CHAIRMAN'S STATEMENT

27th July 2004

Harrow Council Tax Campaign was created just one year ago by a handful of residents who had become extremely concerned that Council Tax in Harrow had risen by more than 110 % since 1997-a rate some 60% greater than the national rate of increase.

We decided to launch a petition demanding that the then projected increase of some 20% be limited to the rate of inflation whilst services were at least maintained.

What followed took us all by surprise-our petition which started off in a few local shops in Hatch End simply took off and assumed a life of its own. It struck a chord with thousands of residents, old and young alike, who not only signed up but voluntarily began to collect signatures themselves. Within a few months 25,000 signatures had been obtained creating the largest single petition ever seen in one Borough in London.

This level of grass roots support opened doors for us with our MPS’-Council leaders of all parties and London Assembly Members’ all happy to meet us. We made our views known at Government level and also gained newspaper and TV coverage both national and local. We now have a very firm base and media profile on which to build.

Here I need to make special mention of Stanley Sheinwald our Spokesperson who has been spectacularly successful in gaining exposure for HCTC. From making statements, writing letters to appearing with Andrew Neil on national television he has done sterling work for the residents of Harrow.

The results of all the work done with your support are now history.

The Council Tax increase was limited to 4.1%.

Toby Harris our London Assembly member who was Leader of the high spending Assembly and Head of the Metropolitan Police Authority was voted out-the only sitting Assembly member to be defeated.

And now Archie Foulds has resigned as Leader of our Council.

WHO SAYS PEOPLE POWER DOES NOT WORK!!

Throughout the year HCTC has worked with a small group of around half a dozen at the centre-it has been hard but we have all been buoyed by your support and have relished the challenge. I think they deserve a special mention.

I have already mentioned Stanley's work with the media but he also gave me a hand packing hundreds of envelopes around my kitchen table.

John Mitchell-our HA2 Co-ordinator for his advice and support at meetings

Dave Fitzgerald-our ex Treasurer who conjured up thousands of forms and posters at little cost.

Dave Stanley- our HA7-HA8 coordinator who also gave generously of his time and attended Cabinet/Council meetings

Sonia Howell-Jones who co-ordinates HA1 postal area and is active at meetings

Frank Leonhardt part of our organizing group who set up our Web site hctc.ag-netcom.net

Michael Horam who asks questions at Cabinet and rallies local residents in Harrow Weald

David Page who labours through heavy Council documents

Larraine Taratooty who is fearless in stating her opinions and has obtained media coverage.

Thanks to all of them and also to the many others who worked locally and whom I have failed to mention .

From outside our Group I have to particularly thank Charlie Harris Editor of the Harrow Times and local resident. Charlie your support has been invaluable and I hope that your paper will go from strength to strength given its strong coverage of local issues.

We have also learnt a lot.

•  We learnt that residents are barred from saying anything or addressing our own elected representatives at Council or Cabinet meetings
  
  
•  We learnt that 170,000 adult residents are allowed to ask just six questions which may or may not be answered. No minutes are kept of the verbal responses
  
  
•  We have learnt that there is no meaningful research done to discover in advance what the residents want to see in their Borough
  
  
•  We have learnt that bogus consultations are done in the month prior to the setting of Council Tax but that the forms are not delivered to anyone living in a flat. Findings are frequently ignored
  
  
•  We have learnt that the so called improvements and projects introduced in order to improve the Councils’ performance are failing to provide residents with proportionate financial benefits

London councils rated Excellent have a Band D charge of £946 on average. Councils rated Poor achieve an average charge of £1172.

Harrow achieves neither with a stonking Band-D rate of £1275 !£329 per annum more than Excellent Councils and more than 100% higher than either Wandsworth or Westminster.

I recently visited Edward Lister leader of Wandsworth Council and asked how he achieved a D Band rate of only £601 per annum-his simple reply was that he annually researched what residents wanted and put into effect plans accordingly. The Leaders group stayed firmly in charge of the plans and they treated residents money as their own. They expected officials to do likewise and deliver within budget and on time.

No rocket science then - just strong disciplines and a strong will to serve the community cost effectively.

I look forward to working with residents to create that same, simple and successful approach in Harrow.

Berjis Daver