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The Socialist 6 June 2012 |
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Tory leader chauffeur driven while slashing services
Heather Rawling, Leicestershire NUT (personal capacity)
Imagine how angry I felt when I read in our local paper that the Leicestershire Tory council leader, David Parsons, had cost taxpayers more than £1 million in expenses and allowances over the past five years.
Last year I was told that the two learning centres that I managed would have to close. All staff, including myself, were made redundant. The minibus company that brought the children to the centre went out of business as a direct result of losing our custom.
The learning centres worked with underachieving children. Children, teachers and parents told us we had made a huge difference to the lives of the children we worked with. We restored their self belief and confidence.
The Tories tell us that there is no alternative to making cuts but councillor Parsons' £1 million would have kept both centres open for five years!
What did Parsons spend his expenses on? £210,000 funded his chauffeur driven use of the civic Ford Mondeo car. Trips included being driven to and from the Formula 1 British Grand Prix at Silverstone for the past three years. He has also been chauffeur driven to London to have lunch with a reporter and to Heathrow airport on several occasions.
£64,000 went on moving his office a few hundred yards. Now, when I moved house a few years ago, it cost less than £1,000 for the removal people to move all my belongings so I can't fathom why it cost £64,000 to move a few bits of office furniture.
Councillor Parsons has frequently said that we are "all in this crisis together" and we all need to make sacrifices. Well, we lost our jobs and the children lost some valuable support. What sacrifices have you made Mr Parsons?
In this issue
Fight the cuts!
 NHS cuts... Pension cuts... RESIST CUTS!
National Shops Stewards Network
Liverpool TUSC: Standing against Labour's cuts
Tory leader chauffeur driven while slashing services
Children still getting raw deal
Socialist Party news and analysis
Energy bill puts profits before the planet
Andy Coulson charged with lying
Youth unemployment sky-rocketing
Them & Us
International socialist news and analysis
Syria: Is there a way to avoid a bloody civil war?
Ireland: Austerity Treaty
Socialist Party reports and campaigns
Fighting cuts and sexism at Newcastle's Slutwalk
Heathrow protest against warmonger Rajapaksa
We won't be a lost generation - Fight for jobs and education!
Campaigning for EMA and youth services
Disabled people's organisations condemn views of Tory minister IDS
A royal debate in Lincoln
Socialist Party workplace news
DVLA workers strike to defend services
Solid strikes show that Veolia privatisation is rubbish
Support Churchill cleaners on Tyne & Wear Metro
Leeds university Unison - Save our pensions!
Privateers not welcome at Sussex University
Workplace news in brief
Reviews and comments
Britain's hidden homeless
Why I joined the Socialist Party
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