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Message from the Leader of the Council
January 2012
2012 promises to be a very exciting year for all Londoners and for all Bexley residents with the Mayoral Elections in May, the Queen’s Golden Jubilee celebrations in June & the Olympics in the summer.
We are sure all Bexley residents will be part of all three events in differing ways;
- Boris Johnson was elected Mayor of London in 2008 with huge support from Outer London, including Bexley. Since his election Boris has not only visited Bexley more frequently than his predecessor; he has listened to our residents and delivered for them. That delivery includes more police on our streets (with a commitment to ensuring a Safer Neighbourhood team for each ward), abolishing the Labour Party’s Thames Gateway Bridge, more flexible use of transport cash for schemes that residents actually want instead of what the Mayor thinks you should want, Easier travel with the extension of the Oyster Card & the Freedom Pass, freezing City Hall’s share of Council Tax (just as Bexley’s Conservative Council has frozen Bexley’s council tax), sponsorship of Bexleyheath Academy, delivering the Europa Gym & £400,000 to rejuvenate Parish Wood Park. Boris has delivered for Bexley & we hope that Bexley residents will play a key role in re-electing him this May.
- Queen Elizabeth II will have given service to our country for 60 years & many residents will want to celebrate that great achievement – for our part the Council will want to ensure that the “health & safety brigade” don’t spoil the fun so we will be doing what we can to help you to celebrate.
- Bexley isn’t an Olympic borough but we will be pretty close to all the events & will have our own torch relay event on the 22nd July. This means all residents should be able to share the excitement of the games. We are also fortunate enough to have two legacy projects locally – the Europa Gym & the Erith Yacht Club – both excellent places that will be well used by Bexley residents in the future.
At the same time, locally, our Budget Strategy will continue to protect the key council services from the largest spending cuts for local government since the 1940s. Most importantly, this means those who depend on care packages to help ensure a good quality of life can sleep tonight knowing their packages are not going to be slashed or taken away. That is one of the central parts of our strategy.
I hope that you will have a very happy, healthy & successful New Year!
Councillor Teresa O'Neill
Leader of Bexley Council
