Council budget criticised (From News Shopper)

Council budget criticised

3:45pm Wednesday 5th March 2008 in

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A COUNCIL has been criticised for cutting services in this year's budget.

Lewisham Council is to raise Council Tax by 2.37 per cent following a meeting on March 3.

The ruling Labour group's budget also included an extra £7m to be put into care services and £200,000 for the council's Climate Change Fund.

But the budget was criticised by other parties for including a number of cuts, particularly in services to children and young people.

These included the withdrawal of £91,000 in funding from the SAGE project which provides support to vulnerable children and families in Downham and Bellingham.

Increases will also be made to charges for after school clubs and holiday play schemes.

Mayor of Lewisham Sir Steve Bullock said: "This has been one of the most difficult budgets in recent years.

"In the coming financial year we will receive less funding from central Government and have been striving to maintain and protect key services without passing on a large increase in Council Tax.

"Through good accounting and close attention to detail, I think we have done this very successfully."

But Liberal Democrat children and families spokesman Councillor Julia Fletcher said: "It is extremely disappointing that he has cut by nearly half a million pounds services to safeguard vulnerable children.

"This is very surprising, when the recent joint area review inspection of children's services highlighted some weaknesses in this particular area."

Lewisham Green Group leader Councillor Darren Johnson said: "We recognise there is under-funding of local authorities by this Labour government, but even within those constraints he's simply got some priorities wrong.

"Mayor Bullock's cuts, made for short-term savings, include taking construction skills courses away from jobseekers and 58 per cent jumps in daily holiday club fees for children.

"We just could not support him in this."