Creating a city that works for all
At the last Council Assembly that set the budget for the forthcoming year, we presented an alternative budget that amounted to efficiency savings and revenue generation totalling £4 million.
All local government budgets – including amendments – have to be signed off by independent finance officers as balanced and deliverable.
It is on this basis that we know we can fully fund all our commitments. These are not one-off sources of revenue, but year-on-year savings and investments.
There are additional sources of revenue we believe are perfectly possible. For example, if the number of empty homes (currently more than neighbouring Tower Hamlets, Lambeth and Lewisham combined) were to come down to the London average, then that would increase revenue substantially. As we cannot know for sure how much however, we have not included it in our costings, which have been estimated conservatively throughout.
Here is a break down of our spending, savings and revenue raisings:
|
Title |
Description |
Cost |
|
More Police Officers |
Southwark loses a police officer a week. We will directly fund more police officers on the beat |
£1m
|
|
Specialist Crime Unit |
With the cuts to police officers, the police force has become much more re-active. This unit will pro-actively target Knife and Moped crime with long-term specialist investigations |
£1m
|
|
Invest in young people |
Invest in youth centres and youth work, through consultation with young people and providers |
£1m
|
|
Green infrastructure projects |
These will often be spend-to-save, such as installing solar panels on council homes. Other costs will be to build electric charge point network. |
£960,000
|
|
|
|
Total: £3.96m |
Savings and new revenue: pet projects, waste, creativity
|
Title |
Description |
Saving |
|
Pet projects |
|
|
|
Cut Council propaganda |
Southwark Life is a Labour pet project and a waste of money |
£108,000
|
|
Reduce Councillors' allowances |
There has been no reduction in Special Responsibility Allowances since 2010. Councillors should see a reduction of 5.99% as they are trying to increase council tax by this amount |
£35,500
|
|
Scrap golden goodbyes |
It is not acceptable that Labour Cabinet members receive pay offs while residents have to pay more in council tax |
£17,500
|
|
Reverse the increase in Labour Councillors' jobs |
Labour has increased cabinet posts since taking office. Liberal Democrats would cut two Cabinet posts and all four Deputy Cabinet posts |
£81,500
|
|
Stop Spindoctors |
The council shouldn't be spending money on promoting itself whilst cutting front line services |
£201,000
|
|
Waste at the town hall |
|
|
|
Cut luxuries at the town hall |
Liberal Democrats would stop wasting public money on catering, flowers and plastic cups |
£44,000
|
|
Cut waste on stationery |
Impose a cap on stationery use |
£21,500
|
|
Cut polluting perks |
End employee car leases and cash payments for senior staff |
£209,500
|
|
Cut use of agencies |
Reduce costly use of agency workers |
£471,000 |
|
Cut hotel and travel costs |
Reduce costs on travel and accommodation and incentivise greener options |
£7,500
|
|
Creativity |
|
|
|
Allowing employees to buy annual leave |
Scheme for employees to buy annual leave as happens at many other councils. Good for employees and for council finances |
£145,000
|
|
Smart meters |
Install more smart meters. Create room-by-room incentives for energy saving. |
£6,000 |
|
Cleaning and office hours |
Mon-Wed-Fri general office cleaning. High priority cleaning daily. Close top 4 floors of Tooley St at 18.00 to reduce facilities costs and increase staff productivity. Late working on request. |
£500,000
|
|
Licensing for private landlords |
Expand property licensing to the entire borough, as in Newham
|
£415,000
|
|
Collect council tax properly |
Liberal Democrat boroughs are able to collect 99% of council tax. Southwark should be collecting 98% at the very least |
£968,000
|
|
Late night levy |
Bars and pubs which create litter and nuisance should contribute to the costs in that community, like they do in Islington |
£130,000
|
|
Workplace parking levy |
Pilot a scheme and encourage greener travel where employers (excluding schools or hospitals) with four or more parking spaces pay a levy |
£100,000
|
|
Reduce contingency fund |
Reduce contingency from £4m to £3.5m |
£500,000 |
|
|
|
Total: £3.96m |