TORY SPIN AT RUGBY COUNCIL!

PRESS RELEASE For immediate use February 25th 2011

TORIES CLAIM THE PUBLIC SPENDING CUTS WILL NOT AFFECT RUGBY

RUGBY AGAINST THE CUTS

PO Box 4123 Rugby CV21 9BJ

http://rugbyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com

rugbyagainstthecuts@googlemail.com

Convenor and Press Officer: Pete McLaren pete.mclaren@virgin.net 07881 520626

Treasurer: Julie Weekes Trade Union Liaison: Roy Sandison; Martin Eversfield

Rugby Against the Cuts held a Lobby of Rugby Borough Council last night. They gave out leaflets outlining the alternatives to cutting public spending in order to reduce the economic deficit.

“Tory councillors were clearly rattled, either by our protest, or because they now know we are going to ensure there is an anti cuts candidate in every Rugby ward this May,” spokesperson Pete McLaren explained. “The Council Leader, Cllr Craig Humphrey, told us as he went into the Town Hall that the Council would not be agreeing any cuts in Rugby tonight. Fellow Conservative Councillor David Wright went further, suggesting to protesters that Rugby people would not be affected by any decisions about cuts agreed at that night’s meeting.”

“It was good that Cllr Wright came to talk to us, but it is hard to understand his motivation for making these comments. Staff have been told their jobs are at risk,” he continued. “The Tories are ideologically committed to imposing public spending cuts – so why are two of their local leading members telling us otherwise? Rugby Council has agreed over £4 million of cuts which, according to the Papers going before Council, included:

• The loss of 20 posts, at least 5 of which by the Council’s own figures, will be compulsory redundancies
• Reducing the number of refuse collections
• Ending the Council’s contribution to the Citizen Advice Bureau
• Increasing charges for a number of facilities including sports pitches and parking”

Geoff Dewhirst (Warwickshire Branch Secretary of Unite – Youth Work section) added, “These cuts come on top of those agreed last week by Warwickshire Council, which will decimate the youth service, library provision, and care for the elderly. They will react with each other to make the situation worse for service users. Some services have inputs from both Rugby and Warwickshire Councils.”

“It is not true that cuts to ‘backroom’ posts have no effect on services, and Councillors know that. Services to our communities are often created by, and always enhanced by, networked relationships between agencies. Take even one piece out of this “backroom” network, then services become less responsive, imaginative projects aborted, and only bare, statutory requirements are met.”

NOTES

• Rugby Against the Cuts will be promoting anti cuts candidates, standing in their own Party name or as independents, throughout Rugby this May to ensure every voter has the chance to vote against the cuts
• Rugby Against the Cuts meets on the second Thursday of every month, 7.30pm, at the Three Horse Shoes, Rugby
• Rugby Against the Cuts can be contacted on 07881 520626, atrugbyagainstthecuts@googlemail.com, or through our web site at

Taken from Rugby Against the Cuts web site

Fighting the Cuts – Lobby of Rugby Borough Council – Thursday 24th February from 6pm

Fighting the Cuts – Lobby of Rugby Borough Council – Thursday 24th February from 6pm

Rugby Against The Cuts have called a lobby of Rugby Borough Council on the 24th February

Please support our community by making your voice heard. Visit http://rugbyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com/ for update on the fight against the cuts in Rugby, Warwickshire and Nationally.

Fury as Warwickshire County Council approve massive cuts

(Article and picture from Warwickshire Telegraph

Report will follow from Rugby Against The Cuts Members)

PLACARD-waving protesters gathered outside Warwickshire County Council’s headquarters as councillors met to approve massive budget cuts.

A petition signed by 13,000 people against cutbacks to youth services was handed in by campaigners at Shire Hall in Warwick.

Councillors voted through bitterly-opposed plans which would close old folks homes, libraries and youth clubs.

About 1,800 jobs will go over the next three years.

Ruling Conservative councillors yesterday pushed through their plans for £21million cuts this year, rising to £60million over three years, which will see up to 1,800 job losses.

