped. The next three years
commits £10 million into that housing project which will reduce out of borough support.
Cabinet Member Peter Craske (Places) referred to the “huge logistical exercise of
delivering 160,000 new wheelie bins” and distribution is now complete. The only
reference to next year’s budget was that the scheme should save £500,000 a year.
Early indications were that the recycling rate will go up by 10% or more.
He laid the ground for future criticism of the opposition party by saying he
could not believe that anyone would ever vote against the Conservatives’ budget proposals.
Cabinet Member John Fuller (Education) proudly mentioned the not inconsiderable
achievement of providing two new schools. Cleeve Park later this year and another in Hawke Road
which is the site of
the old SEN school
off Halt Robin Road, Belvedere.
The meeting ended with Cabinet Member Leaf criticising the Labour opposition for
not coming forward with any proposals or suggestions over the past four months.
A source of frustration he said while making the almost inevitable “back of a
fag packet” comment. It took him only two minutes.
The written Agenda reveals that all the Council’s fees and charges,
with the exception of selected car parking fees, are going up again.