Link to this page: http://www.socialistparty.org.uk/issue/478/2163
From The Socialist newspaper, 15 March 2007
Lambeth council attacks services for vulnerable people
IN SPITE of demonstrations and protests, south London Lambeth council voted through £700,000 worth of cuts to voluntary sector organisations at its meeting on 28 February.
Andy Tullis
Despite intense pressure from the Save Our Services campaign it has only meant the council continuing its so-called "consultation" period before attempting to introduce huge increases in services charges and new charges for previously free services to adults.
Socialist Party members went along to one of these consultation meetings on 5 March. Service users and their carers were enraged that no Labour councillors had bothered to show up. Nervous service directors pleaded with an angry meeting to remain calm and not take their frustration out on them.
Part of the discussion centred around Lambeth's plan to increase the threshold for 'eligibility' from 'substantial' to 'critical' need. By doing this the council hopes to save money by reducing the care packages of an estimated 700 people!
Socialist Party members pointed out that if care packages were withdrawn from elderly and vulnerable people who don't qualify under the new criteria, those people could be in "critical" need quite quickly. So what savings would Lambeth make?
Then the lead Labour councillor on the Adult Services Committee suddenly appeared and starting banging on about the importance of consultation, provoking much laughter from the audience. People reminded him that the council had already voted through its overall budget, so how could this be consultation?
Nevertheless the meeting unanimously told the council they didn't agree with its proposals, which would lead to more isolation and hardship for the most vulnerable.
When the council officials asked the meeting for alternative money-saving ideas, they got told that the Labour Cabinet should donate their inflated salaries to the Adult Services budget.
One man said: "I remember the days when our councillors did the job for nothing but the privilege of serving the community".
Those days are gone. They will only return when we have broken with the three main capitalist parties and elected our own socialist representatives. Representatives that will stand up and fight for local people and local services like the socialist councillors in Lambeth and Liverpool did in the 1980s.
Why not click here to join the Socialist Party, or click here to donate to the Socialist Party.
In The Socialist 15 March 2007:
£billions for rich... Pennies for us!
Socialist Party NHS campaign
UNISON Health group votes for summer demo
Socialist Party news and analysis
Lambeth council attacks services for vulnerable people
Barking BNP don't oppose council cuts
Lewisham council's outrageous attack
Kurdish asylum seekers living in fear
Northern Ireland and Scotland
Northern Ireland Assembly elections: Another sectarian headcount...
We Won't Pay Campaign conference success
Solidarity builds party profile ahead of elections
Marxist analysis: history
February revolution 1917 - what lessons for today?
International socialist news and analysis
US continues threats over Iran's nuclear ambitions
Iraq war: Convicted Bush official is 'fall guy' over WMD scandal
International Women's Day
Celebrating International Women's Day
Housing
Tenants vote no to council housing sell-off
Market-driven 'social housing' threatens tenants
Environment and socialism
Will government plans stop climate change?
Socialist Students
Build the campaign to defeat fees
International Socialist Resistance (ISR) and Socialist Students conference
Campaign for a New Workers Party
Trade Unions and the Labour Party: CWU branch asks some awkward questions
Campaign for a New Workers' Party conference
Workplace news and analysis
UNISON leaders lead members into dead end
PCS prepares for more struggles
Right wins lecturers' union leadership - on a 14% turnout
Home | The Socialist 15 March 2007 | Join the Socialist Party
Join us today!
Printable version
email to friend
