Labour in Lambeth freeze council tax for the next two years.

Labour in Lambeth will commit to freeze your local council tax for the next two years running at the Cabinet meeting on 12^th November.

With living costs rising and the price hikes recently announced by the energy companies, the Labour group of Councillors want to support residents. Labour has frozen your council tax levels since 2008 – which would mean a 6 year freeze.

Labour cabinet member for Finance and Resources, Councillor Paul McGlone said;

“The economic failure of the Coalition Government means the cost of living is increasing and many local people are now struggling to make ends meet.

“We are doing what we can to help residents and the council tax freeze is part of that. It is a historic decision that means council tax will have been at the same level for 6 years running.”

London Living Wage accreditation

The Lambeth Council Cabinet meeting in October is due to formally adopt as policy the Labour administration’s commitment to tackling low pay and our ambition to become accredited as a London Living Wage Employer. The Total Facilities Management procurement contract agreed in July has delivered our first London Living Wage contract covering services that employ cleaners, security and maintenance staff. 

The council’s Pay Policy Statement lays out the aim that all council employed staff should receive the London Living Wage (currently £8.31 per hour) as a minimum. All but a few staff are paid at the LLW or above. We are reviewing our procurement policy to ensure Living Wage is paid on new contracts. This would be done at the point of re-letting or tendering for new contracts with a requirement that those contractors bidding for the work incorporate a pricing option that includes the payment of the Living Wage as a minimum, and will be agreed subject to affordability. In some cases there will be significant costs for council contractors to bring their pay in to line with the LLW. For example, in adult social care lots of workers (e.g. carers) are paid the minimum wage. The estimated annual cost of implementing the LLW across all existing contractors in Lambeth is £10 million per annum. About 60% of this is social care.

Living wage employer accreditation is managed by Citizens UK and provides employers with a licence to the living wage employer mark. Lambeth Council will be a fully accredited Living wage employer soon.

A message from your ward councillor Paul McGlone about the ‘Move Your Money’ campaign

Much interest is being generated by the ‘Move Your Money’ campaigning group (www.moveyourmoney.org.uk)

to influence individuals as well as public sector banking choices

 ‘Move Your Money UK’ launched in February 2012 in order to help transform widespread public anger with the big banks into active support for ethical and mutual banking sector in the UK. The Move Your Money campaign is now seeking to encourage institutions to move their money out of the four largest high street banks, with a focus on the role of local authorities. A local campaign and petition is active (http://www.change.org/en-GB/petitions/lambeth-council-move-your-money-moveyourmoney) and ‘MYM’ representatives have recently contributed to discussions held at Finance Scrutiny Sub Committee on the future of Lambeth Council’s banking services.   

New library opens in Ferndale ward!

The first new library in Lambeth for over forty years was official opened on Friday 20^th July 2012 in Ferndale ward.  The new Clapham Library is in the renamed Mary Seacole House, built on the site of the old Lambeth Council social services building, at 91 Clapham High Street, SW4 7DB. 

The library was opened by Councillor Steve Reed, Leader of Lambeth Council, local author and broadcaster John O’Farrell.

From left: Lambeth Council leader Steve Reed,
John O'Farrell and  Ferndale councillor Sally Prentice

Your local Ferndale ward councillors Paul McGlone, Sally Prentice and Neil Sabharwal celebrated this achievement along with a large gathering of local guests.

This event was an opportunity to celebrate Labour’s commitment to Lambeth’s library service, providing local residents with an innovative new library which is modern, light and airy, with over 20,000 books, café space, performance space, free wi-fi and internet access.  It features a distinctive spiral design that draws inspiration from Manhattan’s famous Guggenheim Museum.

Designed by world famous London based architects Studio Egret West, the library is part of an innovative public private partnership between the council, primary care trust(PCT), Cathedral Group and United House Group to rebuild Mary Seacole House, making it home to not only Clapham Library but a medical centre and 136 residential flats as well. 

Vauxhall councillors at the opening of the Clapham Library

Ferndale ward councillors outside the Clapham Library