Cabinet changes for the coming year

Madam Mayor

Welcome and congratulations on your new position. We look forward to you presiding over our business for the forthcoming year.

Traditionally, this is the meeting (Council AGM Wed 24 May) where we make new appointments and announce changes. This year is no exception, as you will see from the papers laid around the chamber I am proposing a number of changes tonight.

No class war in Kensington and Chelsea

The Council stands accused on the front page of the Kensington and Chelsea News of engaging in a ‘class war’ over its decision to lease the old North Kensington Library building to a prep school while building a brand new, larger library 50 yards away. The accusation is thrown down by a councillor, but not just any old councillor, oh no, it’s the view of a ‘leading councillor’.

The need to raise council tax

At this time of year, the Council has to declare its thinking about the budget for the municipal year to come; 2017-18 will be the seventh year in a row in which our grants from central government will decline.

Budget speech Wednesday 2 March 2016

Mr Mayor,
It is hard to believe that 12 months have passed since I last proposed the Budget of the Majority Party. What a lot has happened during that period.