Waltham Forest Council leader Paul Perkins says the town hall will be “honest” about its upcoming financial choices but “won’t pretend those choices are all fair”, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
Waltham Forest Council will continue to face tough choices amid financial turbulence, the leader says.
Councillor Paul Perkins, leader of the Green administration, says his council will be “honest” about its choices but “won’t pretend those choices are all fair, or stop arguing that they should not be necessary”.
Waltham Forest is one of several London councils in receipt of “exceptional financial support” (EFS), in the form of a £16million loan from the central government sought by the previous Labour government.
The council has now commissioned “experienced” local government advisers to review its finances and offer guidance on getting back on “firm financial footing,” said Cllr Perkins.
“Early findings raise questions about the best use of council funds, how quick we’ve been to recognise the full scale of financial challenges in recent years, and how much complaints are costing,” he told councillors at a full council meeting last night (22nd October).
“We’re also reviewing contracts to establish how well they’re performing, how they can deliver better for residents and also how they can reflect our own values.
“Making the right decisions for the long-term means fronting up to difficult choices.”
He pointed to the council’s recently launched consultation on the future of Edinburgh Primary School, which is currently operating below 20% capacity.
No decision has yet been made and he said the council would prioritise the opinions of those affected by the dwindling school. He added: “We have to ask though, how has it been left so late?”
Since taking control of the town hall, the Green administration has also focused on improving road maintenance and fly-tipping.
Around eight kilometres of road will be resurfaced this financial year, said Cllr Perkins, and the highways budget will increase by around £12m.
Earlier in the speech, he said he was proud of the Greens’ first official motion passed in the chamber being a commitment to supporting trans rights.
He reiterated the council’s resistance to Home Office immigration raids, saying that council resources would not be “put to work making people afraid”.
A spokesperson for the Home Office previously said the department “made no apology” for “fighting criminals who fuel immigration crime”.
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