Set to close are nearly all the council’s 10 elderly care homes, up to half of its 34 libraries and youth clubs.

Cuts will also hit the Connexions careers service to young people, street lights will be switched off at night, while the county music service and children’s centres also face cuts.

Conservative council leader Alan Farnell said it was a “firm but fair” response to unprecedented 26 per cent government funding cuts to councils to tackle the £150billion national deficit.

He told yesterday’s budget-setting meeting it was also an “opportunity” to transform council services.

Tory councillors echoed Prime Minister David Cameron’s “Big Society” call for community volunteers to step in to run services, including libraries, youth centres and care homes.

They also favour more commissioning of private firms and social enterprises to run services.

Council tax will be frozen this year, and charges will rise for many services, including home care of the elderly and transport to schools.

Labour leader Coun June Tandy accused the Tories of hiding behind government cuts.

She referred to national charity leaders who have criticised cuts made via councils to charities that provide volunteers, at a time when Mr Cameron was promoting his ‘‘Big Society’’.

Coun Farnell said “difficult decisions” were needed, adding: “We’re trying to do as much as we can with the finances we’ve got... in striving to achieve value for money.”

He said the council would shift towards becoming a “business-led commissioning organisation”.

Earlier, Tory plans to scrap the entire youth service were attacked by Lib Dem councillors, who said the partial U-turn of £1million funding would still see many losing out.

Conservative councillors hit back, saying £1million extra would provide for youth workers in multi-disciplinary teams supporting the most vulnerable young people.

Labour councillors’ alternative plan included keeping open all libraries, youth services, and protecting charities, partly by cutting councillors’ pay by 25 per cent.

Lib Dems and Tories pointed to Labour plans to close all museums and four recycling centres, and uncosted savings plans for 2013/14.

Lib Dem leader councillor Jerry Roodhouse said that, despite the “ya-boo politics”, all three parties’ plans were for difficult cuts, and he blamed the last Labour government’s deficit.

Labour councillors said Tories were in denial about the global banking collapse and international recession, which saw spending increase to support jobs and savings. They accused Tory councillors of slavishly following the “slash and burn policies” of their national leaders.

WORKERS AND STUDENTS MUST SUPPORT EACH OTHER

Taken from http://rugbyagainstthecuts.blogspot.com/

By Billy Hayes, General Secretary of the CWU

On the 9th December student demonstration I found myself kettled alongside large numbers of students and school students. It was, and wasn’t accidental. I had been in the Red Lion Café in Whitehall, preparing for another meeting with Coalition MPs as part of the CWU’s campaign against the privatisation of Royal Mail.

It was accidental, in so far as I was engaged in other political activity. But it wasn’t accidental that I got caught up with the students – because, in one way or another, a large part of the country also got caught up in supporting your inspiring struggle.

In those few hours we all accumulated some anecdotes. Mine were to challenge the BBC reporter who claimed people were being led out for toilet breaks. The other was to start a chant, “let us out,” which people joined in with.

But the alliance between the students and the trade union movement is not really accidental.

Following the most severe recession since the 1930s, those with money and power are determined to make those with neither bear the burden of the recovery.

The trebling of fees, and the abolition of the EMA are part of this – students and young people are expected to pay for others failures. At the same time, workers in both the public and private sector are facing unemployment, wage cuts, pension cuts and attacks on working conditions.

Suddenly we are allies in misfortune. Some of us – but most certainly not all of us – are in this together. The question is are we going to take it, or are we going to fight for our rights? Clearly students and school students are answering that one.

The trade unions are beginning to organise. Slowly, but definitely, we can see the organisations of 7 million workers preparing themselves for fights. The March 26th TUC demonstration is important in this. As are the many local and sectoral campaigns which the unions are starting.

Because of the severity of the attack, we can expect some defeats. But make no mistake, there is going to be a serious fight back.

So let us support each other in our struggle. Certainly trade unions should support the protests to defend the EMA on January 19th, and the demonstration in London on January 29th called by some of the most effective student organisations.

