Councillor Caroline Russell

• IF Councillor Gary Heather had listened to my speech at the budget debate, he would be aware that I wasn’t actually demanding an extra five per cent increase in council tax but rather calling for the council to discuss the idea with voters (This council tax rise would hit poorest, March 17).

Unfortunately, Islington Labour is more and more willing these days to make decisions on our behalf without bothering to ask what we think of them – as demonstrated recently in my ward, for example, by its announcing plans to relocate services from Sotheby Mews Day Centre to the new Highbury Roundhouse without even discussing this first with the users.

There is no doubt where the cuts originate. We have a government determined to starve local authorities of the funding to do work that we all locally recognise as essential.

Islington Council is one of the councils hardest hit by these pernicious government cuts but, while I respect the council for maintaining frontline services, the cracks are beginning to show.

You cannot cut the budget year on year without consequences.

But while it is central government causing the cuts and equally it was central government which also decided the maximum 4.99 per cent local authorities could raise council tax without calling a referendum, it was Islington Labour who decided that 4.99 per cent is for some reason exactly the magic amount that our borough can afford.

If Labour is certain people can’t afford a 9.99 per cent increase, then how is it so sure we can afford 4.99 per cent? Have they asked?

There clearly are people in Islington who could afford a 9.99 per cent increase in their council tax and there are certainly others who would be prepared to pay it, if reluctantly, to protect the most vulnerable in our community from Tory austerity.

My proposed amendment was to ask residents if they’d be prepared to pay a bit more to reverse the council’s proposed reductions in children’s services and adult social care, because I believe residents place a high value on proper provision for people who need a hand.

I don’t know what they’ll say but I believe we should at least ask.

The council claimed to be convinced a referendum would fail and therefore be a waste of money, but it hasn’t actually asked anyone. Maybe before next year’s budget it should spend some time talking with residents and test the borough’s appetite for such a referendum?

If they don’t, I will.

CLLR CAROLINE RUSSELL
Green Party, Highbury
East ward