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News and Comment March 2025

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7 March (Part 1) - The word according to Saint Teresa

This is what Council Leader Teresa O’Neil had to say about the budget on Wednesday.


• Bexley Council has successfully managed their meagre finances through challenging times.
• Residents have been put first.
• We have lived within our means.
• When corrective action was required it was done.
• It is statutorily required that the budget is balanced and it is.
• Bexley has not had to apply for exceptional support like Barnet, Croydon, Haringey, Havering, Lambeth and Newham.
• When monitoring budgets no data is used until we are sure of its validity. Planning is an iterative process.
• Contrary to Labour’s claim, Bexley did not apply for a Capitalisation Order before the pandemic however it was prudent to apply during the pandemic but it was never called upon.
• Since the General Election the funding of Social Care (Adults’ and Children’s) has become uncertain. There has been no multi-year settlement.
• There is now a major discrepancy in grants between Inner and Outer London. If Bexley’s funding met the average it would receive an extra £63 million a year.
• The Government gave London a £69 million recovery grant but it only went to Labour boroughs.
• The Government has landed Bexley residents with two new burdens; no Winter Fuel Allowance. 34,000 Bexley residents lost out to a needless cut.
• Secondly the increased National Insurance Contributions will hit the Council and its suppliers. The Government provided an insufficient £1·6 million in compensation which will not be available next year.
• Bexley is the safest borough but it has the money to invest in new CCTV.


Note: Whilst this is not a verbatim report all the important words recorded above are the Leader’s.

 

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