Spotlight on Tory council cuts

From LabourList

Following from our focus on Conservative councils last week, here are some more specific examples of how Conservative local government may have affected your community.

BARNET

20% Age Concern cuts – Hendon Times, 28th March 2007

“Members of Age Concern Barnet this week protested outside Hendon town hall against a decision to slash its funding by 20 per cent. The cuts mean that from next week, the Meritage Centre, Church End, Hendon, and the Ann Owens Centre, Oak Lane, East Finchley – both day centres for older people – will be open four days a week, instead of five. Salaries of those working at the centres will also drop by 20 per cent and one senior member of staff has been made redundant. Labour MP for Hendon Andrew Dismore said: “The centres are a lifeline for the elderly people who use them, and the cuts are a false economy because this will affect their health and wellbeing. The vulnerable members of our society deserve better.”

BEXLEY

Education and youth services cut – News Shopper, 3rd March 2008

“Proposed spending cuts cover everything from home and day care for the elderly and vulnerable, and grants for items such as school uniforms, to ditching the Green Flag accreditation for parks and open spaces. It is also hoped to save up to £200,000 by dropping meals on wheels and getting users to order, pay and microwave their own freezer meals. But cabinet member for health and social care Councillor Sharon Massey said Bexley was putting an extra eight per cent into health and adult social care in 2008/09. Education and youth services hope to save nearly £1m on next year’s spending. This includes £50,000 on discretionary grants to help fund things such as schools trips and school uniforms and £53,000. There will also be more than £200,000 savings from reducing staff in areas such as children’s social care and safeguarding.”

COVENTRY

After school clubs and summer play schemes to be scrapped – Coventry Evening Telegraph, 22nd January 2009

“Parents in Coventry say they will lose a “lifeline” if after-school clubs and play schemes are axed as part of a controversial council cuts plan. A group of outraged parents joined local councillors and staff at Henley Green Primary School on Tuesday, to take a stand against the proposals which will see up to 14 clubs across the city closed in April. The children’s clubs, which are run by the city council’s Children and Family Education Service, and all summer play schemes provided by the council – which will also be scrapped – are used by 6,000 youngsters a year.

Children’s clubs are seen as a crucial part of the government’s Every Child Matters agenda. But the cuts are proposed by the council’s management board. Its document to councillors proposes the “ending of existing services providing after-school clubs and other open access children’s activities”. Ed Ruane, Labour ward councillor for the Henley area and school governor at Henley Green Primary School, said: “The Tory council’s proposals to scrap children’s clubs sends out the wrong message. Clearly, every child doesn’t matter with this council, as the less well off communities will be affected the most.”

EALING

Park ranger service cut – Ealing Times, 12th October 2007

“A bid to stop the reorganisation of Ealing’s park ranger service, branded “kneejerk costcutting” by campaigners, has failed. Last night, Ealing Council’s scrutiny committee supported a decision to alter the service, reducing the number of ranger bases from four to two, in Acton and Southall. More than 550 Hanwell residents, including MPs Virendra Sharma and Steve Pound, had signed a petition calling the for plans to be scrapped. Residents argue that decreasing the number of bases would limit ranger presence in borough’s 60 parks, leading to an increase in crime, and a drop in the quality of the green spaces. However, councillors on the committee, which is dominated by the Conservatives, voted seven to five against asking the cabinet to rethink its plans.”

GLOUCESTER

Voluntary group cuts – The Gloucester Citizen, 13th January 2009 “Voluntary groups and charities in Gloucester could be facing tougher times if the city council goes through with plans for cutbacks. The Conservative led council is proposing to make 10% cuts to its funding of city voluntary organisations in its next budget. But the groups which receive the money say it could be devastating for them. Pauline Reynolds from Gloucestershire Afro-Caribbean Association said cuts in funding would hit them hard. “If we weren’t here, our users’ needs needs would not be met. They are vulnerable at the best of times and even more so in the current climate. Labour councillors say they fear the smallest groups in the city will suffer most. Coun Mark Hobbs, said: ‘I urge voluntary organisations to make sure their views are heard. We need to let the Conservative council know that we value what the voluntary sector does for our city and these cuts are not acceptable.'”

