Budget What's At Stake

pier Sea ——

CAMDEN’S BUDGET: _ WHAT IS AT STAKE

The Budget Consultation paper circulated to branches sets out the financial Position facing Camden Council . The report from the Leader of the Council explains that Camden's forecasted spending for 1987/88 is nearing £200m.. In addition, the Labour Group recommend - £10m growth te begin the next stage of the manifesto, leading to a total budget of around £210m . Under ratecaping, the most the Council can raise through the rates is £145m . A gap of £65m exists between the planned expenditure and ressources « -

fhe second document in the batch of sultation papers is a report from

Me Director of Pinances'. He gives

more information, including the fact

that this year's expenditure is £10m

more than forecast leaving the Council

in a “precarious position". This report

wants this 210m overspend reduced, and °

_ he Warns that any growth next year will

be difficult .

This view must be rejected . The mani-

-festo which the party drew up and

campaigned on in May 1986 must be im-

~phemented « The Labour Group must pursue. ali possible borrowing options for

bridging the gap between expenditure and ressources . A defered purchase agreement has already been signed . Further capitalisation of £40m can be achieved . Other measures still remain. including lease and lease~-back of buildings, and other forms of using the Souncilts existing capital assats as security to borrow money from financial

adnstitutions .»

\ employment and offering services must

ef

Every option must be pursued to ensure that the manifesto'is implemented . At ;: time of massive homelessness, continuins and devastating increases in unemploy= ~ment, we must recognise that. the inter- “vention of the Council by creating

be extended to ensure that the Labour Party in Camden will defend working — eople .-The start that has been made sn/extending equality of opportunity in employment,and in access and appropria-~ “Seness of the Council's services

musbt be continued .

What is sadly missing from the _ consultation papers is any recognition that a borrowing strategy must.not simp] be seenas an accountancy measure, or bs allowed to be srpreted only as a higt risj strategy ~\i4t must be. explained

in a political way .

We must openly and simply explain ‘our strategy to. the ople of\ Camden . We must explain that the alternative is @uts and rent increases . People need to be informed that the re ponsability for the need to borrow lies with the Government . Our strategy must become am issue during the General Election explained on our terms . We must say Bhat the return of a Tory Government would mean cuts, rent increases and privatisation .

We must increase pressure on Kinnock and Cunningham to not only end rate- ~caping, but to restore central go¥ernment’ grants and restructure local authority debts . After all, Kinnock: told us to be a dented shield, it is his policy we are pursuing . Camden should take a lead in bringing other London Labour Boroughs together, using the ressources of the ALA, LSPU and LGIU

to politically explain our policy and show the position that much of = =. }

London is in.

aentinued aver |—

BS ______ — eee

Camden's Budget = continued

Already the Tories and the “gudit: FIGHT FOR JOBS” r FREE MIKE HICKS: 4 Commission have begun the. attack «

Stories of potential pankrupey of BOYCOTT NEWS INTERNATION AL

Londgn.Boroughs are appearing in newe~ © ‘Ist. Annivérsary. Demonstration and -

papers; and the. Line ie that it is the. - Picket at Fortress Wapping 3 loony left again . If we don't Gamapign

now, then we Will loose the battle by. default . We will face a “Labour Government which will tell us. to increase the ratés, in Canden's case : ae a ene by £5 a week . This is an unacceptable _ - NEXT CAMDEN LABOUR BRIEFING "MESTING |: solution . If we do face the retura of a Tory ap Tory/SDP government, we will be in no position. to Fight if we

have’ not ‘prepared ‘the ground «

Saturday 3 24 January, 8pm at ‘Tower. Hill

. Monday 19, January, Spm , Committe “Room 1. All Labour Briefing supporters welcome .»

Kate Allen (Councillor)

MODEL RES SOLUTION. .

mae branch/GNC/LGG/Borough Conference calls on Camden Council to:

oe take all necessary steps towards mesting in-full.the: commitments contained in. the manifesto for the 1986 Council elections within the four year term of office.

ti). to finance this programme by borrowing and/or deficit budgeting. _

iii) to commit itself to net allowing: this strategy. to penalise im any way. ‘the people. of Camden ,° now or in the future, =n the form of cuts, job losses or increased charges or

rate rises. : . iv} to undertake an. in .formation campaign: among the council workforce and the Camden public ag a whole | ‘to explain the significance and necessity of these measures.

vy) to refuse to comply with the Goverrnment’s privatisation measures. _ vi} to jom with. other councils and trade unions te mount «6 sustained campaign against - government attacks on local authorities. . : -

vii) to support the council unions taking industrial action to. defend jobs and services. against rate capping and privatisation, aan to deuand of the Shadow Cabinet and Labour Party NEC that ‘they fully support this

spaten end make! preparations for the next Labour Government to provide the necessary

ond. urgent “Sinanctal assistence, including relieving them.of the. burden of accumulated a debt. We: also devand of then that they commit themselves: to repealing rate capping ® 5} ‘end privatisation legiels stor and the ‘elawback' system of penalties on the Rate Suppor Grant.

| FIGHT FOR JOBS ! FREE. MIKE EICKS | «BOYCOTT NEWS INTERNATIONAL |!

