Haringey Council leader Peray Ahmet on its £51.4m budget gap

2024 has certainly been another testing and challenging year and I am proud to be leader of a great borough where we have a group of people who rally together in both good and bad times.

The cost-of-living crisis continues to affect thousands of our families, and we know the impact this is having on millions of people as the winter months approach.

Councils across the country are facing ever-growing demands and rising costs, and following 14 years of austerity by the previous government this is putting a huge strain on their finances and services.

In Haringey 3,780 adults require adult social care and we provide temporary accommodation for just under 3,000 households with demands and costs increasing.

With temporary accommodations costs alone going up 68% this year this is not sustainable, and we announced this week that the council has an estimated £51.4m budget gap.

Peray Ahmet encourages residents to look at the draft budget when it is released (Image: Haringey Council) Alongside other councils, we will continue to make a strong case to the new government for the resources we urgently need in the face of the ongoing cost rises.

We welcome the additional funding from the national budget and look forward to a fair funding settlement, but in the meantime tough choices need to be made.

We will continue to work hard towards a balanced budget, but we will always ensure Haringey’s values of fairness guide these difficult decisions.

As we look ahead to 2025, investing in the frontline services that our residents need will remain a priority, and we will continue to maintain our parks, libraries, highways and high streets – assets which are valued by everyone in Haringey.

When it comes to building new affordable homes, we have pledged to deliver 3,000 council homes at council rent by 2031 and are well on track with around 2,000 already underway or constructed.

We continue to provide the best possible start in life for our youngsters with 98% of our schools rated good or outstanding, our Children’s Services department given a good Ofsted rating, and our SEND provision awarded the highest Ofsted rating.

I would urge everyone to look at the budget proposals that will shortly go out for public consultation.

We know our residents value our council services, so it is crucial we hear from you as we want to understand how each of these proposals may affect you and your family during this critical time.

You have the chance to shape how changes are implemented, and we can use this feedback to help with our final decisions that will be made at the Full Council meeting in March 2025.

• Cllr Peray Ahmet is the leader of Haringey Council.