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| Scott Ainslie, Jonathan Bartley and Nicole Griffiths |
At the start of the council election
campaign Streatham's Green Party candidates made a "clean campaign pledge” and encouraged other parties to
do the same. However, residents have told us untruths are being put out by
another party and have asked us to set the record straight. Here is what you
need to know, with links to third party sources so you can check the facts for
yourself.
HOLDING
LAMBETH COUNCIL TO ACCOUNT ON FINANCES
Lambeth Council has become notorious for
its financial mismanagement. The Evening Standard recently reported a
leading local trade union figure calling Lambeth “the worst Labour-run council in the country” [1].
The People’s Audit of Lambeth made national headlines as it found over-paying
contractors and other mismanagement potentially costing millions of pounds [2], an
issue which Labour MP Kate Hoey then raised in Westminster
[3].
This has meant less money to spend on care for older people, to keep libraries
open, or to keep our streets clean.
This year the Green Party voted against
both the Labour and Conservative budget proposals for Lambeth Council; neither
addressed the financial mismanagement, and both proposed damaging cuts. Instead
we put
forward an alternative budget which would have protected these things
while ending inefficiency and waste. We will continue to do this. You can see our budget here [4] and see the voting here [5].
Councils dominated by one party have been
proven to be more wasteful, whereas councils with stronger opposition are
proven to deliver better value for money [6].
This is why we need to elect Green party candidates here to make sure
there are more voices apart from Labour on the Council to keep it on track.
PUSHING
FOR A CLEANER, GREENER LAMBETH
Lambeth Council has the worst record for prosecuting fly-tippers in south London [7].
Three from every four councils in England have axed weekly bin collections,
many of them Labour-run – some Labour councils even collect waste just once every 3 weeks [8]. Due
to Lambeth’s financial waste, many residents are worried that Labour may not
keep their promise on weekly bin collections.
We need to elect Green Party Councillors to hold Lambeth to account on maintaining weekly bin collections, but
also on improving recycling, cleaning up our streets, and taking urgent action
on our dangerously polluted air.
WORKING
HARD TO ENSURE ACCOUNTABILITY ON LAMBETH COUNCIL
In the last year Green Party councillor Scott Ainslie has attended more full council meetings, tabled more motions, submitted
more enquiries, asked more questions in the council chamber, got more motions
passed, and called in more council decisions for scrutiny than either of the
Labour councillors in this ward, St Leonard's [9]. He
has also spoken up repeatedly - with a 100% record - for residents on important
planning and licensing issues.
The Green Party demands high standards
from its councillors. Our candidates in Streatham were selected to stand for
this election as well-known, committed and proven local people, who have the
time and ability to serve our area as excellent councillors.
YOUR
CHOICE AT THIS ELECTION
At the last council elections in 2014
Labour won with a massive majority. Streatham is one of a few areas that has a
realistic chance of electing anything other than Labour. Last time just a few
votes separated Labour and the Green Party in some wards, and it looks close again this time.
The sorry situation of Lambeth Council
underlines the need to have alternative voices on Lambeth Council, holding it
to account.
The choice at this election is more
Lambeth Labour councillors, told how to vote, with little incentive to question
the Council and who will only add to their big majority, or Green
Party councillors who can provide balance and ensure accountability on
issues like finances and waste. Three more Labour councillors won’t
change anything, but electing Greens will.
References
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