18 March - Making Bexley Even Poorer
It is very likely that the Conservative whip had ordered their Councillors to
say “Making Bexley Even Better” and “ULEZ” as often as possible during the
budget debate. Everyone who
featured in yesterday’s report and those who commented but with nothing worthwhile
to say, complied with the order. The MBEB slogan is perhaps the most fatuous so far; nothing that Bexley Council
does makes the lives of residents better and maybe that is inevitable given the financial climate.
They have overseen a doubling in car parking charges which now peak at £7·50 an
hour (minimum period 2 hours). The Conservatives introduced a charge for garden waste collection
and very quickly more than doubled the fee. A less than perfect waste contractor was
swapped for beginners who had never done the job before. Yesterday they emptied
my brown bin but ignored my neighbour’s as is very nearly the norm.
There are fewer parks now than when the Conservatives took office and Sites of
Scientific Interest are under threat. The Council Tax take is up by 61% in ten years
due in part to more houses etc.
Band D taxpayers are paying £475 a year more. (Figures from Councillor
Daniel Francis at the meeting,)
While condemning ULEZ as nothing but a money making scam they Install largely unnecessary motoring traps
across the borough in the shape of Yellow Box Junctions, the sole reason being
to fleece motorists. The previous Finance Director made the admission when a
yellow box junction failed to meet expectations.
Their current claim to be Making Bexley Better is the new Sidcup Library,
less than
half the size of the old one and closed almost immediately for repairs.
Nevertheless a succession of Councillors trotted out the same line at the Budget Setting Council Meeting.
Councillor Caroline Newton
(Conservative, East Wickham) said she had promised herself not
to mention ULEZ but did so only 40 seconds after first opening her
mouth. Labour Councillors should “oppose pay per mile charging”.
Councillor Rags Sandhu (Bexleyheath) related how his plumber has only just finished paying off
a three year finance deal on his van which will become virtually worthless
thanks to Sadiq Khan. No one wants to buy the old van and the price of newer
ones has escalated rapidly. His business cannot continue and “he may have to get a job somewhere”.
Chris Taylor (Crook Log) said that the planned Domiciliary Care Service improvements may be “wiped out by ULEZ”.
I had lost count but Councillor Anna Day (Labour, Slade Green & Northend)
helpfully commented at this point that 13 Conservative Councillors had so far
spoken against the ULEZ tax which she strongly supported. The Conservatives “are
blasé about it, maybe because the air quality in their areas is OK”.
Councillor Howard Jackson (Barnehurst) said he didn’t own a car so would refrain
from commenting on the four letter word.
Steven Hall (East Wickham) dutifully said that “ULEZ expansion is a money raising venture by Sadiq Khan
dressed up as improving air quality in Outer London. His own pollution data does
not support him, neither did the consultation. We stand by our residents while
Labour supports higher taxes and bus service cuts”.
Kurtis Christoforides (St. Mary’s & St. James) said that when door knocking, ULEZ is residents’ number one concern.
Leader O'Neill said that ULEZ is the biggest risk to vulnerable residents in
Bexley. Care providers have begged the Council to fight it. Education providers
are terrified at the prospect of losing both staff and pupils. She is aware of individuals who now
have worthless vehicles they cannot afford to replace. Some will no longer be able to lead a normal life.
So there you have it. Vote Labour for a daily tax on leaving home or vote
Conservative for higher parking charges and more unnecessary traps for the
unwary that just like ULEZ are nothing but money making scams.