THE leader of Harlow Labour has slammed the Conservative-run leader of Harlow Council over their recent film publicising the budget for the town.

Councillor Chris Vince said: “The recent party-political broadcast by the Conservative administration is fooling no one.

In fact, judging by the video, it doesn’t even seem to be fooling the leader himself who is clearly going through the motions until his party get shot of him.

Harlow is a wonderful place to live but that is in spite of the Conservative’s and their cost cutting government, rather than because of it.

The Tories bleat about Labour talking down our town,

“We were accused of this when we said they wouldn’t extend the underground to Harlow, guess what, they didn’t.

We were accused of this when we said they wouldn’t give us world class cycle paths, guess what, they didn’t.

We were accused of this when we said they wouldn’t give us a hospital, guess what, we’re still waiting!

“What they have given us is a ‘desperate for survival’ budget, a budget that cuts staffing levels at the council which in the medium and long term will mean a lessening of service delivery for the people of Harlow. At the same time as the conservative created cost of living crisis decimates family incomes they choose to further punish tenants by increasing council rents by a massive 7%.

Sadly 13 years of Conservative government cuts, which have led to Harlow Council losing out on over £60m worth of funding, coupled with a disastrous mini-budget wiping £billions from the UK economy, we now see the consequences of these actions leading to further avoidable pressures being exacted upon Harlow residents.

“The local Conservative administration seem determined to bury their heads in the sand and ignore the precipice we are on but I once again urge them to call on their friends in government to take local government seriously and fund it properly.  These cuts will impact all Harlow residents but, as ever, it will be those people who need support the most who will be the worst affected.

“Over the next couple of months I look forward to talking to residents across Harlow about why we need a Labour administration both locally and nationally”.