Recently the Labour Cabinet member councillors in Southwark went ‘back to the floor’.
It now appears whichever floor they each went back to is to receive significant cuts.
Cllr Barrie Hargrove went litter picking – which is now cut back from daily to every other day for a 1/3rd cuts.
Cllr Veronica Ward spent an afternoon on the mobile Library – it’s now completely cut. So all those housebound residents previously served by the mobile Library will no longer have any such such service.
Cllr John Friary spending part of an afternoon after school closing time out with Community Wardens – again 1/3rd cuts with no community wardens in the south of the borough anymore. Presumably he thinks nothing bad ever happen down here.
So if you run anything or value any of the services in Southwark never let a Labour cabinet member visit – they’re probably on the prowl finding more things to cut to fund their wild election promises.
Funnily enough this contrasts sharply with their leader Cllr Peter John. Wherever he goes he seems to offer a million or two million pounds. He visited the Herne Hill Velodrome – first he offered £25,00 to help save the Velodrome which has now turned int o a £2M Olympics fund. He met youngsters and has now stated he’ll created £1M fund to help sponsor apprentices or 9 under graduates. So if you get the chance ot meet him make it clear whether you expect one ot two million from him.
From where do you get the nerve!?
a) You know as well as me that these cuts are being imposed on councils across the country by YOUR OWN PARTY!
b) If those councillors hadn’t spent time with the services you mention you’d be criticising them for being aloof.
c) Presume you wouldn’t have signed off on these cuts if LDs were in the majority on the Council. Which ones would you cut?
I agree that these cuts are bad; terrible even. But then I didn’t vote Liberal Democrat.
Hi Rik,
I agree Labour have left the national economy in the most outrageous mess – regular habit if you look back through history.
I/we wouldn’t be spending £4.2M a year on providing free school meals universally which benefits kids from wealthier backgrounds. Why would a Labour party do that?
Lots of other rash elections promises given. Everyone knew massive cuts were coming – Alastair Darling has publicy stated he was planning for 20% – but locally Labour kept making promises. A cynic who supported them would say ‘well done it got you elected’. But boy have they started to get the finances of Southwark in a mess.
The sad part is some of the cuts such as mobile library, officers had tried repeatedly to get the Lib Dem led administration to make. I don’t think the Labour Cabinet members have seen through this and have’nt deigned to talk this through with past Lib Dem and Tory cabinet/executive councillors.