Westminster’s front line services hit as Icelandic Bank Tories cut £15m from budget

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Westminster’s front line services hit as Icelandic Bank Tories cut £15m from budget

By Westminster Labour ⋅ February 26, 2009 ⋅ Post a comment

Front line services to children and the mentally ill, together with cuts to street sweeping, refuse collection and community protection, will be the victims of a £15 million cut to Westminster City Council’s budget, following the loss of £17 million in now-failed Icelandic Banks.

And Council Chief Executive Mike More has warned staff in a letter that “because of the financial situation we expect there to be around 300 less posts through the changing structures and then as we cut out low priority work, the combined figure may rise to 400″.

Among the cuts proposed by the Conservatives include:

Environment -

* £485,000 cut from street sweeping and refuse collection
* £80,000 cut from anti-graffiti and flyposting clean up
* £50,000 cut from the budget for recycling containers
* £50,000 cut from hanging baskets budget
* £14,000 cut from removing abandoned vehicles

Children’s services -

* £50,000 cut from the Pupil Referral Unit
* £40,000 cur from adoptions services

Adults -

* £108,000 cut from Mental Health services

Community Protection -

* £20,000 cut by scapping 2 CCTV vans

At the same time the Conservatives have no plans to reduce:

* £3.2 million on press and communications spending
* £23,000 on the Civic Dinner
* £40,000 on the Lord Mayor’s hospitality budget
* £200,000 spent on the use of taxis and hire cars

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

“The Conservative priorities are now crystal clear. They would rather spend public money on churning out more expensive Council propaganda and lavish ‘wining and dining’ at public expense than keeping the streets clean or provide services for the most vulnerable. How can the Conservatives possibly justify cutting street sweeping services when the £3.2 million press office budget remains at the same high level as before? Is this what the Conservatives mean by ‘business as usual’?”

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