Council Budget and the cost of COVID.

As normal we are developing our draft budget ready for publication by Cabinet in December. But this is no ordinary year.

After countless Government failures and scandals we have taken steps as a council to safeguard Harrow and mitigate the worst effects of this pandemic. This has moved the financial burden of the Government and onto our already underfunded council.

The financial pressure that the Council faces from Covid-19 remains our biggest strategic concern. Government have provided some support for the current financial year but announcements on future funding arrangements, which are expected to be through the Spending Review in November, places the Council in an unprecedented position. After a decade of austerity the conservative Government has yet again failed to adequately support Harrow.

We have been in direct contact with the Government to directly explain Harrow’s financial position and the challenges around the Council’s ability to move forward if a sustainable financial solution is not found for Local Government. As we have seen in Liverpool and Manchester this is going to be a major challenge for us over the next year.

We will work with what ever we have to keep Harrow safe but need this Government to step up and give Harrow the funding it needs.