Haringey residents back budget priorities

Publication date: Monday 30 January 2012

Hundreds of Haringey residents who responded to a consultation showed their support for the council’s budget priorities.

Scores of residents took part in the online consultation and many took the time to attend one of 10 public meetings where they were able to discuss issues face-to-face with Haringey Council’s finance chief Cllr Joe Goldberg.

The council is still analysing the full detail of resident responses, but early analysis of the consultation revealed a surprising split in opinion about council tax rates, but overwhelming support for the council’s priorities including:

• Work with local businesses to create jobs for local people
• Deliver regeneration to key areas including Tottenham, Haringey Heartlands and Hornsey Town Hall
• Drive up the quality and design of new local housing developments and improving the fabric of our communities
• Improving school standards and outcomes for young people
• Deliver responsive, high quality services to residents

Residents also had the chance to make suggestions on how improvements could be delivered, with comments ranging from better community involvement to greater efficiency.

In a direct question about council tax, the response was surprisingly mixed, with just 54 percent of residents opposed to a rise and the rest either in support or ambivalent to an increase to help pay for key services including children’s services and services for adults.

Cllr Goldberg, Cabinet Member for Finance and Carbon Reduction, was asked by residents about a wide range of issues including budget cuts, council fees and charges, community engagement, adult services and waste and recycling. He said:

It has been a privilege to meet and speak with so many Haringey residents throughout the last three months of the budget-setting process. I want to thank each and every person who took the time to have their say, question the council and make suggestions.

It has been good to listen to residents’ concerns about the future of our borough, and to have the opportunity to share our ideas for taking it forward.

While the split in views on council tax is surprising given how hard-pressed families are right now, I am heartened that people in Haringey share our determination to protect the most vulnerable in our communities, and our ambition for creating the Better Society here in Haringey.

Setting the coming year’s budget amid unprecedented funding cuts by central government has been an enormous challenge. The feedback we’ve had from residents has been invaluable in helping to shape our approach and I look forward to publishing this fully next week.

A more detailed analysis of the consultation will form part of the budget report to be presented to the council’s Cabinet group on 7 February and to Full Council on 28 February.

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