Freeze was a start but a cut would be better
By Tim Archer
Only days apart from each other we learnt that the Audit Commission has criticised the Labour-run Tower Hamlets council for the way it sacked its chief executive and the size of the bill that resulted and that there will be no increase in council tax next year. No increase in council tax is to be welcomed. But it's only a start.
The Conservative's alternative budget that I presented to the council earlier this year, increased the number of police officers and litter and dog wardens while reducing councillors' allowances and waste resulting in a one per cent cut in council tax.
The Labour council has been putting up the council tax by above inflation amounts every year except the last year that they faced an election in. I wonder if that's a coincidence?
I tell you what is a coincidence - the total bill for sacking the chief executive, making the HR director redundant, and propping up the council's propaganda newspaper more or less adds up to the total extra money raised by this year's above inflation council tax rise.
So all the extra tax you paid this year has been wasted.
This Labour administration has consistently failed to deliver value for money - the more we pay the more they waste.
All this at a time when the average person is having to cut their costs and watch every penny.
- Tim Archer is Conservative councillor, Blackwall & Cubitt Town Ward & prospective MP
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Where was your proposal to increase the amount of Social Housing in the Borough in your propsals though Mr Archer...
I am sure that it would be possible to build a large amount of Social Housing whilst reducing the level of Council Tax...
I think not...!
On the one hand you argue for a reduction in the Council Tax...
...and on the other you criticise Labour of the Housing crisis in the Borough...
Where in the Tower Hamlets Conservative Group's alternative budget was there a mention of a substantial increase in the local Social Housing stock...?
Unforetunately... you cannot have it both ways Mr Archer...
What are you going to build sSocial Housing with... Thin Air...?
Going by the gist of your arguments/ declarations... that may well be seen by others to be the case...
It would be possible, because the borough recives such much of it's income in grants from government.
Less than 10% comes from council tax.