The debate on how Harrow Council will fund its services is under way.

Politicians gathered for an opportunity to quiz Tory leader of the council Susan Hall ahead of the crunch debate on February 27 in which councillors will pass a budget.

Addressing the committee, Ms Hall made her pitch for a 'Cleaner, Safer, Fairer' Harrow. Watch here speech below:

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Last month, the Conservative administration unveiled that they will spend £600,000 on social care for the elderly, £500,000 on 12 social worker posts, £300,000 on expanding Harrow's special educational needs transport, £150,000 on the reintroduction of weekend street cleaning teams in shopping areas with reported excessive littering, £125,000 on a recycling support team which aims to increase Harrow's recycling rate by 50 per cent and £125,000 on a team dedicated specifically to ensure parks and open spaces are kept clean.

They will also look to splash £125,000 on an environmental cleansing team who will respond to complaints such as flytipping, £105,000 on keeping parks and cemeteries locked overnight and reversing Labour's plans to scrap dog bins, £100,000 to relaunch of the Neighbourhood Champions volunteer scheme where neighbours report local crime issues and £100,000 on enhanced planning enforcement including tackling problems such as beds in sheds.

The question on everyone's lips is: how will they pay for this? Here is how:

Using £2,000,000 put aside by Labour to help those most in need will be spent funding the Tory 'cleaner, safer fairer' agenda

Spending £1,000,000 that could be used from the council tax base fund of which Labour outlined to give emergency help for those most in need

Save £568,000 by not introducing free 20 minute parking as planned by Independent Labour

Bring in £300,000 by making visitors pay for parking at leisure centres

And £280,000 will be saved annually by scrapping the role of chief executive

Much of the money that will be used to fund Ms Hall's 'Cleaner, Safer, Fairer' agenda will be taken from contingency funds.

Labour's head of finance, Councillor Sachin Shah, told the Observer after the meeting: "This Tory budget is reckless, irresponsible and unfair.

"The administration's attitudes on contingencies is symptomatic of their reckless handling of the Harrow council tax payer's money.

"Every household in Harrow knows that you need to put some money aside, just in case something unexpected happens. The Tories are playing with fire and its Harrow's council tax payers who will getting burnt."