Tory councillors vote themselves 18% pay rise...

...while Hammersmith & Fulham residents get £34 million cuts in local services.

Residents are angry that Conservative councillors voted through an 18% pay rise for themselves at the same time as slashing key services used by children and families, the elderly, the homeless and local residents.

At the annual budget meeting of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, Conservative councillors voted for a £34 million cuts programme. The cuts include slashing £1.4 million from funding for home helps for the elderly and sick, taking £540,000 from children's play and youth services, and axing £915,000 from the street cleaning service.

Tory councillors then voted for an 18% pay rise, adding more than £68,000 to the council budget. Meanwhile, the £200.75 increase in meals-on-wheels charges will save the council £50,000 this year.

If residents were in any doubts about the new Conservative council's priorities, they surely can't be now. The cuts package is redistributing money from the poorest and most vulnerable to wealthier residents of Hammersmith & Fulham. Now the Conservatives are making sure 'savings' also go straight from poorer residents into Tory councillors' pockets.