For the last 8 years when Southwark Council was led by Lib Dems we always minimised council rent rises to the lowest possible – if we’d increased them less the Labour Government would have financial penalised the council forcing higher rises. Mean while across the border in Labour led Lambeth, Council rents rises of 17% were announced in parallel.
Now, Labour led Southwark Council are announcing 7.08% rent rises. They blame the current government, much as Labour in Lambeth blamed the then government in the past, but at a time of incredible hardship these proposed rises are at best harsh.
This rise is more than required to cope with the year on year reductions in subsidies from central government. Liberal Democrats never had to make a 7% rise and Labour now really don’t have any reason to…..unless they plan big rises now and small tiny rises near the next elections in 2014. Hopefully they’re not that cynical and the electorate have long memories.
@James
Yawn, you can’t have your cake and eat it! Nationally, Cleggy and chums are saying there is no alternative to slashing government spending and Danny Alexander’s CSR passed on an inordinate amount of the cuts onto local government. And Pickles is vetoing council tax rises, councils are in an impossible position!
“Hopefully they’re not that cynical and the electorate have long memories.”
I hope they’ve got even longer memories than that, and if they happen to forget I’ll make sure I remind them about tuition fees! You must have a solid brass neck.
Hi Cat,
The CSR cut finances to government departs on average by 19% – as opposed to Labour’s planned 20% as per their ex. chancellor of the exchequer.
But the government money given to local authorities will reduce on average by 7.1% pa for 4 years (which equates in absolute terms to 25.5% compound. BUT government money represents 60-70% of local authority money with the remainder coming from local council tax and fees & charges.
So although the headline government cut to local authorities sounds much higher taking into about government money is only part of the funding streams then in the round the overal cut to local authorities overall funding is unremarkably around 19%. The much higher cuts would only apply if local authorities cut council taxes and the fees & charges they make. I’ve not heard of any local councils announcing cuts to council taxes or fees & charges. Have you?