But neither trade unionists, nor students should forget the impact the cuts are having on the most vulnerable and least organised sections of society. The unemployed, people with special needs and disabilities, and benefit claimants have all been singled out for heart breaking cuts in services and living standards. We must make the case for supporting those least able to defend themselves.

I share the willingness of Len McCluskey, General Secretary of UNITE, to actively seek out connections between students and the trade unions. In alliance we can render some real set backs to the Coalition’s policies.

Trade unions are changing, just as the workforce is. Although far too few young workers and students are members, nevertheless the Unions are very effective organisations for defending living standards. Young people need to join and make them more effective.

In recent years, there has been a radicalisation in the unions. Nowadays the fight against racism and fascism is a normal part of the union’s agenda, inside and outside the workplace. The struggle of women has led to a position where the majority of trade union members are women – despite continuing problems of under representation in the leadership of unions. Most unions have comprehensive equalities policies, including a commitment to support lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people. The unions have also played an important part in the anti-war movement, the solidarity movement for the Palestinian people, and the promotion of a more equal and peaceful world. Environmental issues have a wide hearing these days inside unions.

I know that many students have to work part time to maintain their education courses. I am proud to say that we have students in CWU membership who work part time in Royal Mail sorting offices.

Recognising this common interest, let’s make sure we turn it into effective action in solidarity with each others struggles.

From Student Broad Left - http://studentbroadleft.org.uk/2011/01/billy-hayes-workers-and-students-should-support-each-other-in-struggle/

GMB Notified Of 102,289 Jobs Under Threat At 131 Councils As Council Workers Face Bleak 2011

WARWICKSHIRE COUNTY COUNCIL TO LOSE 2305 DIRECT WORKERS

Warwickshire County Council is consulting on a series of cuts that would see the jobs of around 1,855 direct employees’ jobs disappear as well as 450 from Warwickshire Police Authority . Excluding fire staff and teachers the council employs 15,000 staff and these cuts amount to 12.5 percent of these staff. The job losses are scheduled over the next three years.

Amongst many others, the council’s package of job losses and cuts include:

Reductions in residential care for the elderly, people with physical disabilities and people with learning disabilities;

Reducing day services for the elderly and people with learning disabilities;

Loss of 20% of jobs in Adult Social Care;

Loss of the whole of the Youth Service and the Positive About Young People partnership;

Reductions in services to schools and families and passing the cost of existing services on to schools;

Removal of community transport and subsidised evening bus services;

Reductions in the enforcement work of Trading Standards and the support that is given to vulnerable customers;

Reductions in the funding for Children’s Centres, Early Years services and Connexions;

Stopping the payment of nursery and childminding fees and reducing the funding for the education of looked after children;

Further closures of libraries;

Reductions in the maintenance of the county’s highways;

30% reduction in the budget for heritage and cultural services

http://www.gmb.org.uk/newsroom/latest_news/102289_jobs_under_threat.aspx

CONDEM GOVERNMENT - THE FRIEND OF TAX DODGERS?

Withdraw Proposal To Cease The Whole Of The Youth Service In Warwickshire petition

Withdraw Proposal To Cease The Whole Of The Youth Service In Warwickshire petition
Category: Youth Issues

Region: Warwickshire
Target: Councillor Alan Farnell Leader of Warwickshire County Council

Why the 'Withdraw proposal to cease the whole of the Youth Service in Warwickshire petition' was created

We the undersigned are outraged at Warwickshire County Council’s proposal to:
“Cease the whole of the Youth Service”.
We know how vulnerable young people can be. However, Warwickshire County Council is withdrawing the very service that is proven to work successfully alongside them.
We consider that this proposal contradicts the leader of the Council, Councillor Alan Farnell’s claim to “protect the most vulnerable and the front-line services that support them,” and we are calling for its immediate withdrawal.

Please visit this site to add your name http://www.petition.co.uk/withdraw-proposal-to-cease-the-whole-of-the-youth-service-in-warwickshire