7 March (Part 2) - Leader and Deputy talk tough
Let’s start with Teresa O’Neill’s opening words about the need to raise more
taxes. Would she make a better job of impressing me than Jeremy Hunt earlier in
the day? As far as I am concerned that should be an easy job. Nationally the
Tories are toast and deserve to be.
She started with a statement of the obvious. They have to set a balanced budget
and this year has “not been an easy one”. There has been no opportunity to
increase the reserves in 2023/24.
Grasping for something good to say she reminded everyone that a year ago Bexley
scored an ‘Outstanding’ rating for children in care and secured funds for
Shenstone School to be completed in September 2025.
A new Library was opened in Thamesmead and Country Style has improved its
services. Missed bins, recycling batteries and electrical goods etc. A Bank Hub
came to Welling after innumerable bank closures.
The pandemic, demographic changes and inflation are all making life difficult
and nowhere worse than in Adult and Child Care Services. Costs are rising
steeply but Bexley is doing better than any neighbouring boroughs when it comes
to arranging hospital discharges for people who continue to need care. The
Government still refuses to provide any more money. Some excuses were offered for
the SEND failures.
Labour Councils are still making housing difficult by dumping their homeless in
Bexley and the reduction in parking income is doing the budgeting no good at all. Fewer
commuters and fewer shoppers got the blame. The Fair Funding formula continues
to favour Greenwich over Bexley but Greenwich is cutting services too. “It is so
frustrating that it is not a level playing field.”
Fortunately the pot hole money this year and next is coming directly to Councils
so the Mayor cannot “top slice it” for his own nefarious purposes.
‘Making Bexley Even Better’ count. Two.
Deputy Leader David Leaf added that he was controlling risks and “the resource
envelope would be expanded”. I think that means looking for more ways of robbing residents.
“Next year will be a tough challenge.”
MBEB count; One.