Southwark’s budget debate: hear what SE1 councillors had to say

The presentation of this page is an experiment: see note below

Cllr Richard Livingstone (Labour) introduced the budget recommendations for the coming year:

Cllr Tim McNally (Lib Dem, Chaucer ward) moved the Liberal Democrat budget amendment:

The Lib Dem amendment was seconded by Cllr Anood Al-Samerai (Riverside ward), leader of the main opposition group.

Cllr Graham Neale (Lib Dem, South Bermondsey ward) used his speech to highlight the work of the Walworth-based recycling project CRISP which will lose some of its funding this year:

Former council leader Nick Stanton (Liberal Democrat, Riverside ward) spoke from the back benches to lay the blame for the cuts at Labour's door:

Cllr Poddy Clark (Liberal Democrat, Chaucer ward) said that her constituents on the Rockingham Estate would feel the impact of the cuts.

Cllr Claire Hickson (Labour, Chaucer ward) said she was "dismayed" by the impact that Government-imposed cuts would have on her constituents in SE1:

Cllr Mark Gettleson (Liberal Democrat, Grange ward) used his speech to oppose Labour's plans to start a pilot of universal free school meals for primary school pupils:

Cllr Adele Morris (Cathedrals ward) is the Liberal Democrat shadow cabinet member for communities and citizenship. She used her speech to speak up for the voluntary sector in Southwark, including Bankside Open Spaces Trust which will be affected by cuts to the council's ecology grant programme.

Cllr Michael Bukola (Liberal Democrat, South Bermondsey ward) argued against cuts to the school crossing patrol service (aka lollipop ladies):

Cllr Denise Capstick (Liberal Democrat, Grange ward) – who is a nurse by profession – spoke on the importance of adult social care in the borough.

Lib Dem health spokesman Cllr David Noakes (Cathedrals ward) spoke in support of a late amendment which will provide £500,000 to maintain day centres for the elderly for a few more months – such as the Stones End Centre in SE1 – while the full impact of the cuts is assessed.