Redbridge Budget 2014

The difference between The Conservative / Lib Dem administration and the Labour opposition appears to grow smaller with each passing year.

With the administration’s sudden change of direction over the provision of a new permanent pool in Ilford South with the dropping of their plans to fund a temporary pool on the Seven Kings lorry park the difference grows even smaller.  However, while the Green Party welcomes the provision of a new pool the suggested sites at Barley Lane Recreation Ground, Valentines Park or South Park would reduce the amount of open space in the south of the borough and we would argue that a brown field site if found would be preferable.

The only remaining difference would now seem to be Labour trying to provide free bulky waste collection by abolishing Area Committees and Regional Planning Committees. The argument for free bulky waste collection is that it would lead to a reduction in fly tipping. The Green Party would argue that some of this cost could come from the central cleansing budget and part of the area committee’s discretionary budget.

Labour’s proposal to cut local committees is worrying as they provide an important opportunity for residents to see exactly how their elected representatives function. The Green Party is committed to the localisation of politics and values the current system and would like to see an extension of the committee’s roles and responsibilities and then perhaps more members of the public would attend. We would ask are Labour’s proposals just so that their Councillors do not have to face hostile residents.