Drastic looming budget cuts discussed at first Kingston Conversation event

Southborough High School

Hook Road

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Surbiton.com: September 2, 2015 - 9:18am

Street cleaners could only be paid if they do a good job and residents might have to “make deals” with the council under proposed plans to cut the budget.

The ideas were brought up at the first Kingston Conversation event last night where residents were given the opportunity to ask questions of council leader Kevin Davis. During the conversation in Southborough High School hall the audience were told that by 2018 the council budget will be 45 per cent less than it was in 2010. Coun Davis laid out the “three great challenges” he believes are facing the council as communication with citizens, the growth agenda and what shape the council of the future will take.

Recycling and waste collection, the council spending money unnecessarily and Tolworth being the “forgotten” end of the borough were all main issues for south of the borough residents.

Coun Davis brought up a conversation he had with residents previously where a street had clubbed together to get a grass verge. The council agreed to put it in the verge if residents would be in charge of its upkeep.

Councillor Andrea Craig joined Coun Davis on stage and said the council could adopt a system trialled by Hammersmith council where cleaners were only paid if they did a good job. After the event Coun Davis said he was “very pleased” with the turnout of 80 people in the school hall and 20 people watching the live stream online.

The second of eight Kingston Conversation events is in the Richard Mayo Centre, Eden Street on September 10.

http://www.surreycomet.co.uk/news/13640513.Drastic_looming_budget_cuts_discussed...

SurreyComet.co.uk

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