Harrow Council are currently consulting on their proposals to make significant cuts to many of the services that they provide to the residents of the borough.
From the Harrow Council website:
“Budget cuts mean that the Harrow of the future will look very different to the past.
Everyone in the community is likely to be affected in some form, and cuts will impact everything from street cleaning to waste collection, school crossing patrols and car parking prices. As much as possible, cuts will be made in ways that do not affect residents, for example cuts to management.
We are proposing innovative ways to make savings of £25 million in the first round of cuts, however there will be more budget reductions to come in future years.
Options for the first round of cuts include:
• Reduce grass cutting in public spaces.
• Cut the number of senior managers in the Council.
• Closure of Emergency Relief Scheme due to removal of Government grant.
• Negotiate with suppliers to reduce the amount they charge the Council.
• Cut funding provided to the voluntary sector.
• Switch off some street lights or reduce the hours that they are on for.
• Reduce the number of staff answering the phones in Access Harrow. (This means the average waiting time will increase)
• Removal of the Friday and Saturday night Environment Health noise nuisance response service and a reduction in the size of the team (maintaining minimum service levels for Environmental Health).
• Close the Harrow Arts Centre and look for an alternative space for it to continue from 2016 onwards.
• Cut the number of council committees.
• Close or reduce some of the Council’s early support services to families, including Children’s Centres.
• Close the Harrow Museum.
• Reduce the short respite breaks to children and carers as we do now.
• Remove additional road/pavement sweeping near shopping parades.
• Introduce a separate weekly food waste collection and charging for a fortnightly collection of garden waste.
• Stop locking park gates, increase biodiversity in parks and cut the number of times litter is picked up.
• Move to community management of parks.
• Close some of Harrow’s libraries.
• Cut the costs of maintaining Council buildings.
• Cut some support provided to older and disabled people in Harrow under the Supporting People Programme.
• Review Fees and Charges charged by the Council, including parking charges.
• Do more online and by email to cut the costs of postage.
• Stop funding community festivals.
• Share Council services with other boroughs.”
Additional information about these proposals and how to response to the consultation is available in the on-line booklet on the Harrow Council website at:
HYPERLINK “http://harrow-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/cc/budget/take_part-_budget_consultation?tab=files”
http://harrow-consult.limehouse.co.uk/portal/cc/budget/take_part-_budget_consultation?tab=files
The Council is organising drop-in ‘Take Part’ sessions where you can meet with Councillors and senior officers to discuss the cuts face to face. In Pinner is will be held on Saturday 25th October from 12-4pm on the corner of Love Lane and Bridge Street.
The Pinner Association Committee are to compose a response objecting to these proposed cuts, many of which would have a great detriment to the quality of life of our members and other local residents and businesses.
The deadline for responses to the consultation is 5pm, Saturday 8th November, 2014.
The Hatch End Association –
HYPERLINK “http://www.hatchend.org/”
– are organising a petition against the proposal to close the Harrow Arts Centre in Hatch End, which will run until the end of October. At least 2,000 signatures are required.
HEA have placed petition forms in the following locations in Pinner:
CC Vassar, 17 Love Lane
Pinner News, 8 Bridge Street
and also in Hatch End Broadway:
Pulver Carr estate agents (349 Uxbridge Road)
Mili Newsagents (365 Uxbridge Road)
The Post Office (corner Uxbridge Road & Cornwall Road)
The Moon and Sixpence pub
Village Pharmacy (272 Uxbridge Road)
Tanna Pharmacy (320 Uxbridge Road)
Star News Food & Wine (418 Uxbridge Road corner with Woodridings Close)
Please find the time to sign this petition to help save a much valued resource for all Harrow borough residents.
Ruth Boff, Honorary Secretary, The Pinner Association.
