Karen is supporting calls by local Labour councillors for investment in community services by Conservative Westminster Council. The council has £67 million in the bank and which raised £33 million in parking charges last year.

How the government bankrolls Westminster Council

Figures obtained by Karen in answers to Parliamentary questions show that government funding for Westminster Council increased by £100 million between 1997 and 2006- rising from £208 million to £308 million- in addition to tens of millions in special grants, such as the £13 million for Neighbourhood Renewal, and £48 million in the School Standards Fund.

As a result of generous government support, Westminster Council has to raise a smaller share of its spending from the Council Tax than almost any other council in Britain. Only 13% of all Westminster’s spending comes from the Council Tax, ranking it 11^th out of 457 councils. Not a bad deal!

LABOUR CALLS FOR INCREASED INVESTMENT IN LOCAL SERVICES FROM £67 MILLION CASH BALANCES

Labour Councillors have called for an immediate investment in local services following the revelation that the Conservatives have over £67 million of Council Tax payers’ money sitting unspent in the bank. Labour Councillors say that this is almost £50 million more than successive Directors of Finance is necessary have said is necessary for the Council to operate prudently.

The £67 million cash balances were revealed in a 9 page report to Council Leader Simon Milton on 24^th May but , not surprisingly, this report has been given no publicity by the Council.

Labour Councillors say that immediate investment is required in

• Secondary Schools, particularly Pimlico School which is currently in ‘special measures’, as well as other secondary schools. This investment in schools is required following Westminster being placed bottom of the London secondary schools ‘added-value’ league tables earlier this year.
• New low-cost homes for rent in all parts of Westminster, particularly for those families in overcrowded accommodation.
• Regeneration along the Harrow Road and along the Edgware Road (north of the fly-over) where local shopping parades are in need of new investment.
• Facilities for the many diverse communities who live in Westminster, particularly places to meet and hold community functions and events, together with special educational facilities to enable new communities to learn English and enjoy everything that London has to offer.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group said;

“The news that the Council has over £67 million unspent money in the bank is a major embarrassment to the Conservatives who, for the last month, have been moaning that they have not got enough money to provide essential services. The Conservatives have even been threatening a 30% Council Tax increase and to slash services by a third because they say that the population figures are incorrect. Now that these Conservative claims have been shown to be totally bogus it is essential that the Council uses some of the £67 million of Council Tax payers’ money lying idle in the bank to improve local services for those most in need”