Labour in Leeds

Leeds City Council Opposition leader Cllr Keith Wakefield has today said how he fears the 2008 / 9 budget proposed by the coalition in control of the Council will leave many people having to pay more in charges for council services. Cllr Wakefield is concerned that the budget gives the green light for a number of significant increases in charges for council services.   

Councillor Keith Wakefield said: “I have looked very closely at these budget proposals to see how they really affect people in our city. The Tory / Lib Dem Administration have already announced that council tax will increase will be 4.7% which is bad enough, but it is the hidden charges that I am worried about.  

“This budget contains proposals to increase nursery charges by as much as 47% for some of the poorest families in Leeds, and proposals to increase charges for home care, day care and meals on wheels. These come on top of massive increases to the cost of visiting leisure centres and for car parking that have already been introduced this year.  

“These increases are a stealth tax which target those who can least afford to pay. I believe these increases are unfair and unethical, and we will fight against them tooth and nail. ” 

Furthermore, during today’s debate on this year’s Council Budget Councillor Wakefield also outlined amendments to the budget that the Labour Group have proposed. These amendments include measures to protect low income families from Nursery Fee increases, more money for youth services and looked after children, the provision of free home care for the over 80s, and a proposal to freeze council tax for the over 80s.   

Councillor Wakefield said: “Our amendment protects the poor, values and respects the elderly and safeguards our environment. But above all this amendment provides hope, opportunity, and prosperity for all.”  

Below is a full list of Labour's proposed spending commitments and proposed savings: 

SPENDING COMMITMENTS 

Employment and training Initiative                                                            600k

Introduce a Proof of Age Scheme                                                   100k

Provide Free Home Care for over the 80s                                       700k

Prevent further social services privatisation                                               260k

No increase in council tax for over 80s                                                       473kA

dditional grants to the voluntary sector                                        50k

Additional grant for alcohol abuse treatment                                              50k

Additional Youth Service Funding                                                  155k

Protect low income families from child care increases                               100k

Money for a Looked After Children’s Fund                                     100k

Additional money for Street cleaning                                                         100k

Hold a Referendum on an incinerator                                                         60k

Provide free leisure centre use for over 65s                                                150k

Limit leisure centre price rises to inflation only                             30k

Green Transport Initiatives                                                             150k

Payent to RELATE                                                                                   23k

TOTAL                               3,101,000 

PROPOSED SAVINGS 

Reduce number of Communications Staff                                      314k

Reduce number of staff in Departmental Press and Marketing                    250k

Abolish the Civic Newspaper                                                                      191k

Reduce Staff International Relations                                                           250k

Reduce Consultancy Budgets                                                                     250k

Reduce Sickness levels                                                                  816k

Reduce spending on Procurement                                                 300k

Reduce duplications in Children’s Services Senior Officer staffing            100k

Reduce the use of private hire taxis                                                            220k

Redirect Area Based Grants                                                                        412K

TOTAL                               3,103,000