Millions for bureaucrats but nothing for school
kids
Tens of millions to be spent on bureaucrats |
Lambeth Labour has attacked current proposals
for major changes in Lambeth which create a serious risk that residents
will be left with reduced levels of service and higher debts. The proposals
were discussed at a special Executive meeting on Tuesday 28th September,
forming the cornerstone of the Council’s future Schools, Accommodation
and Leisure Strategy.
The proposals, which have not been open to consultation
for a single Lambeth resident include:
- tens of millions spent on buying a new luxury
office block overlooking the river, but a refusal to spend money on
land to build new schools;
- knocking down Brixton Rec and Clapham Baths
with no guarantee any replacement facilities will be available - just
like in Streatham, where they're closing the pool but there's no chance
of a new one for at least a year and a half.
- Cross-linking various schemes, which are likely
to delay the re-development of Streatham hub
- Lambeth borrowing even more capital, when
its priority should be to reduce the Borough’s historic debt
Labour is demanding that no final decisions are
taken until residents and service users have been fully consulted, and
proper guarantees are given that no facilities – like the Brixton
Rec or Clapham Baths - will be knocked down until new and better ones
have been put in place.
Cllr Steve Reed, the Leader of Lambeth Labour Group said:
“Labour wants positive change for Lambeth. But these proposals are
uncosted and ill thought out. It is quite extraordinary that the Council
is prepared to spend tens of millions of pounds on new offices for bureaucrats,
but won’t find money to buy land for new schools. There is a serious
risk that this is yet another Lambeth vision which will turn into a Lambeth
nightmare.”
Share
you views on this and other local issues in the Lambeth
Forum and be kept informed about local issues by emailing subscribe@lambethlabour.com.
To let us know your view on this issue, get help from your local councillor,
or discover how you can help Labour in Lambeth, please complete the form
below.
|
