New Conservative leadership comes under fire
Following the Conservative's LBHF victory in the local elections last month, a number of Hammersmith residents have written to HammersmithToday to express concerns over the new administration.
Miki Jablkowska writes "While I wish the new Council well, I am concerned by how unrepresentative the Council is. Labour’s vote only fell by about 6% yet they lost over half of their seats. The Liberal Democrats received the support of one in seven voters yet they have no councillors.
"The Electoral Reform Society has produced figures that show many other boroughs also did not get the representation they voted for. It is no wonder so many people failed to turn out when the voting system so distorts their political voice. I do not understand why it is only the Liberal Democrats who actively campaign for proportional representation.
"Under the current voting system, a single party can achieve dominance on a council despite securing a minority of the votes cast. This is bad because it means there is no effective opposition and little proper scrutiny of the decisions being made."
Thoby Young of the Hammersmith & Fulham Democrat Focus Team writes "By putting council services out to tender the Conservatives have shown a lack of confidence in their own abilities. True, Labour managed the Council poorly and delivered services badly.
The Tories, though, are admitting they can’t even manage to deliver ANY services. They are admitting they are unable to inspire council officers to think of new and better ways to provide services residents want. They are incapable of engaging with employees to find easier and cheaper ways of doing council work. The Conservatives are essentially saying that within a month of being elected to run the Council, they need to pay private companies to tell them how to run the Council!!!
Liberal Democrats believe private contractors can have a role in providing services. But using contractors must be part of a strategic plan to improve services and done after wide consultation with residents and employees. The Conservatives seem only able to engage in knee-jerk actions to cut costs in a single-minded effort to reduce taxes."
Speaking after his election the council's new Conservative leader Cllr Stephen Greenhalgh, said, "This is the dawn of a new era in Hammersmith & Fulham, we have an unprecedented mandate from the people for real positive change. Putting residents first will be at the heart of everything we do. Lower taxes, less waste and better services are now at the top of this council's agenda.
"We're committed to lowering council tax and providing quality, value for money services,"
he continued. "We want a cleaner, greener environment and improved standards in schools. We're committed to protecting the most vulnerable in society and will work to cut crime with high visibility, zero tolerance policing. There's a lot of work to do in the coming months and years but we're looking forward to the challenge."
June 5, 2006