Less spin, more transparency please

On Tuesday, the RBWM budget will be discussed.

Last year we heard the new leader of the council herald in a new era of transparency and collegiate working putting aside the ‘spin’ associated with his predecessor.

We have been continually told by the Conservative administration, over the last six weeks, that ‘if it weren’t for COVID’ we would be in a much better place and what a wonderful success their financial strategy has been in 2020/21 with a £3m underspend.

This is SPIN.

The council has been less affected by COVID than many other councils and central Government has fully compensated RBWM for both costs and income losses for the financial year (COVID neutral).

There has also been reductions in costs

due to lockdown, yet we are told that we need to cut £20million from the budget over the next five years despite increasing council tax by the maximum allowed.

In the recently published budget report it states ‘unlike many other councils, low levels of reserves and the lowest council tax in the country outside London, coupled with increasing levels of borrowing, have made the RBWM financial position more challenging’.

We are in this situation because decisions were taken with a nod to publicity, the votes it would generate and the hope that selling assets would pay off the borrowing.

There was no consideration as to the medium to long term effect on the council, services provided and residents.

The constantly promised Oaks Leisure Centre and the support for the Thames Flood Scheme have disappeared from the capital programme, currently our only financial strategy is to increase reserves but that is impossible given the borough’s current financial situation.

We are seeing cuts to day centres, arts centres, community programmes, libraries, bin collections, youth services, council tax discounts, resident parking discount, community wardens, planters/flowers and increased charges for parking permits, green waste and services to schools.

More severe cuts are to follow...and they call this success.

Nothing has changed, the same culture persists. It’s time for true transparency and being honest with the electorate.

Ditch the SPIN.

Cllr LYNNE JONES Leader – Royal Borough Local Independents