QUESTION: Is 2010 likely to be a better year than 2009 for people living in Hammersmith and Fulham?

STEPHEN Greenhalgh, Conservative council leader: “Before we look into the future we should remember that residents’ satisfaction with the council has increased significantly since 2006 with the council making the top 11, out of 350 local authorities in England, for the first time ever.

“In fact, eight out of 10 local people are now satisfied with Hammersmith and Fulham as a place to live, which is better than most parts of London.

“2010 will be a curate’s egg of a year. While we should see a return to economic growth, local public services will face a far harsher environment as a result of the huge budget deficit nationally.

“Hammersmith and Fulham is well placed to ride out the storm as we are planning to cut council tax bills by three per cent for the fourth year running by slashing our debt and cutting waste and bureaucracy.

“We will also continue our focus on delivering high quality council services so that our neighbourhoods continue to get safer, our streets cleaner and our parks greener.

“Unlike other areas, in Hammersmith and Fulham crime –especially burglary – is falling, partly because the council pays for more than 50 extra town centre beat police.

“According to the most recent Tidy Britain survey, 93 per cent of our streets are cleaner than national standards and our parks have just won three Green Flags, which is official recognition that they are among the best in the country.

“In the meantime, I would like to wish all Chronicle readers a happy and prosperous new year.”

STEPHEN Cowan, leader of the Labour opposition: “Early in 2010 the UK will come out of the global recession.

“But the challenging times will remain for many local families and businesses.“It is crucial that the local council does all it can to encourage investment, win new jobs and be on the side of all our borough’s residents.“To start, the Conservative-run council must get its own house in order. It must sell off its Pravda-style newspaper and radically cut back expenditure on its press office and advertising operation – we live in a free country and should have a strong, free local press.

“The council should halt plans to build its new multimillion pound Town Hall offices and instead sell off excess office space which is not used by the community.

“Savings from these and other schemes should be reinvested into front line services and lower charges.

“Anxiety for many residents will remain about the council’s plans to demolish their homes.“The council must end this.

“We need a better way of supporting our young and elderly, cutting crime, developing our landscape and environment as well as encouraging local business and small shops.

“Our council must seek to put all residents first.

“There will be much that we can all do to shape how 2010 turns out, not least because there will be local elections on May 6. I am determined that we make this a better year for all our residents.”