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Cork pops for a 'weak' town hall

from Cathy (cathyvpreece@aol.com)

South London Press

Cork pops for a 'weak' town hall

Mar 3 2005
By Greg Truscott, Streatham Post

A CELEBRATORY champagne reception was thrown by the town hall because it received a "weak" rating for delivering services.

Politicians and bureaucrats quaffed bubbly and nibbled canapés at the plush event to celebrate a rise in Lambeth council's performance rating from "poor" to "weak", it has emerged.

Councillors joined chief executive Faith Boardman and her deputies to toast the result of the council's Comprehensive Performance Assessment - an audit into how well it works.

Local authorities are rated good, fair, weak or poor.

Furious opposition Labour councillors say the party should not have taken place because there was nothing to celebrate.

Labour leader Councillor Steve Reed said: "Despite huge Government investment and a 35 per cent increase in council tax, Lambeth council has failed to move up one single place in the league table of London's councils under the Lib-Dems and the Tories.

"The fact that they hold a champagne reception to celebrate the fact that Lambeth council is 'weak' tells you everything about the Lib Dem attitude."

Lambeth's Lib Dem leader, Councillor Peter Truesdale, has dismissed Cllr Reed's criticism of the reception, which was held at Lillian Bayliss School in Kennington in January.

It was paid for by council contractors Cleanaway and Focus Education.

Cllr Truesdale joked: "What's he going on about? The canapés were so small, I had to eat when I got home.

"I was also disappointed with the champagne. It was as fizzy as one of Cllr Reed's speeches."

He added: "We held the reception to bring all the people together who are helping to improve Lambeth."

(posted 6956 days ago)

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