Haringey Council: Facing the financial challenges

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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter 15 hours ago

A revamped Civic Centre would be a nice-to-have and indirectly, it would benefit residents. All of course, if money permits. 

In 2021 the cost estimate was £24 million and later climbed to £54 million.

And then it went up again.

Three years ago the Tottenham & Wood Green Independent reported:

Haringey Council approves £65m civic centre revamp

However, the council had already burnt a big chunk from their Capital Budget through in a serious of undocumented, irregular or corrupt deals, or the capital needed was borrowed, or a combination.

The scheme is likely to have been pushed forward by council employees ("policy compliant"), assisted by feeble governance.

Borough households have to live within their means, but previous (imprudent) Administrations showed a lack of restraint with public money. If not recklessness and irresponsibility.

IMO, if accurate records are kept, then residents deserve to be told about its current financial status.

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Permalink Reply by Cllr Jo Kuper 4 hours ago

Thanks, Nigel. Cllr Johann Beckford is away for the next couple of weeks, but am sure will be happy to respond more when he's back. What I will say is we are absolutely committed to understanding every line of the budget, and bringing down the EFS is a priority. At the same time, we have to be sure that we don't see further disproportionate impact on communities who are already struggling with the impacts of 15-years of austerity. 

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Permalink Reply by Nigel 4 hours ago

Thank you, Cllr Kuper.  The EFS?

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Permalink Reply by Cllr Jo Kuper 4 hours ago

Sorry! The Exceptional Financial Support loans that the council has had to take out to balance the books which is a legal requirement. Despite being needed to ensure the council can provide statutory services, these have an interest rate of 7%... 

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