Reject proposals

The debate about the disastrous state of RBWM finances and the proposed budget for the next financial year continues as more figures are announced, more comments from councillors are made and commonplace platitudes abound from the Conservatives. These include members of the cabinet expressing their confidence in their administration being able to ‘…deliver the transformation that we need’, by ‘…finding efficiencies ‘ in order that the proposed budget will put us ‘…back on the right track to long term financial stability’.

Local residents are unlikely to have the same level of confidence in these boasts. No sooner had news come out about one of the proposals than people were up in arms. A petition to stop the plans to cut the Advantage Card car parking benefit for local people reached epic proportions as over 3000 people signed in the space of 24 hours; currently standing at nearly 7000.

Yet this is just one proposal and there are many others which will impact on different groups within our community. It has been revealed that the authority’s reserves could run out by 2022/23, whilst £22m worth of savings have to be found over the next five years. The proposed savings for 2020/2021 are just the start and include cuts to council tax support for those on low incomes, cuts to children’s services, libraries’ opening hours to be reduced, fewer community wardens out on the streets, reduced transport subsidy to bus services, increased charges to green waste collection, increased parking charges, ending the contract with the community-based company ‘Ways into Work’, reduced grants to The Old Court and Norden Farm arts centres and decreased grants to local charities. Even the commitment to repair potholes within 24 hours (an election pledge during the May 2019 council elections) will be withdrawn.

It is a disgrace that the council’s finances have been allowed to get into such a state over the years without any proper management. At next week’s budget meeting (February 25th, 7pm), local councillors will debate these proposed cuts that have angered thousands of people across the borough. We urge them to do the right thing and reject the proposals. The petition will be presented at this meeting and we encourage local people to attend and also, to join the protest rally outside beforehand.

Margery Thorogood, Press Officer, Windsor Constituency Labour Party (CLP), 21 Albert Street, Windsor, SL4 5BT (mob. 07958 363203)

Jacob Cotterill, Vice-chair and Press Officer, Maidenhead Constituency Labour Party (CLP), 4 College Avenue, Maidenhead, SL6 6AJ (mob.07703 326193)