HAMMERSMITH AND FULHAM

Elderly to pay £182 more per year for Meals on Wheels – Hammersmith & Shepherd’s Bush Gazette – 23rd January 2009

“Elderly people must fork out an additional £182 more per year for Meals on Wheels in the third price hike for the service in as many years. The increase, which affects 300 of Hammersmith and Fulham’s most vulnerable residence, means they will have had to fork out an extra 7 for the service during the Tory administration.”

OXFORDSHIRE

Plans for new £1m youth centre scrapped – Abingdon Herald, 17th January 2008

“Fears that Wallingford will not get a planned £1m youth centre this year have been branded a “slap in the face” by civic leaders. A year ago Oxfordshire County Council promised money would be set aside to replace the present venue in Clapcot Way. One idea was to include a housing development on the site – which would help fund a new youth centre. The county council carried out surveys on the site and a spokesman pledged that money would be earmarked for the scheme. But no plans have been drawn up and the council would not say if there was sufficient money to fund the development. Former mayor Theresa Jordan said: “Our young people have been promised a purpose-built centre and they deserve it. “Not to get one this year is a slap in the face for them.” Wallingford’s representative on the council, Liberal Democrat Lord Bradshaw, said: “The youth budget is almost certain to be cut and that will mean the amount available for Wallingford will fall short of what is necessary.”

TRAFFORD

Mental Health services cuts – Messenger Newspapers, 22 November 2007

“Plans to cut the number of mental health support workers looking after care in the community patients has been met with widespread criticism. An investigation by the Messenger has discovered that the borough’s team of 24 part and full time support workers could be cut by about a third.”

Library cuts – This is Cheshire, 9 November 2006

“The School Library Service will be ‘discontinued’ by early 2007; King’s Road School’s public library, in Stretford, will close and two librarian posts will be axed. While people using Bowfell and Greatstone libraries will have to make greater use of their self issue service – with staff hours being cut from 30 to 18 hours per week.”

WORCESTERSHIRE

Free school transport for disabled children to be cut – This Is Worcestershire, 14th February 2008

“Worcester News readers have reacted with anger at plans to cut transport funding for disabled children in Worcestershire. Earlier this week we revealed the county council had announced plans to remove the automatic right of all disabled youngsters in the county to get free transport to school. Councillor Liz Eyre, the Conservative cabinet member for children and young people’s services said that as disabled children already receive the disability living allowance they should not have free transport as well. [On our blog] Pommygranit, of Worcester said she was “out of touch” with children’s needs.”

WYRE FOREST

Subsidised Dial a Ride scheme for elderly and disabled to be scrapped – Kidderminster Shuttle, 23rd January 2009

“Wyre Forest District Council’s opposition leader has accused the Conservative administration of being “obsessed” with council tax at the expense of the elderly and disabled. The council’s cabinet approved its budget plans for the next three years last night after the full raft of controversial measures was announced. Proposals include phasing out the taxi travel token scheme for the elderly and disabled, along with the subsidy for the Dial-a-Ride service. The Concessionary Travel Scheme would also revert to providing only off-peak free public transport to residents over 60. Howard Martin, Leader of Independent Community and Health Concern on the district council, said:”The council’s policy is totally absurd. They are obsessed with keeping the council tax increase to 2.5 per cent and that is one of the reasons we are in the mess we are in at the moment. Also, the fact that they have started planning to cut services that affect the elderly and the disabled is very worrying.” Mark Lawley, chairman of Disability Action Wyre Forest, said: “The proposed withdrawing of taxi tokens will hit those who are the most vulnerable in society and who have no voice to oppose this action.”