Anger as councillors approve budget cuts - City Hall leader Colin Barrow says "Difficult decisions have to be ­taken in tough times"

Published: 04 March 2011
by JOSH LOEB

MILLIONS of pounds of cuts were voted through during a heated budget meeting on Wednesday night – but a Labour proposal to reduce salaries of councillors was rejec­ted.

Protests on the steps of Council House and noisy interjections from the public gallery meant councillors could have needed no reminding about anger on the streets of Westminster – but the ruling Conservatives insisted they had no choice but to introduce cutbacks due to “poor management” by the Gordon Brown government that was dismissed from power last May.

Council leader Colin Barrow said: “No one enters public life to cut or reduce services. Difficult decisions have to be ­taken in tough times, but we will protect the most vulnerable, deliver low tax and deliver clean and safe streets.”

The meeting followed a series of rallies during the week. 

On Monday, SOS Westminster, a campaign group fighting proposals to close the Centre for Independent Living – a Paddington day centre for disabled people – screened a film about the centre at St Charles Sixth Form College in Ladbroke Grove.

The council is yet to make a final decision about the centre’s future.

On Tuesday parents gathered at the Stowe Centre in Harrow Road in opposition to cuts to children’s centres.

Councillor Nickie Aiken, City Hall’s children’s chief, has said management and back office costs will be reduced wherever possible “to protect front-line services”.

After the vote on the budget, Westminster’s Labour group leader councillor Paul Dimoldenberg proposed a reduction of £4,000 to the allowances of deputy cabinet members and 10 per cent across the board for councillors.

He argued this would “show that we are all in this together”, adding: “Other councils of all political persuasions are doing this.” Addressing Councillor Barrow, he added: “Colin, you’re a millionaire. You’ve done well in your life. Are you telling me we can’t afford to do this?”

At one point the Conservatives – some, at least – united in laughter with their Labour opponents when the council's electronic voting system appeared to break down, meaning councillors were forced to vote manually by shouting out “for” or “against” as their names were read out. 

Amid much bravado, Cllr Dimoldenberg sarcastically exclaimed: “Surely there can’t be a situation where the council’s system doesn’t work.”