It seems likely that Camden Labour council is set to impose a massive 8.1% rent hike on all its tenants living in council properties.
So far Labour has cut after schools clubs for children, cut Libraries and cut facilities to the elderly. It is too many cuts to detail here in this blog, but the above is a highlight of key cuts hurting real residents today.
The three libraries Chalk Farm, Belsize and Keats will cease in one year unless saved by local support volunteers. This local community support has been very forthcoming. It is people of the local community that has brought this about.
As a local resident who has not only worked as a Saturday lad in my youth at Belsize, Chalk Farm and Keats Library. I am appalled that these historic cornerstones of Camden community may vanish as a direct result of the meddling of Camden Labour bosses.
Now Camden council tenants are set to pay a 8.1% rent increase. As a co-opted member for Housing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee I am shocked at this treatment of Camden council tenants. It has been explained to me that the formula used is uniform but even so this does really hit families on squeezed budgets even further.
It is common practice in the private sector rental market to not exceed a 5% increase in rent, to stay within thise accepted guidelines. However, Camden's Labour Cabinet wish to increase by over 8.1% and think that that represents a fair deal for its tenants. It could have been introduced more gently rather than in one go.
Camden's Labour has failed to make the required cuts through efficiency drives but instead has chosen to play the blame game of attributing all responsibility on to National Government. Even when children's after school play places were being axed last year Labour councillors were telling mothers that it was not there fault but go and blame the ConLib Government.
These excuses could not be so far from the truth. More flexibility at a local level has been given to Local councils by National Government to help make local efficiency savings.
It is up to how the controlling Councils political supremos use there flexibility that is the key issue.
It was clear that the New Labour Project had lost the support of the populous long before May 2010. But yet through quirks of having local and national elections on the same day some councils were voted in with a Labour majority. But that is democracy!
However, the residents of Camden are now experiencing the ramifications of this as are the other Labour held councils scattered around the country.
So what next you might ask and you would be right to ask?
Here in Camden, Council Tax has been frozen along with most other London councils and it is hoped with the support of Mayor Boris Johnson will be again this May.
But I hear that even with Council Tax Camden's Labour elite are considering increasing that too!
I also hear from my sources that Camden council has had a good financial year and is £12.5M better off on the books than forecasted!
So come on Camden's Labour Elite!
The people voted you in with a majority to serve the best interest of Camden residents in time of austerity so get on and do it.
Surely, Camden's Labour wouldn't be playing the let's blame the Tories and Lib Dems game hoping to score extra votes in 2015 General Election at the expense of the best interest of its own residents, would they. No surely not? that would be an unimaginable thing to do and would make Ministers Expenses look like a picnic outing!
Author: Nigel Rumble 14th Feb 2012
