Leader of the Council responds to government financial announcement
Councillor Ray Morgon, Leader of Havering Council, said: “At first glance the Chancellor’s announcement does not go far enough to help with the huge budget challenges Havering Council faces.
“The change in rules allowing councils to increase council tax up to five percent – including two percent for the social care precept – simply won’t touch the sides of the type of service demand and financial costs we are facing.
“It also pushes the burden back onto the local taxpayer to fund these statutory services rather than the government investing more in local authorities, forcing us to cut valued services to make up for the government’s shortfall.
“This leads us back to our argument for a fairer funding formula as the current one already makes Havering a high council tax borough.
"This means once again local residents will be left to pick up a higher tab than those living in many other London boroughs.
“At the moment we are going through our budget consultation. This includes a proposed council tax increase of 1.99 percent.
"We have in the past also been able to add an additional precept for social care.
“We will now need to look at the detail of the budget and the local government settlement which comes afterwards to see what this means for Havering, including further increases to council tax for our residents.
“However, ultimately, we want the government to change the current formula to one which recognises the needs of Havering’s population and the borough’s current and changing demographic.
"This will allow the Council to avoid making damaging cuts and will help us to better deliver services for our fast changing communities.
“I urge residents to help the Council fight for a fairer funding formula by signing our petition online.”