Council service cuts - Rack up parking charges and tap up the rich, urges Maya De Souza and the Greens

Published: 03 February 2011
by RICHARD OSLEY

THE Green Party will try and influence Camden’s most controversial budget in years by calling on councillors to consider raising council tax and parking permit charges.

In their alternative finance plans, the group will call for the Town Hall to make a stronger case to government for investment and extending appeals for help from people living in Camden.

It is a bone of contention as to whether the Greens first came up with the idea of asking bankers and lawyers in wealthy parts of the borough to make a voluntary contribution to the council to protect services. 

Labour councillors floated the idea last week and after being covered on the New Journal’s front page was picked up by national newspapers and television stations.

Highgate councillor Maya De Souza said: “The question is whether at a local level there is an alternative other than putting up posters on our bus shelters blaming the pain on the government, and then continuing with making the cuts regardless.” She added: “Open and honest dialogue with residents is vital – Labour persist in treating residents as if they are unable to contribute. The community is more than able to do so. Secondly, the council needs to be both innovative and brave in making savings elsewhere and in raising money from those who can pay. It should look at, for example, using open source software, sharing services across boroughs, reducing working hours by a small amount.”

Camden has been told by Whitehall it must hack between £80million and £100million from its budgets in the next three years. The Labour administration says such figures mean the loss of some care and play services, as well as libraries, is almost inevitable.