Below is the full speech made by Councillor Cem Kemahli, Royal Hospital ward councillor and RBKC’s lead member for Finance, Digital and Efficiency

 

“Mr. Mayor – Thank you…

I stand today to present one of the most difficult but most important budgets this council will ever debate. A budget set against the context of a Labour government’s vindicative and shambolic “Fair Funding Review” – a review which leaves RBKC and its residents £108m worse off, through no fault of their own.

We had our house in order, Mr. Mayor. We set balanced budgets and maintained taxes in the bottom 10% of the country. Our services are some of the very best in the country, leading the way in children’s services, adults’ services, parks, public realm – to name just a few. 

We were an example of what Local Government could achieve – fantastic services, locally focused, all whilst keeping taxes low. 

Mr Mayor, you’d think that Labour might want to learn from us; copy us; help other communities deliver services better. But no…

They followed the first rule of socialism – punish success, reward failure. So, the weak-willed, innumerate Ministers in Number 10 decided the only way to bribe their colleagues around the country was by picking the pocket of inner London. 

London – the very heart of the British economy, the city of growth and new development, the city of tourism, investment and opportunity. This was the place they went to asset strip when their socialist ideals failed to generate any new revenue.

We often joke in this chamber that the Labour group ought to get on the bus with us. But, Mr. Mayor, this Labour Government has thrown us, Westminster, LBHF, Wandsworth and The City under that very bus.

We are not alone in this struggle, but we are, Mr. Mayor, the only Council willing to stand up to this bully of a government and shine a light on their underhanded manoeuvring. Let no one leave this chamber tonight not be crystal clear that this was a deliberate attempt by their party to bankrupt this authority.

Mr Mayor  – it pains them no end that they are unable to win this chamber through democracy – instead they wish to eradicate it through centralisation and collectivism.

 It pains them that their ideas about how to govern – higher taxes, more welfare, larger state – have failed so completely. It humiliates them that here in Kensington and Cheslea, we have shown that by keeping money in people’s pocket, delivering outstanding services, and helping residents help themselves, we can succeed. 

 

Mr Mayor  – The successes of K&C highlights the failures of Labour and the Government just cannot let that stand. 

Fortunately, it seems some members sitting opposite have grown wise to the Labour party and have rightly jumped ship. Albeit they’ve seemingly jumped from the Titanic to the Costa Concordia.

Mr. Mayor, whilst the context of tonight’s budget is a difficult one, we Conservatives, do what we always must, and that is to clear up Labour’s mess, and not just because we fully fund twice-weekly bin collections, but because we know that sound money and efficient systems are the best way to deliver outstanding services to our residents at the lowest price. 

Our record is clear: The most Efficient council. This is not us saying it – this is others looking in and recognising that this borough is well run.

But meet this new challenge we must – so here tonight we are putting a raft of savings forward which help us meet this budgetary environment. We are raising taxes by only what is necessary and, unlike Wandsworth and Westminster we are being honest with our residents and not raiding the reserves for a fleeting moment’s PR. We know our reserves are there to provide dividends for our residents – they are not politicians’ playthings.

We are also deleting posts and roles as we seek to build a leaner and more efficient council. And whilst debilitating for a time, the recent criminal cyber-attack on West London councils has shown the potential for rapid transformative change in digital services. We will embrace this digital future and will look to leapfrog other authorities as we move to a digital first approach – whilst maintaining actual human contact for those that require it.

It is not all doom and gloom though, Mr. Mayor – we are opening a new park in Chelsea Riverside ward, we are investing in additional street cleansing and maintenance, and we are investing further in our housing stock and safe TA provision. Whilst also putting money aside to support our older residents.

Mr. Mayor – it is at this point in the night that a Finance lead member would ordinarily pull a rabbit out from their hat – and believe me I looked.

But Mr. Mayor, I have no hat, I have no rabbit. I just have the truth – and I can honestly say that tonight is the first budget in a journey that will see RBKC become finally free of government grants.

A truly sovereign borough – and what could be more fitting for a Royal Borough than actually being Sovereign.

Mr. Mayor – I put this budget forward to this chamber tonight.”