spot Campaigns

spot Organisations

spot Arguments for socialism

All Campaigns subcategories:

Anti-capitalism

Anti-fascist

Anti-racism

Anti-war

Asylum

Black and Asian

Children

CNWP

Corporate crime

* Disability

Education

Election campaigns

Environment

Finance

Food

Gender Recognition Act

Health and safety

Health and welfare

Housing

Human Rights

LGBT Pride

Local government

Local services

Low pay

Migration

Nationalisation

New workers party

NHS

Pensions

Post Office

Poverty

Privatisation

Public Services

Socialism

Socialist

Sport

Stop the slaughter of Tamils

Students

The state

Transport

TUSC

Welfare rights

Women

Workplace and TU campaigns

Youth

Disability keywords:

Deaf (4)

Disability rights (13)

Disabled (198)

Incapacity (22)

Mobility (10)

Disabled

Highlight keywords |Print this article

From: The Socialist issue 878, 11 November 2015: Bail out the NHS

Search site for keywords: Gateshead - Disabled - Council - Parents - Protest - Tyne and Wear - Councillors - Cuts - Austerity

Fight now on to save disabled respite centre

Protesting against Grove House closure, photo by Tyne and Wear Socialist Party (Click to enlarge)

Norman Hall, South Tyne and Wear Socialist Party

An angry protest took place prior to the cabinet meeting of Gateshead Labour Council on 3 November at very short notice.

On the agenda was the privatisation or closure of Grove House, a respite centre for mentally and physically disabled children between eight and 18 years of age, among the most vulnerable members of society.

Around 30 people, predominantly parents of Grove House users, made their opposition clear.

There was disbelief that the Labour council could threaten a service that is a lifeline for families in Gateshead. Parents pointed out that, as care of their disabled children is so demanding, it is only during respite that they could spend quality time with their other children.

Outrage

Following the protest, in a BBC interview council leader Mick Henry said: "We have a situation where people like those at Grove House, a small number of the population, a very, very important part of the population, but are actually taking over 50% of the budget.

"Unfortunately, when you ask people they're more concerned about grass cutting and street cleaning, and understandably so."

Councillor Henry's statement has caused outrage. It is beyond belief that so many people can be insulted in so few sentences. The disabled kids who are compared to grass cutting and street cleaning, the families accused of eating up 50% of the budget and the people of Gateshead as a whole.

And how much will the closure of Grove House save? A meagre £280,000, bearing in mind £45,000 has been spent on refurb of offices for the council leader and cabinet.

The proposal is now under consultation but no option is ever available to call on the council to refuse to implement cuts and use their reserves of £77 million to protect services such as Grove House.

Jeremy Corbyn's anti-austerity call is in danger of being undermined by the actions and attitudes of Labour councillors such as Mick Henry.

The fight to save Grove House is now on. Sign the petition online at: www.change.org/p/councillor-henry-gateshead-council-leader-save-grove-house

Donate to the Socialist Party

Finance appeal

The coronavirus crisis has laid bare the class character of society in numerous ways. It is making clear to many that it is the working class that keeps society running, not the CEOs of major corporations.

The results of austerity have been graphically demonstrated as public services strain to cope with the crisis.

The government has now ripped up its 'austerity' mantra and turned to policies that not long ago were denounced as socialist. But after the corona crisis, it will try to make the working class pay for it, by trying to claw back what has been given.

The Socialist Party's material is more vital than ever, so we can continue to report from workers who are fighting for better health and safety measures, against layoffs, for adequate staffing levels, etc.
When the health crisis subsides, we must be ready for the stormy events ahead and the need to arm workers' movements with a socialist programme - one which puts the health and needs of humanity before the profits of a few.