Spelthorne’s Best Value Inspection
Spelthorne Labour welcomes the release of the Best Value Inspectors’ report on Spelthorne Borough Council, and the minister’s response.
Cllr Jon Button, Labour group leader on Spelthorne Council said, “This report highlights numerous failings within the council. We are pleased that external help is being brought in to help manage this, especially as we transition towards a unitary authority in two years’ time.”
Cllr Button added, “It has been apparent for a while that the council was in trouble with its investment properties. My Labour group has consistently opposed these purchases and the reckless use of residents’ money.”
“We have voiced our concerns about this misuse of council tax in numerous local election campaigns. Spelthorne Conservatives and their local MP have played footloose and fancy free with the council budget, but have now been found out,” added Cllr Button.
The main issue the council has to deal with is the massive debt, currently almost £1.1bn. This was incurred when the previous Conservative administration went on a reckless spending spree to buy office blocks, mostly outside the borough, as investments. Although they produce an income from rents, the margin is less than 1%, and the estimated capital value of the properties was £625m in the latest statement of accounts, leaving a huge shortfall. The council were encouraged to invest in properties by the Conservative/Lib Dem coalition of 2010-2015 when they drastically cut the central grant to local authorities as part of their austerity policy.
“Now we will work with the council and commissioners to ensure the best outcome can be achieved for the council, and ultimately for our residents.”
Local government reorganisation
Surrey Labour Party fully supports the government’s devolution plans for the county but firmly believes that three unitary authorities for Surrey is the most suitable model.
At the party’s regional conference in Portsmouth, Cllr Jon Button Labour leader on Spelthorne Council said,
‘We welcome the government’s devolution White Paper with its plans for local government reorganisation in Surrey. The current two-tier system creates confusion, with residents and councillors often being uncertain which council is responsible for which service.’
‘Surrey was created in Victorian times and today there are 11 districts and boroughs, and one county council, with 12 headquarters and chief executives, dozens of deputy chief executives and over several hundred councillors,’ Cllr Button told the conference.
‘This cannot be the most sensible or economic way to deliver local government,’ he added.
Whilst Labour has just two county councillors in Surrey, since the general election last year, with thirty five members of parliament, the party has more MPs in the region that any other party.
Cllr Robert Evans who has represented Stanwell, Stanwell Moor and north Ashford since 2013, was elected chair of the region.
‘With 91 constituencies and 35 MPs, the south east is now one of the most important regions for the Labour Party. It is a huge honour to be elected to chair the Labour Party here,’ said Robert Evans.
Cllr Evans welcomed three cabinet members to the conference, Jonathan Reynolds MP, Steve Reed MP and Peter Kyle MP in addition to more than thirty other Labour MPs from the south east.
Robert Evans commented, ‘the new local authority boundaries need to match the realities of life and work as well as the capacity of local government to deliver its statutory responsibilities.’
‘My colleague Cllr Robert King and I met with the minister last week and stressed the need for three new councils in Surrey,’ said Mr Evans. ‘For proper representation in Surrey we strongly support three unitary authorities not just two as the Conservatives suggest.’
