The current council budget document clearly shows that Merton has all the money it requires to balance its budget for the next two years and a massive £115 million in reserves. However, because they want to spend money on their pet projects that nobody wants, Labour is cutting vital services that will hurt the most vulnerable.
The cabinet member for the environment wants to impose a wheelie bin service onto residents. This will cost £7 million over 4 years, money, which should be used to stop 7 street cleaners and 4 park keepers being sacked by Labour as well as keeping park maintenance out of the clutches of the South London waste partnership.
Labour also wants to put a bus lane down The Broadway forcing all town centre traffic down a 2-way Hartfield Road. The town centre works will cost a further £6 million. That sort of money can be utilised to protect adult social care budgets.
Lastly, they are closing the profitable theatre car park making it more difficult to frequent the town centre at night costing millions in lost revenue. That money could be used to save the disappearing dog waste bins to keep toxic mess out of litter bins and also to fund food waste bin liners which will no longer be delivered to households.
These 3 Labour policies will cost more than £14 million and are resulting in cuts to vital services. The council’s role should be to provide the services residents need and to protect the most vulnerable - not mad-cap pet projects that will mean cuts to services that we all cherish.
Councillor David Dean
via email
- Send your letters to: letters@wimbledonguardian.co.uk
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel