Leader blames government cuts, inflation and bad economic decisions

Ealing Town Hall. Picture: Ealing Council

February 16, 2023

Ealing Council has published its budget plan which confirms that it intends to raise its portion of council tax by the maximum allowable meaning it will increase by 4.99%

This is made up of a general tax increase of 2.99% and another 2% which is ringfenced for social care. Residents’ bills will increase by more than this amount from April due to a larger increase in the portion of the tax levied by the Mayor of London.

90% of councils in London have taken the decision to raise their tax rates by 4.99% for the next financial year.

The budget plan will first be discussed by Ealing’s cabinet and then at a full council meeting in March.

“Although we’re having to make tough decisions again this year, thanks to global economic insecurities and rising interest rates, we’re making sure we’ll be here when you need us by investing in key services,” said Councillor Steve Donnelly, the council’s cabinet member for inclusive economy, ahead of its annual budget-setting meeting on 22 February.

The council says that the amount spend on adults and children in need of care in the borough already represents 60% of the money raised through council tax and demand for these services has further increased over the last year. The council needs to support an ageing population and continue the long recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.

It says it is doing as much as it can to soften the blow for households on lower income and that its council tax reduction scheme is one of the most generous in the country. It currently provides support to 24,000 local people, including 14,000 people who will benefit from a full 100% reduction.

“Communities rightly expect that the council will provide support when it’s needed,” said Councillor Donnelly. “Our hard-up households, which bore the brunt of the problems caused to the economy by the pandemic, are now struggling at the sharp end of the cost-of-living crisis and need help.

“We’ve also got a range of other support available – such as making it easier to get help to pay for food and essential bills through our local welfare assistance scheme. And the four community hubs at Ealing, Acton, Northolt and Southall libraries.

“In November, the council decided to expand its council tax reduction scheme, meaning that we have one of the most supportive schemes in the country.

“Having invested to make sure that home care workers in Ealing get paid the Real Living Wage, the council is now working to do the same for all care workers, boosting their incomes.”

Councillor Peter Mason, leader of Ealing Council, said, “Despite these challenging economic times, we remain as committed as ever to delivering on the promises we made to the residents of Ealing: Bringing well-paid jobs back to our borough, tackling the climate emergency and fighting the deep-rooted inequalities that hold too many people back from achieving their hopes and dreams.

“We will always challenge ourselves to find better and more cost-effective ways of delivering, and we’ve been able to balance the gap in the cost of doing just that, while still delivering on our promises.

“But, after more than 10 years of government cuts, inflation at a 30-year high thanks to bad economic decisions at government-level, and with more people than ever needing support, extra funding is needed.”