Making savings
For a second year Islington faces a painful budget. Despite being one of the most deprived London boroughs, central government cuts mean we have to find a massive £102 million of savings over four years - £52 million last year, another £18.2 million this year.
The budget we will be recommending on 28 February sets out how we plan to do this. We’re on the side of our community and I am proud that almost 90% of the savings we have to make this year will come from cost cutting, such as sharing services and re-negotiating contracts.
Doing this means we can focus on protecting the things that make a real difference to residents, like building more family sized affordable homes, keeping our libraries and children’s centres open, helping our young people find decently paid work, and launching a new 24-hour anti social behaviour hotline to better tackle a problem that blights too many people’s lives.
Council tax freeze
We know it’s a tough time right now so we’re also freezing council tax this year and continuing our popular £100 older people’s discount. The whole budget package is now open for comment and is available online. We will be listening carefully to residents before a final budget is agreed later this month.
LGBT History Month
Islington’s strength is its diversity, and I’m delighted that for the first time we’ll be flying the rainbow flag over the Town Hall to mark February’s LGBT History Month. Visit our website to find out about a whole range of events taking place in Islington and Camden throughout the month.
Comments