Kirklees - save our nurseries

IN KIRKLEES council, the Tory administration's budget for next year included plans to close three children's nurseries in Huddersfield.

Members of Kirklees UNISON and parents had begun organising a campaign group against the cuts and Socialist Party members helped to support the group and organise stalls with campaign members.

A 100-strong lobby attended the council meeting. Save Huddersfield NHS councillor and Socialist Party member Dr Jackie Grunsell spoke at the rally as did local Labour councillors who jumped on the campaign bandwagon.

Labour councillors proposed an alternative budget which did not include the nurseries cuts but included cuts in other council services. In the end, the Tory administration and Liberals joined forces to vote the Tories' budget through the meeting.

Unfortunately Jackie could not move a motion against all cuts because of the lack of someone to second the motion.

Save Huddersfield NHS campaign will stand Socialist Party member Ian Slattery in this year's election. Other anti-cuts campaigns should also stand as alternatives to Labour, Liberal and Tory cuts.

At the next council meeting on 21 March, there will be another lobby. Jackie will attempt to move a motion against the closures at that meeting.

Iain Dalton