Hackney Council agrees 2013 budget

Hackney's elected mayor, Jules Pipe. Photograph: Hackney Council

Education funding received a boost as Hackney Council passed its annual budget yesterday evening (Wednesday 27 February).

Money for children’s services was also increased in the spending plans for the 2013-2014 year, though health funding is to be reduced.

The education budget was increased by approximately £26m, reflecting a rise of approximately £14.5m in the money the borough receives from central government for schools.

The budget for children and young people’s services was increased by approximately £2.5m, following cuts in the previous two years.  By contrast, the budget for Health and Community Services was reduced by nearly £4m.

The plans also make provision for Council Tax to be frozen for the eighth year in a row.

Introducing the budget, Hackney’s mayor Jules Pipe was downbeat: “Today we have to use savings not to expand services, but to backfill the local government cuts.”

He noted that “the borough also faces benefit reforms that will be completely unmanageable for some people”.

Yet Conservative proposals to provide additional hardship funds for residents losing benefits were voted down.

The Tory proposals were to finance the funds through reductions to the money allocated for tree planting, street maintenance, festival lighting, graffiti removal, market development and controlled parking zones reviews.

Speaking on behalf of the Conservative group, Cllr Simche Steinberger said: “There is too much money available to waste on certain councillors’ hobby horses,” such as street furniture. Funds ought instead to be devoted to easing the burden of cuts to housing subsidies, he opined.

The Liberal Democrat budget proposals also called for additional funds to be allocated to support those suffering from Government cuts as well as money for community advice provision and sports equipment for school.

The Liberal Democratic spokesperson, Cllr Ian Sharer, commented that “reducing this country’s deficit falls too hard on councils.”

His party recommended cutting street cleaning, graffiti removal, tree-planting and shopping centres to finance these projects. These proposals were also rejected by the council.