Highbury East Liberal Democrats

John Gilbert, Terry Stacy JP and Laura Willoughby MBE

Archive for the ‘Local Council’

Published March 31st, 2008

Highbury East benefits from council budget

YOUR LIB DEM COUNCIL is working hard to cut waste and red tape so we can keep Council Tax down. The rise of 2.5 % this year is well below inflation. It is also one ofthe lowest increases in

London - again. 

This is the SEVENTH year running Islington Liberal Democrats have KEPT THEIR PROMISE to keep council tax levels below the average for

London. It is lower than Labour-run Hackney and Haringey. “Islington has one of the lowest council tax increases you will find anywhere in

London” said Cllr John Gilbert. “That’s because we are tough on cutting out waste and bureaucracy. And by managing council finances well we can still afford to invest in services that really matter like schools, housing and sports centres.”  

Despite big cuts in government funding provided to Islington, Lib Dems on the council have made sure that vital frontline services have been protected, with NO CUTS. That’s been achieved by making £8 million of efficiency savings and cutting waste. The council is also selling off surplus office buildings to reinvest in housing, leisure centres and schools.

Liberal Democrat budget plans just agreed will:

  • rebuild Highbury Grove and every other secondary school in Islington, and build new primary schools.

  • build the first new council housing in a generation.

  • deliver record spending of £16 million to repair roads and pavements across the borough. Already,

    Corsica Street

    and

    Calabria Road

    have been done.

  • rebuild Finsbury Leisure Centre and Sobell Leisure Centre to bring Islington a real Olympic Legacy we can be proud of.

Residents can also look forward to:

  • improved street cleaning and recycling across the borough.

  • a crackdown on crime as the council pays for more police and for work to stop young people getting involved with gangs and knife crime.

Listening To ResidentsThe Lib Dem budget plans follow a major consultation exercise with residents and businesses. This produced a record response rate and made it clear that residents’ priorities were tackling crime and anti-social behaviour, cleaner streets and improving schools. 

Labour Refused To Back PlansDespite record investment in the borough and a budget based on residents’ priorities, Labour councillors REFUSED to support the proposals.