Cllr Susan Hall is the Leader of Harrow Council
I want to share with you our Conservative vision to make Harrow Cleaner, Safer and Fairer.
After over 3 years in opposition, the Conservatives took over Harrow Council, on September 16th 2013, forming Harrow’s third administration in less than 6 months. We sought to end—for the good of Harrow’s residents—the instability and uncertainty caused by an extremely acrimonious split within the then-ruling Labour Group.
(That acrimony continues: 47 Independent Labour Group candidates are contesting Harrow’s local elections on May 22nd against 62 Labour candidates—following Labour’s suspending one of their candidates last week when details emerged of his conviction of benefit fraud against Harrow Council.)
Our vision last September was to make Harrow Cleaner, Safer and Fairer—because that vision reflects residents’ needs and priorities—and that vision remains central to all that we’re doing.
In just seven months we’ve reinvigorated the Council with our vision. We’ve already done a great deal: key initiatives (like Neighbourhood Champions and Weeks of Action) have been revitalised, whilst Labour’s cuts in public realm services have been reversed and bold new projects (including tackling Beds in Sheds and rebuilding our council estates) have been introduced.
Despite inheriting a two-year budget with a £5 million funding gap, we scrapped Labour’s plans for a second two per cent Council Tax increase in two years—freezing our residents’ bills; we found £500,000 extra to keep Harrow clean and over £1 million to help our vulnerable residents.
Following in the tax-cutting footsteps of the Conservative flagship boroughs of Wandsworth and Hammersmith & Fulham, we’ve also begun to reduce the Council’s debts so as to reduce interest payments and, therefore, council tax bills.
Our Cleaner, Safer, Fairer Manifesto sets our some of our achievements since September—and how we’ll build upon them if re-elected. We’ve already promised to freeze or cut Harrow’s council tax during the next administration—and we’ll do this whilst protecting the frontline services that residents tell us they care about.
A Conservative win in Harrow on May 22nd will ensure that this work continues. Voting for Labour means higher council tax, a return to cuts to street-cleaning and parks, rising crime and their indecisiveness, dithering and poor decision-making that favours a few special interests at the expense of all Harrow residents.
My message for Harrow residents is: “for a Cleaner, Safer and Fairer future for Harrow, I hope you’ll consider voting Conservative on 22nd May.” For ConHome readers who unfortunately don’t live in Harrow, I hope you’ll still be voting Conservative on May 22nd—but do look out for the results of Harrow’s very interesting local elections.