State of the Borough 2008
by Hammersmith and Fulham Press Office
29/09/2008
COUNCIL tax payers in Hammersmith and Fulham are set to be better off by the tune of £175 a year compared with the average London resident, while receiving services judged to be of the highest quality.
That was one of the messages from Councillor Stephen Greenhalgh, Leader of Hammersmith & Fulham Council, at the annual State of the Borough address at Hammersmith Town Hall on Wednesday.
Cllr Greenhalgh said the Council had to respond to the ‘perfect storm’ of social and economic challenges facing the borough.
He said that, with a third of households in the borough earning less than £10,000 per year - and with spiralling food and energy costs – the Council has a duty to do what it can to reduce the financial burden on residents while still delivering quality services.
H&F is aiming to cut its share of council tax again next year by 3 per cent. If other London authorities increase their share by 3% - which has been the average for the last few years - that will mean taxpayers overall will be better off living in the borough by £175 a year. H&F Council already has the fifth lowest council tax in London.
“For most households council tax is the third highest bill,” said Cllr Greenhalgh. “We have to respond to the great economic challenges facing households. Our mission is to deliver high quality services at the lowest possible cost.”
Cllr Greenhalgh said the Council was committed to reducing the debt burden by around £20million - saving £1.5 million a year in service charges - while continuing to introduce competition to services.
Cllr Greenhalgh said of other major issues:
Housing services
The fact that leaseholder charges are coming down by an average of 3% this year is good news but much more needs to be done to improve services overall to tenants and leaseholders. Cllr Greenhalgh said the Council and H&F Homes is focused on that.
Adult social care
While H&F has pumped in an extra £3 million in to adult social care, the Council – along with all authorities – face huge challenges in how to deal with an increasingly ageing population. “Introducing homecare charges was the hardest decision we have had to take,” said Cllr Greenhalgh. “We didn’t do it lightly, but the fact remains that we are one of only eight councils in London to still offer free care to people whose needs have been assessed in a moderate banding.”
Crime and anti-social behaviour
24/7 neighbourhood police pilots in Shepherds Bush and Fulham town centres have had a big impact on reducing crime, said Cllr Greenhalgh – particularly targeting a drinking culture in Fulham and drug dealers in Shepherds Bush. Overall there were 2,000 less crimes in H&F in 2007/8 compared to the previous year. But more needs to be done to tackle anti-social behaviour.
Parks and open spaces
Thanks largely to the NDC (New Deal for Communities), £3 million was spent improving Normand Park and the Council has plans to improve South Park, Shepherds Bush Green and Bishop’s Park. The Council has also vowed to fight any proposals to turn Furnivall Gardens into a building site for eight years as part of any work to build a ‘Super Sewer’ under the Thames. “We have so few green spaces in H&F that we are focused on ensuring what we do have is of the highest quality,” said Cllr Greenhalgh.
Cleaner streets
Following the award of the Council’s street cleansing and refuse service to Serco, the Council is planning early next year to introduce a same day package of street cleaning, refuse and recyclable collection. This will be far more convenient for residents while improving cleanliness overall.
Education
The Council is investing more than £120 million of Government money in improving secondary schools over the next ten years. Cllr Greenhalgh welcomed this investment and said it was a vital step in ensuring that H&F is a true borough of opportunity – with educational excellence at the heart of the agenda.
Cllr Greenhalgh highlighted plans to provide a bi-lingual primary school, proposal to federate Henry Compton and Fulham Cross schools, along with plans to build Hammersmith Academy. The academy, sponsored by the Mercers and Information Technologists Company, is scheduled to open in 2011, subject to planning permission.
Regeneration and affordable housing
Too many hard working low and middle-income families are being squeezed out of the property market in H&F, said Cllr Greenhalgh. The Council’s response is to build more affordable housing. Overall 6,500 homes are planned in ten years with innovative new schemes designed to help people on to the property ladder. This includes discounted market sale schemes where people can buy homes at a reduced market price.
Cllr Greenhalgh said the Council is working hard to unlock high land values in the borough, encouraging the regeneration of deprived areas and bringing new housing and job opportunities. “Our challenge is how can we regenerate deprived areas by creating mixed, balanced communities?” said Cllr Greenhalgh.