. et Anniversary Demonstration and 4 eket at Fortress Wapping :

{ . we Saturday 24 January, Spm at Tower Hill e. 7 \ .

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CLOSE RANKS WITH CGUNCIL UNIONS

TO BEAT PRIVATISATION

The Tory Government is publishing a Bill early in 1987 which will propose the compulsory privatisation of council services such aa } refuse collection, street and office cleaning, catering, vehicle and ground maintenance, transport, printing, computer and other technical services and the management cf spert and leisure facilities - Experience of privatisation shows that services are radically reduced, and that staff taken on by private contractors receive considerably worse pay and conditions than they did from the council. But privatisation has also shown, that when NHS or cauncil departments have participated in “value fer money" studies and . submitted in house tenders, there has been job losses and a worsening of service conditions of staff se that the tender can he “commercially competitive”.

This Privatisation Bill will become law by April 1988, bor Camden Council should prepare itself now te protect council services and @ ~ Jobs . The Labour Group should re-establish a jicint campaign with the council unions as existed during the fight against rate~capping. But this time the unions will have to be in a more leading position as they are the one with the power toe frustrate effectively the tendering trap .

The following measures need to be taken immediately by the Labour Group te put the council in a strong pesition to resiet privatisation : aera

a) reducing private contractors and consultants te the absolute minimum agreed with the unions, ; b) strict use of contract compliance to monitor performance and conditions of employment of contractors staff,

ec} instructing managers not to develop privatisation strategies,

d) preparing, with the unions, specifications for an improvement of . services without detriment to conditions of service of staff,

e) filling alli vacancies

f) launching a campaign to gain the support of tenants and users against privatisation . 7 ®

@ An effective national campaign by the Labour Party and Local

'Government...unions , backed by industrial action, should be the

framework for local councils and unions fighting back against

privatisation . The sale of British Gas and the abolition of the GLC

have demonstrated that a campaign based. only on parliamentary

lobbying, publicity, and days of “action” will not impress thr Tories .- . cs .

When the Billi becomes law, frustration and industrial action by council workers with the baeking of the Labour Council and Labour Parties in Camden, will give us a chance to fight off privatisation. This means that the Labour Group should state clearly now that it - will refuse to submit in-house ‘tenders, and will support council workers taking industrial action to protect council jobs and

J services against private contractors and consultants .- :

Privatisation of NHS and council services does not make the Tories popular » Council tenants and workers, and the users of services suffer from it . It is only the directors of private firms that have benefited -. The Labour Front’ bench should therefore give an undertaking that it will immediately repeal the Tories' privatisation ‘laws when elected to Government . This would give a tremendous boost to the campaign, and would certainly help Labour ‘win the next general election . . ‘

Fred Leplat (Somers Town)

| BOYCOTT THE POLICE | CONSULTATIVE COMMITTEE

LAST YEAR, community groups were asked

for their opinions sbout joining the Police Consultative Committee. There were far more groups against than for. Those against included Black, lesbian, gay and women's groups - sections of the community that are

especially affected by Police action against

them.

Then, at a public meeting in September last year, at which 26 different organisations were present, the majority of speakers were eritical of the scheme and spoke against Council participation. The views of both Caniden Labour Parties were also sought ~ the two GCs passed resolutions against participation and at the LGC meeting and Manifesto Borough Conference in October, the decision not to take part was endorsed.

But at the LGC meeting in. December, which was poorly attended, the decision was overturned and it was agreed to participate for a one-year trial. The manifesto committment was for the council to take part from December 1985 to December 1986 but the Committee (known as the Police Consultative Group) has not yet met.

There is mounting opposition from Camden NALGO: they are rightly concerned about

the issue of. confidentiality in that the Consultative Group clerk, who would be enswerable to that group (including the _ Police), would have an office in the Town. Hall and would be free to roam the council building to get access to documents that are with the Race, Women's and Civil Rights Units. This would undermine the credibility of these specialist sections. NALGO has recently passed a resolution requesting the Council ‘mot to participate.

Even though it hasn't yet met, it is,

in a negative way, affecting the Council's Police syb-committee in that Black groups: such ag CCCR and women's groups, do not attend. The sub-committee should instead

be fully representative and fight for police accountability. Consultative Groups have failed elsewhere in London, such as where police refused to discuss with community groups the reorganisation of the Met, and are mere ‘shop windows' that falsely show how co~cperative the police

ean be. These Groups only distract attention away from what London really needs: a fully democratic Police Authority that will ensure that the Police are accowitable to the people that they are supposed to serve’,

With the increased Police attacks on the working class, Black communities, gays, lesbians and women’s groups and the erosion of personal freedoms, comrades can only say NO to Camden Council taking part, and any Consultative Group that is set up, should be strongly bayeotted and picketed.

me

Adrian States (Councillor)

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