Labour spend public money to show cuts are Coalition’s

Published: 4th November, 2010
by RICHARD OSLEY

THE Town Hall is to decorate bus shelters with posters that remind residents that “national government” is behind wide-ranging spending cuts.

Opposition councillors have questioned the use of the council’s press and communications department, which must stay neutral in political debates.

In a simple font, the posters say: “National government spending cuts mean tough decisions for Camden’s future.”

It then directs people to a part of the council’s website that shows how heavily the Town Hall relies on money from central government.

The council’s Labour leadership is currently trying to close a funding gap of around £100million, which councillors admit will lead to some popular services being closed or severely hampered in terms of funding.

It said the posters were designed to inform residents about the unprecedented nature of the financial challenge facing the Town Hall, pointing out that what happens at Westminster has a direct link to which services survive budget cuts in Camden. The cost of the posters is around £1,500. They will go up in 52 sites across the borough.

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Keith Moffitt said: “I think these posters are beginning to push the boundaries of political propriety around use of public money. The fact is that whichever party had been in power, cuts would have been made. They might not have been the same cuts but a Labour government would have made significant cuts, too.”

Conservative leader Councillor Andrew Mennear said: “The current government is having to make spending cuts owing to the previous Labour government’s reckless profligacy with our money during its 13 wasted years in office.

“Labour Camden’s decision to waste our money locally by putting up pointless and arguably political adverts of this nature will not go down well with local residents.”

He added: “We’ve entered a new era of ‘every penny counts’ austerity thanks to the profligacy of Gordon Brown and the negligence of Tony Blair. Even rela­tively small items of expenditure like this need to be held to account.”

Both groups have sought assurances from the council’s chief officers that no rules have been broken about staff’s party-political impartiality.

Labour finance chief Councillor Theo Blackwell said the cost of the posters was minimal in comparison to the savings made in the communications department with the slashing back of Your Camden, the magazine previously published by the council often criticised for being poor value for money.

He said: “Anyone would think the Conservatives just wanted Camden to implement cuts and take all the blame for central government decisions. Labour proposed cuts, too – the Coalition’s are larger and swifter. 

“The point is that local government is hamstrung because it is so reliant on central government funding – especially Camden.”