Clash In Southfield Ward Over Spending On Roads

Conservatives and Liberal Democrats in Southfield have clashed over spending on roads.

The Conservatives have claimed that the area, which is part of Ealing borough, has had a "terrible roads deal" under Labour and says the the Southfield Lib Dem councillors "cannot protect Southfield from the depredations of a Labour council".

But this claim is disputed by Southfield Lib Dem councilolr Gary Malcolm who says that over the past four years his party had recommended that Ealing Council spend a total of an additional (on top of the current administration's budget) - of £2.35 million on the issue. He says the Conservatives would have spent £10 million less had they controlled the Council.

"Sadly the Conservative party voted against these proposals to improve our roads and pavements. It is too late for them to complain now."

According to the Conservatives, who have three candidates going forward in the local elections for that ward next Thursday, May 22nd, no footpaths will be renewed in the 2011/2015 period during which the current Labour council has been in charge of deciding road spending. Only three short stretches of road are being resurfaced:

"Labour is only spending £ 17.5 million on roads in the current four year cycle, a drop of one third compared with the previous Conservative administration. If this cash had been shared equally between all 23 Ealing wards they would have got £ 761K each. Southfield has only had £ 232K. Southfield has lost £529K.", they claim.

The roads in question are : Whellock Road - £87,000; Montgomery Road- £76,000; Steele Road- £69,000- Total £232,017.

Gary Malcolm comments: "The current administration's budget (2010-2013/14) was actually higher than the Conservatives budget for roads and pavements for the same period so the Conservatives would have spent somewhere in the region of about £10 million less!

"Over the past four years we have recomended that Ealing Council spends a total of an additional (on top of the current administration's budget) - of £2.35 million. Sadly the Concervative party voted against these proposals to improve our roads and pavements. It is too late for them to complain now.

" Lastly the Liberal Democrats have a policy that a greater share of Council moneys for environmental projects like pavements, roads, lights, trees etc, should be decided by ward fora. This way spending would be more open and transparent compared to how the Labour and Conservative parties act".

The local elections will be held on May 22nd.

Here is a link to all the information on Southfield Ward including the candidates.

May 16, 2014