21 April (Part 2) - The Leader’s final report
As has been said here many times before, the Leader’s spoken report to Full
Council is nearly always well presented. Brief and to the point and leaving the
25 pages (this time) of obscure stuff that appears in the Agenda version unstated and no doubt ignored by many.
Teresa O’Neill first told us of yet another demolition attempt on The Cob statue
in Belvedere. (Eventually it will be realised that if you put a metallic horse in the middle of
a busy and not particularly easy to negotiate roundabout it will periodically be hit by a vehicle.)
This time the driver did a runner but first had the presence of mind to remove
his number plates. Not so clever was leaving his works staff pass
taped to the windscreen. There is as yet no news on whether the cob can be repaired.
Ukrainian refugees are beginning to be housed in the borough and a local company
has been helped through the red tape when taking relief supplies to Ukraine.
It hardly needs saying but the Leader referred to the unfair grant settlement
again. “It is a frustration that the disparity [with Greenwich] was brought
about by a Labour Government but we will live within our means.”
The planned Jubilee celebrations are going very well and residents are
responding enthusiastically. The end result will put the Royal borough to shame.
And there endeth the Leader’s report. Succinct as always.
Councillors were not prepared to let it
rest there. Councillor Sybil Camsey (Conservative, Crook Log) asked
how many extra places had been provided by the new SEN schools. 19 right now but
heading towards 50 very soon with more to come.
Councillor Eileen Pallen (Conservative, Bexleyheath) asked how care leavers were being helped through the cost of living crisis.
They have dedicated support and advisers on how to live on a budget. Some stay
in foster care beyond the age of 18. There appeared to be plenty of help available.
Councillor Francis (Labour, Belvedere) asked about playground equipment and the Conservative manifesto promise to
audit future requirements but to this day no inventory is available from the
Council. Parents, particularly of disabled children, are still unable to find
the most suitable park for their needs. He also referred to “the repeated lie
that the Conservatives had met 100% of their manifesto commitments”.
The Council Leader said that Belvedere Beech was 100% accessible against various ‘noises
off’ which said it wasn’t. There was no further comment on Councillor Francis’s
manifesto question as one would expect of a question that exposed another Tory lie.
Following comments from Councillor Seymour (Conservative, Crayford) the Mayor
attacked Councillor Borello (sic) who complained that too much purdah breaking
was going on. After a brief difference of opinion, the Mayor who had earlier
warned against purdah breaking shouted loudly that his ruling was final and his
next move would be to cut Stefano’s microphone.
Within minutes the argument had blown over and the Leader of the opposition was allowed to ask a question.
It was about two recent reports on Bexley’s finances which said that it had
the second lowest general fund reserve “among its statistical neighbours and is
at significant risk”. He wanted to know what plans the Council had to counter
it. He quoted Labour’s 2006 budget figures and those from last month which were
significantly worse and then launched into his own spot of purdah busting.
The Chancellor’s wife and his Green card, Bexley topping the national bin
complaints league, Councillor Adam Wildman’s Whitehall partying, ditto Boris
Johnson, Bexley’s 21% Council Tax rise and constant stealth taxes (parking,
garden waste and burials) all got an honourable mention. And then a short list
of “illegal” shortcuts taken.
The Leader refused to comment on anything apart from the reserve situation which
she defended and the fact that a Labour Councillor stood on the bin picket line.
The Cabinet Member provided his plan for protecting the reserves. It is “to
certainly not to do what Labour is doing”. He then repeated the lie that Labour
is against the £150 government financed Council Tax rebate for Band A to D properties.
The allotted 30 minutes were more or less up. Just enough time for the Leader to say that
the Mayor of Lewisham had been to Bexley to see how a town should be run.