Greens Hit Out at Andrew Rosindell MP for Havering’s Funding Crisis.

Mark Whiley, Chair of Havering Green Party, wants to be clear to voters as to why taxes keep rising year-on-year and how the Greens will approach Havering’s funding crisis. Today, Mark writes in the Havering Daily below:

Romford’s MP voted six times for cuts to council funding and, as a Conservative, failed for sixteen years to address social care funding reform.

“The reason that our taxes go up year-on-year is that our Reform MP, and his colleagues that have largely left for Reform, repeatedly cut local authority funding from central government. This reduced from £70m a year to £1.5m a year. With businesses trading in tough conditions since the pandemic, not helped by Labour’s National Insurance rise, business rates couldn’t make up the shortfall so you did.”

The Green Party has engaged with local businesses in Havering on Green plans to have a Local Business Lead that would be responsible for supporting local firms to apply for council contracts, helping to drive local business growth that could create new jobs and increase the take in business rates to the council.

“We’re looking at similar models of council and community wealth building that have been successful in the North of England, most famously Preston, and by other councils in London”, said Mark. “In addition to council contract work, where we’d look at cutting contracts into smaller pieces and supporting local firms to apply in the tendering process. We’d also be keen to encourage local health and education providers to support local firms through their procurement policies.”

Local Green candidates also include those with expertise in process automation, project management, small business ownership and finance. The party hopes that the real life expertise of its candidates can be beneficial at making efficiency savings at this challenging time. 

“Between 70-80% of our expenditure is on social care, with Havering particularly affected as a borough with good schools, family homes and an older demographic than most of London”, said Mark.

“This is why we’ve assembled a team that can provide that sorely needed expertise to critique IT infrastructure spend, innovate, and have the confidence to ask questions of council finance – nearly all of us with solid professional careers, but not having been on the council before.”

Council elections will take place on May 7th across Havering, with the Green Party standing candidates in all 55 seats.

Mark Whiley.

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