Brent and Harrow
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Sadiq Khan Mayor of London
Navin Shah GLA Brent & Harrow
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There is an alternative for Brent

I supported the London Assembly Labour Group’s amendment to the Mayor’s draft 2013-14 budget. The amendment and proposals focus on protecting frontline services, easing the cost of living crisis and helping young Londoners into work.

The key points of Labour’s proposals are:

  • A Jobs Guarantee for all 16-24 year olds who have been out of work for 1 year or more. In Brent this would help 270 young people
  • Cut transport fares by 1% so they are in line with inflation. Londoners living in Zone four and travelling to Zone One on a yearly travelcard would save £282.74
  • Re-allocate business rates to protect frontline police and fire services. In Brent, Willesden Green and Harlesden police station is earmarked for closure, this would be kept open and police front counter provision will be maintained.
  • Freeze the Mayor’s share of the Council Tax which is currently only saving households 7 pence per week
  • Start the process of setting up a London-wide lettings agency

As the economy stumbles and splutters towards a triple-dip recession the Mayor needs to help the economy and help ordinary Londoners. Cutting fares by one per cent will save residents in Brent £282.74 on their annual travelcard.

Our Jobs Guarantee for 16-24 year olds out of work for over a year will put 270 young people in Brent into work, and benefit 7,500 long-term unemployed young Londoners across London.

There has been a lot of local opposition to the proposed closure of Willesden Green and Harlesden police station but reallocating business rates, as we’ve suggested, will help protect frontline police and fire services to help keep London safe and secure.

Boris may shrug his shoulders and say he is doing all he can, but he is signed up to the government’s reckless economic plans. All he has done is said the ‘rhetoric should be toned down’, but that cuts and austerity should continue. At a time when ordinary Londoners are struggling and the economy is flat-lining he must do more, there is an alternative.

Boris has cut his share of the council tax by less than 10 pence a week per household, but at the same time has whacked up fares above inflation for the fifth year running. He must be stupid to think Londoners won’t notice this.

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8th February 2013