THE LEADER of the Harlow Labour Group has launched the party’s local election campaign stressing “The Labour difference”.

Councillor Chris Vince said: “For far too long the Conservative government have made councils like Harlow make the difficult choice between raising council tax or cutting services.  Since 2010 we’ve seen £62.3m taken away from the people of Harlow by this cruel Conservative government.  The local Tories answer to this is to freeze council tax but in turn cut staffing numbers at Harlow council, which means a worsening service for the people of our town.  You only have to look at the mounting number of outstanding repairs to see what cuts mean to our council.

However, the next Labour government says that this is a decision that local councils shouldn’t have to make, which is why Labour have announced if they were in power at Westminster they’d cut council taxes in Harlow, but funded through a proper windfall tax on oil and gas companies, so that Harlow residents don’t see further cuts to council service.  Council tax is a regressive tax and we believe that local council’s should be financed by central government, with those with the broadest shoulders paying more, rather than the cost being dumped on residents of our town.

Labour has said it would tackle the cost-of-living crisis by: 

o Freezing council tax for this year, funded by a proper windfall tax on oil and gas giants. 

 o Keeping energy bills low for good by insulating 19 million homes. 

 o Reversing the Tory decision to hand the richest 1% of pension savers £1 billion in the midst of a cost-of-living crisis, and instead introduce specific measures to keep doctors in work. 

o Closing the non-dom tax loophole, so people who live and work here pay their tax here and use that money to fund one of the biggest expansions of the NHS workforce in history and free Breakfast Clubs at every primary school.

A Labour led Harlow Council will 

• Help people through the cost-of-living crisis by working with local charities such as Harlow food bank and CAB and will also support holiday lunch clubs.
• Insulate homes to bring down bills and make our town greener with more wildflower meadows, increase landscaping and protecting green spaces.
• reverse Conservative cuts to the community safety team to keep our town and communities safer
• Give residents back their voice by re-introducing neighbourhood forums, increase frontline staff and improve customer service
• return financial stability to Harlow council instead of constantly dipping into council reserves

Labour group leader Chris Vince said

‘Sadly, over the last two years the Conservative administration at Harlow council have lurched from one crisis to another and while their Conservative government and local MP vote for further cuts to local government finances they have their head in the sand over the impact.

A Labour led Harlow council would work with residents to keep their costs down and support them through this Conservative created cost of living crisis.  

Labour Councillors and candidates look forward to speaking to as many residents as possible over the next few weeks to show them the difference a Labour led Council can make.’

A vote for Labour on 4th May is a vote to Build a Better Harlow and a Better Britain for working people