From London Green Party
During the annual debate over the upcoming budget for the Greater London Authority (GLA) Group, Caroline Russell AM led her colleagues Siân Berry AM and Zack Polanski AM in proposing a transformative budget amendment to put London’s communities at the centre of Assembly funding.
Following the decision by other Assembly Members to vote against these urgent investments, Green Party London Assembly Member Caroline Russell said:
This budget process has shown exactly how much change seems to be hiding down the back of the Mayor’s sofa. It’s time we put that money straight into London’s communities.
I simply cannot understand why my colleagues elsewhere in the Assembly continue to celebrate the Mayor’s crumbs, instead of pushing to fully fund the initiatives we know Londoners need.
We will continue to push for the investment and attention that every high street, commuter, and resident needs here in London.
The six budget components proposed by Caroline Russell AM were:
1. Public Toilet Funding: While we commend the Mayor’s new programme of additional public toilets on the TfL estate, it lacks the ambition of our previous amendments so we aim to increase funding for the TfL toilets programme to build and maintain new, free public toilets.
2. Fare Concessions: For the older people who have consistently asked for the removal of restriction on their 60+ photocard and Freedom Pass, we will bring back the free travel provisions provided before the pandemic, which the Government made London remove.
3. Investing in Dead Spaces: We want to build a more resilient local economy by ensuring small businesses and community groups have spaces to grow by putting disused (but still useful) empty office blocks and shops into their hands.
4. Resident Empowerment: And not just open these spaces but support and empower people to be able to influence local development plans, and to build their own community plans with financing from a resident empowerment fund.
5. Climate Resilience Review: We will back the work of the London Climate Resilience Review by doubling its budget to £2 million specifically for the key recommendations that include collaborative work and work with communities.
6. Universal Basic Income: And for a community group with a pilot ready to go, fund the essential wraparound support for a pioneering Universal Basic Income (UBI) programme, to fully explore an idea that could be lifechanging for many Londoners.
These six proposals could have been fully funded using the following funding sources, none of which would have taken funding away from existing services:
- £30 million from an increase to the Congestion Charge
- £4.95 million from the Business Rates Reserve
- £1 million from the GLA Climate Emergency Funding Reserve in 2024-25 (£3 million over the next three years)
- £18.255 million from Reserves Earmarked for GLA Services
The GLA Group includes: Transport for London; Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime, London’s Fire Commissioner, London Legacy Development Corporation, and the Old Oak and Park Royal Development Corporation.
A copy of Caroline Russell AM’s Draft Consolidated Budget Amendment can be found here.
19 comments:
Money from reserves, is my nature, for a rainy day. Why would they want to bankrupt London spending money we clearly don’t have by usual sources.
To afford the removal of the restrictions on travel for the over 60s travelcard, how about means testing it as why are we giving wealthy over 60s free travel?
In ye olde Brent, where opinions collide, Councillor Butt, our leader, takes it in stride. A blog riddled with green, a narrative spun, Contrary to Labour, a battle begun.
With a decisive hand, the site met its fate, Councillor Butt, ruling with iron and weight. Labour's objectives, he sought to uphold,
A story silenced, its narrative controlled.
In the clash of ideologies, a silent war, Councillor Butt banned wembleymatters, leaving hearts sore. A tale of dissent, in the political stream, Labour's vision challenged, a disrupted dream.
Hark but now, it’s Councillor Butt's vision, it’s as he declared, we have evidence presented, truth laid bare.
A blog on the Green Party, stark and bright, in plain sight, supporting Cllr Butt's insight. Labour's objectives questioned, a clash of thought, Councillor Butt's decision, a stance well-fought. Silencing the narrative, banning with might, but we thought Greens arn’t competition in Brent’s political arena, where views are alight?
Yep, decided on my own volition,
To give the poor guy,
A little ammunition.
Why are we giving free travel to all children up to the age of 18??? Why isn't this means tested??? Over 60s all had to walk to school unless their family got some funding from the local authority.
Majority of over 60s aren't wealthy - instead they are people who have worked long and hard commuting for work and paying tax. They did not have the luxury of working from home. If they have saved for a pension they are taxed on that too - at 90 my uncle has paid a total of 74 years of tax - do you begrudge him a few free bus trips?
