Tuesday, March 06, 2007
Brent Council Labour Group Press Briefing
LABOUR PROPOSES COUNCIL TAX DISCOUNTS FOR POORER PENSIONERS
Labour councillors will be proposing a 3% council tax discount for all households headed by a person aged 75 or over.
The proposal is designed to help some of the poorest pensioner households for whom council tax is an increasing burden.
Labour has been advised that it is not possible to implement the proposal in 2007-08 but Labour's budget motion will ask officers to investigate ways in which this might be implemented in future years.
Labour's spokesperson for Resources, Cllr Jim Moher, said:
"Poorer pensioners face particular problems in paying unexpected council tax increases and our proposal would help some of the oldest and most vulnerable people in our community".
LABOUR OPPOSES INCREASES IN COMMUNITY CARE CHARGES AND INCREASED CHARGES FOR MEALS-ON-WHEELS
Labour's budget proposals seek to reverse the 201.9% increase in charges for community care packages, which are to be introduced by the Lib Dem Con administration. Under the Lib Dem Con proposals, clients will have to pay £16.00 per hour instead of £5.30 per hour under Labour.
Labour is also opposing the proposed new meals-on-wheels contract which will lead to increased charges for users without any financial benefit to the council.
Labour's spokesperson for Adults, Health & Social Care, Cllr Ralph Fox, said:
"Nothing can justify an increase of 202% in charges for home care packages to some of the most vulnerable sections of the community. This will inevitably result in old folk having so sell their homes and go into residential care. It's a disgrace.
Similarly, we do not see why meals-on-wheels charges should be increased at above the rate of inflation".
SAY NO TO THE 'DUMPERS CHARTER'
Labour will be seeking to reverse the introduction of a £25.00 charge for five bulky items of refuse because it will inevitably lead to an increase in dumping. For many years, Brent Council has agreed to take away up to five bulky items per resident free of charge. Such items might include items such as mattresses, old furniture, fridges and so on. The new charge will inevitably act as a deterrent and less civic-minded residents are likely to simply dump these items rather than pay the charge.
Labour's Environment, Planning & Culture Spokesperson, Cllr Lesley Jones said:
"The new charges are a 'Dumpers Charter' and council tax payers will wonder why they have to pay new charges for basic council services AND a 5% increase in the council tax"
SAY NO TO NO VOTE
As part of their package of expenditure cuts, the Lib Dem Con administration is cutting the budget for electoral registration. This will specifically affect canvassing for the electoral register so as to maximise the number of eligible voters on the register. The Conservatives tried a similar ruse when they were last in power and were forced to back down after the late former Councillor Peggy Quirke successfully to the Council to court.
Labour is seeking to reverse the cut.
Labour Councillor Mary Farrell, who is the Opposition spokesperson for Local Democracy and Consultation, said:
"This is a relatively small cut in cash terms but it will have a major impact on the quality of the electoral register and it may result in thousands of people being disenfranchised. At a time when politicians in all parties are concerned about low voter participation, it doesn't make sense to make this cut"
FUTURE OF ONE STOP SHOP SERVICES
The future of Brent Council's award winning One Stop Shop service, first introduced by Labour in the 1980's, is under threat as a result of Lib Dem Con policies. The Lib Dem Con proposals will result in a reduction in face to face contact with local residents encouraged to contact the council by telephone and e-mail. The proposals will also result in the closure of the Kilburn One Stop Shop without any consultation with local residents. Labour councillors have already 'called in' this decision for scrutiny but the administration seems determined to proceed with it. The benefits advice service provided by the One Stop Shops which has seen a big take up in benefits by local people has been scrapped.
Labour's Housing and Customer Services spokesperson, Cllr Bobby Thomas, said:
"Local residents are entitled to expect to speak to a real person not a recorded message. The One Stop Shops are hugely popular and people don't want them replaced by 'customer contact points'. Moreover, the people of Kilburn don't want to see their One Stop Stop closed altogether".
SUPPORTING FREE PUBLIC TRANSPORT FOR YOUNG LONDONERS
Brent Council's Deputy Leader, Cllr Bob Blackman, is also the Greater London Assembly member for Brent & Harrow and, as such, he is supporting Tory attempts to remove free travel on the buses from 385,000 young Londoners. The introduction of free travel for under-18's in full time education was introduced by Mayor of London, Ken Livingstone, following his re-election in 2004. The concession is valid seven days a week and during school breaks and it allows families to enjoy the capital's theatres, museums, galleries and parks. Families in London are saving £350.00 per child per year.
Labour's spokesperson for Children & Families, Cllr Mary Arnold, said:
"We should be encouraging youngsters to stay on in full time education and this is one way in which we can do that. The proposed cut is also an attack on family life as a removal of the free travel concession would make it much more difficult for families to travel together".
