The Government will this week announce their plan to combat the high inflation, sluggish growth and staggering national debt that the Conservatives’ economic mismanagement has caused.
What local authorities like Haringey get to spend and which funding gaps left by government that we need to fill are largely dictated by the Autumn Statement. Unless local authorities get a serious injection of cash and if the Government does not announce substantial measures for supporting households with the cost-of-living crisis, Haringey will be left in an untenable position.
Haringey Council is already providing additional help to residents with the cost-of-living crisis – support that should be provided by central government – and facing a budget gap of £16 million.
Chancellor of the Exchequer Jeremy Hunt has warned of more cuts to government spending by £50-60 billion and promised that no area of government will be spared from “efficiency savings”. This is, of course, a euphemism for more debilitating real-terms cuts to our struggling public services.
Local government is always the first in line for the sharp end of funding cuts, which has seen a 63% reduction in core funding since the Conservatives came into power in 2010. These cuts have disproportionately disadvantaged the least well-off in society.
I believe that a good society should ask those with the broadest shoulders to bear the heaviest burden. With BP unveiling profits that doubled to more than £7.1 billion and Shell announcing record-breaking £8.2 billion profits in just three months, an enhanced windfall tax to address soaring energy bills should be a no brainer for the Conservatives.
Hunt has also promised that everyone will be paying more tax. We don’t need people on low – or even medium – incomes paying more tax. University of Greenwich research shows that a net wealth tax on just the top 1% of wealthiest households in the UK could raise £70-130 billion a year, enough to revive our public services and help families through the cost-of-living crisis.
Whatever is contained in the Autumn Statement, one thing is clear – fresh rounds of cuts after the austerity that we’ve suffered through for the last 12 years is not financially or morally sound.
We need a government that is committed to improving the lives of ordinary people and has the good conscience to ask everyone to pay their fair share.
Cllr Sarah Williams is cabinet member for Finance and Local Investment at Haringey Council.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here