Council Budget 2023: The Cost of Labour

Whatever your political affiliation, seeing council tenant rents increase by 7%, Council tax up by 2% and homes for key workers - like our junior doctors, nurses, and teachers - being slashed, simply seems unfair.


More than anything, people are shocked to see Labour Councillors, including Labour Little Venice Councillor Sara Hassan, unanimously vote to award themselves a pay increase of up to 45% for senior roles.


This cannot be justified in a cost-of-living crisis when so many people are worried about paying their bills.


We are calling on Labour Councillors to think again about this and we’re asking people to sign our petition here - asking the senior Labour Councillors to donate their extra pay to local cost-of-living charities.


In the meantime, your local Conservative Councillors Melvyn Caplan and Lorraine Dean, are working hard on local issues that matter most to you. Tackling waste concerns and dealing with road and traffic issues, anti-social behaviour and housing repairs are at the top of our work - as this newsletter shows.

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Budget 2023: The Cost Of Labour

On Wednesday 8 March, Labour councillors forced through an unnecessary plan to increase the pay of their own senior team. Labour Cabinet members will receive a staggering 45% increase (and deputy cabinet members a 15% increase) from levels set by the Conservative administration in 2022. Meanwh
Melvyn Caplan

Melvyn Caplan

Councillor for Little Venice Ward
Melvyn has lived in the area and has served as a councillor for Little Venice Ward for over 30 years.  He was previously a Sales Director at IBM where he worked for 25 years.  He has a degree in Economics and is a qualified accountant.
Lorraine Dean

Lorraine Dean

Councillor for Little Venice Ward
Lorraine has lived in Little Venice since 1983 and ran a family electronics business on Edgware Road for 17 years. She now works locally at the City of Westminster college as a teaching assistant to young disabled adults.

Little Venice

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Labour-run Council belatedly tries to distance itself from the Labour Government’s proposed planning reforms

Westminster Conservatives are delighted that the current Labour council has finally publicly agreed with the Conservative councillors’ position on Angela Rayner’s proposed planning reforms. This Labour Government has proposed completely removing local councillors from the decision-making process on almost all applications. Westminster Conservatives pointed out that this is undemocratic and could undermine public trust in planning decisions back in March.