News from Westminster Labour

5-star dinner as Westminster’s “Dinosaur” Conservatives axe hotlines

Conservatives axe the Community Intelligence Line and the Racial Incidents Hotline as menu for £23k Civic Dinner reveals Council extravagance.

Westminster Conservatives have axed the Community Intelligence Line and the Racial Incidents Hotline to save £13,788, just days after the menu for £23k Civic Dinner has revealed the true extent of the Council’s wasteful extravagance with public money.

The Council report recommending the axing of these phone lines reports a catalogue of bungling over recent years and says:

“Through the Community Intelligence Line residents are able to report anti-social behaviour 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and request a callback if necessary. All information is logged and is easily accessible. The line performs well in mystery shopping exercises and meets its target conversion rates. However, there is around a week’s delay from the customer making the call, to their query being answered by a liaison officer.”

“In 2007, the Racial Incidents Hotline was incorporated into the Community Intelligence Line. However, this is complicated by the fact that the hotline number (020 7641 6191) is still advertised on the Council’s website. Vertex call handlers have been asked to email racial incident reports to raceequality@westminster.gov.uk and it is unclear who owns or checks this email address (I emailed it myself and did not receive a reply). There is no official record of hate crime reports this financial year.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said:

“This is tale of both Conservative incompetence and more cuts to services. Both these phone lines could provide a valuable service to local residents but they have been incompetently managed by the Council and its contractors. Now, instead of fixing the problems the Conservatives are scrapping these services altogether.

“And at the same time, the Conservatives are happy to spend £23,000 on the Civic Dinner to entertain their friends at a five star hotel. This sort of shameful behaviour shows how totally out of touch Westminster’s Dinosaur Conservatives really are.”

The Civic Dinner Menu was:

Seared Fillet of Red Snapper
Saffron Risotto, Pea Shoots and Gremolata
San Rafael Sauvignon Blanc 2009

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Fillet of Lamb Wellington and Braised Neck Fillet
Hispi Cabbage and a Redcurrant Sauce
Chateau L’Eglise Eleve en futs de Chene Bordeaux 2007

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Chocolate Fondant
Cherry Ripple Ice Cream and Cherry Coulis

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Arabica Coffee and Petit Fours
Port and Brandy