There is something disconcerting about the greed and entitlement of older generations implicit in your comment. Of course the accumulated wealth of individuals aged 60 and above significantly surpasses that of 18-year-olds. Despite the possibility that many older individuals may have walked to school, their capacity to purchase houses at a reasonable percentile of their salary is evident. Homes acquired in the 20-50k range in the past have now surged in value to millions. Moreover, those over 60 are more inclined to benefit from inheritance compared to 18-year-olds. What affluent individuals, such as a wealthy uncle, needd to acknowledge the inherent truth that wealth cannot be taken beyond one's lifetime. During a cost-of-living crisis, it is advisable for them to refrain from relying on those in greater need. Instead, they can proactively release funds from their property value before inheritance tax takes effect, offering a practical solution, like purchasing a bus ticket. This aligns with the initial observation of the perceived. You can tell wealthy uncle, that he may have accumulated wealth without thought to the environment or future generations, but Starmer is coming to redress this balance. When he passes wealth will be less accumulated in your family, and it will be redistributed to those who are in need. Likewise, the wealthy who use private schools will have their tax breaks stopped. This is progressive, and everyone should be means-tested so we do better for those who are deserving. There are foodbanks up and down this country and you’re complaining about wealthy uncle buying a bus ticket to contribute to a society he is still a member.
Over 60s couldn't afford a house until their mid to late 30s and paid a much higher mortgage rate - their houses might have increased in value but any inheritance is going on care home or nursing fees!!!
To Anonymous25 January 2024 at 22:1...
'Wealthy Uncle' worked from age 16 to age 67 - he couldn't afford to go to University and took no sabbaticals or career breaks - he worked long and hard leaving for his commute at 5.00am everyday - once retired he was an unpaid carer for his elderly wife and now any money he has will be going on care home fees of £1850 per week so his money will be gone in no time.
It's the rich that you need to be going after not someone who did the right thing all their life.
In the late 80 and early 90s, mortgages were 10% deposits and interest rates in the high teens.
Lest we forget.
Basically, it has never been easy to get on the housing ladder, however, with the mess that's being made in Brent, ordinary people will never get on the ladder for the formidible future because as the ladder has been kicked away by this Labour Administration and their landlord and developer mates.
Wembley Park is to be renamed Rent City, and qualified with "local residents need not apply".
anon 26 January 2024 at 12:01
How true for so many.
Personally I didn't have a particularly good job during the 70s and 80s. I worked shift including weekends which took my wages to about average. Guess what, I was on the higher rate tax band of 45%.
we paid for pensions, the NHS, Social Care etc, etc.
The British Governments and the well off have always robbed the working class, nothing really changes does it?
Tax relief on mortgage interest (MIRAS) certainly helped the working class to buy their own homes and spurred on housebuilding in this country.
And 'Wealthy Uncle' didn't "accumulate wealth without thought to the environment or future generations" - he had a make do and mend attitude - its the people in their 40s and younger who are flying here there and everywhere and buying take aways and Amazon packages with all the environmental impacts
if wealthy uncle stops being on the take and buys his own bus tickets, maybe he could bring his money down below the £23,250 in capital limit which means he doesn’t have to pay care home fees? Unless of course he has much more capital than that, in which case he can afford to buy a bus ticket, and people in a cost of living crisis no longer have to subsidise him.
Regarding toilets - how many toilets in local stations are currently open? The ones at Wembley Central Station have been 'Temporaily Closed' for months - its really not acceptable!
Agreed - we were always taught that the Labour Party supported the working class but surely they only support themselves now 😡
Glad to hear that "Starmer is coming to redress this balance" - let's hope he starts by sharing his personal estimated £7.7million of wealth around 😀
What heartless and offensive comments! 😞
Your Uncle as a man born before 1945 would have had to pay 44 years of national insurance contributions to get a full state pension. People now just have to pay 30 years of contributions! They may get their state pension a bit later at ages 66 to 68 rather but they are paying 14 years less in contributions!
Anonymous25 January 2024 at 22:11 You’re an embarrassing representation of the Labour Party and are doing more harm than good with your trying too hard to sound intelligent comments. I hope readers are aware that not all Labour Party members are like this person.
“Subsidise rich uncles” heard it all now. Off to the gold shop we go.
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