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LISTER
ON PUTNEY
Edward
Lister is the Leader of Wandsworth
Council and a member for Putney's
Thamesfield ward.
 Wandsworth's
council tax remains the lowest average figure in the country
- despite the best efforts of the Mayor of London and the
Government to pass on more and more of their own taxes to
our residents.
In almost three quarters of the London boroughs next year's
council tax bill will top £1,000 for a Band D property.
The Wandsworth figure is £580.
Ministers have of course carefully manipulated the grant system
this year so more money goes to the north. Wandsworth has
suffered worse than most. The borough's government grant increase
was just 3.5 per cent
- the lowest amount possible. It means a difference to Wandsworth
of £6
million compared to other councils.
The shortfall means the council is having to find money from
elsewhere to meet nationally agreed costs for teachers. These
have gone up by 10% including wages, employers' national insurance
contributions and pension costs.
The flow of money out of London will continue next year -
taking the current losses up to a maximum of £106m of
which Wandsworth's share could be as high as £17m.
The grants carve-up means all the London councils are having
to charge more. And every single one of us also has to charge
a band D householder £224 just to meet the cost of the
Mayor's spending.
There is one other pressure which the Government will find
it increasingly difficult to ignore. Falling stock markets
have left their mark on pension funds everywhere. Our own
is showing an estimated deficit of £70m. We have been
prudent in putting extra money aside (£6m next year)
to tackle this shortfall.
These are the external forces that have combined to push up
our council tax bill this year by £182. This compares
with a London average rise of £161. We could have contained
our increase by ignoring the pension timebomb - which is what
most London councils have done - but
then this would hardly be the mark of a prudent council.
We are committed to keeping our bills as low as is sensibly
possible. But no council, particularly in London, can protect
its residents from the full force of the changes now taking
place in local
government funding.
Edward
Lister
elister@wandsworth.gov.uk
3
March 2003
There's
not a council in the country that looks after its residents'
money as carefully as Wandsworth........Cllr
Lister's Diary
New
school, new homes and a new-look park in 2003 ......Cllr
Lister's New Year Message
A
week of great achievements as both the Council and many of
Putney's schools exceed in their individual grading systems.
Whilst the failure of a resident management organisation (RMO)
gives the Council concern.......Cllr
Lister's Diary
Cllr
Lister is not cheered by the Queens Speech nor the Chancellor's
pre-budget statement..........Cllr
Lister's Diary
Cllr
Lister's Diary declares war on fly posters, and draws
our attention to Connexions investment in Roehampton.
anti-third
runway meeting bonfires and planning alert system.........Cllr
Lister's Diary
Busy
October 2002..........Cllr
Lister's Diary .
Redevelopment
of Roehampton Rec, the completion of Ashlone Wharf plus taking
up the baton for a link between the Rail station & East
Putney Tube........Cllr Lister's
Diary .
Local
impact of government housing policy, crime and news on Richmond
Park......
Cllr Lister's Diary .
New
Surgeries - a new ways to meet your councillor plus the Leader
expresses his concerns over the news of gun crimes in Putney
..... Cllr Lister's Diary
Jubilee
celebrations, the 3 star service offered by Social Services
and name change for Lavatory Gardens ...Cllr
Lister's Diary.
The
state of the NHS in Putney and the fight against night flights
....Cllr Lister's Diary
Pedestrian
safety - especially around schools and Neighbourhood watch
.... Cllr Lister's diary
CAR
TAX DODGERS DRYBURGH RD DEVELOPMENT ROBIN HOOD GATE AND NIGHT
FLIGHTS..............Cllr
Lister's diary
Church
cheer, wharf worries and Richmond Park relief - Cllr
Lister's diary.
Cllr
Lister speaks against the Dryburgh Rd plans, the threat
of closing Pen Ponds to traffic and litter.
The
Postal Service, Richmond Park and Council Tax changes are
all on Cllr Lister agenda.
Cllr
Lister comments on the current planning furore, pigeon
mess, cctv and policing.
Cllr
Lister writes on Pensioners Freedom Passes, good news
re Hotham School, development progress at Ashlone
Wharf and aircraft noise from Heathrow
Airport.
Recent
visit to the Leisure Centre was less than enjoyable - see
forum.
Cllr
Lister writes on the new school for the area, housing development
and Heathrow.
Cllr
Lister writes on developments at the Putney School of Art
& Design, The Leisure Centre and the excellent league
results for local schools.
Tony
Colman MP for Putney speaks about current local issues
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