Enfield Labour: Tory election promises are unaffordable, unachievable and misleading
Enfield Labour has today warned residents that key promises made by the local Conservatives ahead of May’s elections are simply not achievable.
Put plainly: the Tories are misleading the public with pledges they cannot afford to keep.
Cllr Ergin Erbil, Leader of Enfield Council, said:
“The Enfield Conservatives are making promises they cannot keep. I want to be clear with residents, Enfield Labour will only make promises we know we can achieve.”
Weekly bin collections
The Conservatives say they will bring back weekly bin collections.
The reality? That would cost an extra £7 million every year. Money the Council simply does not have.
Yes, government funding has improved. But huge cost pressures remain, especially in Adult Social Care and SEND services. While Enfield Labour will set a balanced no-cuts budget for 2026–27, there is no spare £7 million sitting around.
So residents deserve an honest question answered:
What would the Conservatives cut to pay for it?
• Services for disabled people, elderly people, adult social care or childrens services?
• Investment in council homes and estates?
• Local services people rely on such as youth centres?
Let’s not forget: fourteen years of Conservative cuts forced councils like Enfield to move to fortnightly bin collections in the first place.
If the Tories say they will “find the money” from within the existing waste budget, that would mean scrapping free bulky waste collection – one of the key tools we use to tackle illegal rubbish dumping and fly-tipping. After all, you can’t fit a mattress in a wheelie bin, however often it’s collected.
What is affordable and what will Labour introduce if re-elected? Enfield Labour will introduce weekly recycling bin collections, bringing Enfield in line with boroughs like Haringey and Waltham Forest.
LTNs and camera enforcement
The Conservatives have also promised to remove LTNs and switch off enforcement cameras on day one.
That is simply not true.
The law requires a full consultation process, including with Transport for London. That would take months, possibly years. Because TfL funded the schemes, removing them could also cost the Council significant sums.
The Conservatives claim to be financially responsible, yet they are proposing expensive, legally complex changes without explaining how they would pay for them. They crashed the economy in 2022 and cut funding to Enfield for 14 years. They can’t be trusted with financial decisions.
There is no secret pot of money. Cutting services to fund headline-grabbing pledges would hurt residents.
Listening to residents
Enfield Labour listens.
When residents in Bowes & New Southgate asked for a trial to change LTN access, Labour councillors worked with them and secured a win for them.
If re-elected, we will:
• Support School Streets where communities want them. These are sensible, short closures at school drop-off and pick-up times to keep children safe
Cllr Erbil added:
“We will always be honest with residents. We will not promise what we cannot afford. Enfield deserves responsible leadership. Not misleading election slogans.”
