Fewer street cleaning shifts and no longer closing parks at night are among the savings proposed for the 2025/26 budget, reports Grace Howarth, Local Democracy Reporter
A street cleaning cart in Enfield
Enfield Council has revealed how it intends to save £18.7million over the next year – with proposed cuts to environmental services in particular causing concern.
In order to make the savings needed to balance the 2025/26 budget, the civic centre is proposing cuts to spending on street cleaning and no longer closing parks at night.
These and other spending proposals are subject to a council budget consultation which commenced on Wednesday (15th) and ends on Wednesday, 29th January.
A financial report presented to a cabinet meeting last week stated the budget gap for 2025/26 had reduced from £30m to £10.8m thanks in part to the new savings proposed.
The need for savings was blamed in the report on the “pressures” arising from greater demand for adult and children’s social care and special needs education.
Out of the total £18.7m in savings now proposed, around £8.8m comes from new income generation, with fees and charges on most council services rising by 10% in 2025/26, while new charges are set to be introduced on licenses for “breeding dogs, dangerous wild animals, animals for exhibition and riding establishments”.
The remaining £9.9m comes from cuts to spending including “service redesign” and “service efficiencies”.
One of the biggest cuts already proposed is to the council’s libraries service, with up to £630,000 set to be saved from closing eight libraries, a move which is still subject to a final decision expected next month.
The council had also proposed a cut of £500,000 to sexual health spending, with the borough’s only sexual health clinic coming under threat of closure, but the council announced this week that the clinic itself would now be retained.
Additional cuts proposed this month would see £380,000 saved by reducing street cleaning shifts and £37,000 saved by keeping parks open through the night, meaning the council would no longer pay caretakers to lock the gates each night.
Opposition councillors and local residents have already expressed alarm at these proposals, however.
Conservative councillor Maria Alexandrou said: “Labour’s financial woes will impact the environment in Enfield. Parks will be kept open 24/7 – this will attract drug dealing and more littering.
“Street cleaning cuts will create a hazardous environment with filthy streets.”
Conservative councillor James Hockney said residents would be “shocked” at the changes amid rising fees and service charges, as well as increasing council tax.
Cllr Hockney said: “One of the top local issues is street scene litter and fly tipping; the Labour council actually plans to cut back the street cleansing budget by £380,000, with other cuts even going as far as taking £37,000 from spending on locking parks. On top of this it will be hiking many fees and charges across the board.
“This is a consequence of the council having to spend £28m out of the frontline services budget on debt interest, further compounded by a disappointing settlement from the Labour government.”
Winchmore Hill resident Neil Littman thought the money saved would not be worth the potential risks which he said “could cost the council more to fix”.
Reacting to parks being kept open 24/7 he said there were “already issues” such as muggings, vandalism, drug dealing, and mobile phone theft in parks and police “rarely” patrolled them.
Enfield Council was approached for comment.
To take part in the council’s budget consultation before Wednesday 29th January:Email [email protected]Visit enfield.gov.uk/consultations/setting-a-balanced-budget-in-2025-26
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