At Ealing Council's Full Council meeting yesterday (Wednesday, March 8), Opposition finance spokesperson Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Busuttil, proposed budget amendments to release funds that would swell the coffers of the Local Welfare Assistance Fund by £200,000 in support of those struggling in the harsh economic environment.

Lib Dem councillors have also proposed savings to protect the green lung of Warren Farm, home of London's endangered ground nesting skylarks, a rare opportunity. 

The Liberal Democrats have drawn attention to what it deems inefficiencies of the current administration, including the under-utilisation of Perceval House which through the closure of two floors could generate a one-off saving of £75,000 from optimised cleaning and utility costs (electricity, heating, water and cooling.)

A spokesperson for Liberal Democrats also highlighted recurrent website issues that have left some residents with limited access to council services (such as reporting missed bin collections).

"This has resulted in disenfranchised sectors of the community in digital poverty (either through capacity or capability limitations) being blocked from engagement in democratic delivery," they said, adding: "At the Council meeting, Labour Councillors voted against the Liberal Democrat proposals, preferring to press ahead with their own to build increasingly taller tower blocks and concrete over protected green spaces, against the wishes of many locals."

Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Busuttil, Opposition Finance Spokesperson, said: "At this time of year all Councils discuss their budgets for the following financial year. Ealing is not in danger of going bankrupt, and slashing services to make ends meet like some local councils, Ealing still faces a difficult situation of providing services to more people who need them, with little or no real term increase in money given to councils and increased costs due to inflation.

"Households are facing a significant pressure on their income, many hard-working people are not seeing pay increase in line with inflation, with increased food and energy costs people are seeing an erosion of their spending power.

"The Labour led Ealing council propose to implement a significant increase in Council Tax for next year. It is the wrong time to be increasing Council Tax for residents let alone by the maximum amount. Under the Labour run Ealing Council administration Council Tax has increased by the maximum over the last few years whilst services for residents have got worse. Ealing Lib Dems are calling on them to freeze Council Tax for the benefit of hard-working people of the borough."   

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Liberal Democrat Councillor Gary Malcolm, Leader of the Opposition, is leading a response to the draft Local Plan, efficiencies and is keen to talk to any groups who have not been engaged in the process.

He said: "Our response is that we believe in the importance of green infrastructure to sustain us over the medium term alongside a framework of buildings for the future and connected communities. We believe that this local plan is damaging to the sustainability of a future Ealing. These aspects are in a delicate balance."