Sunday 13 February 2011

Cuts of £54.4 million and an unprecedented number of questions - just another Valentine's Day Cabinet meeting in Barnet

Tomorrow night, Monday 14 February, Valentine's Day (grr!) Barnet council cabinet will meet to discuss a number of important questions.

These include:
- proposed axing of sheltered housing wardens
- proposals to cut the number of children's centres from 21 to 13
- proposals to raise charges for social services
- proposals to raise parking and other 'revenue income' charges
- how the council proposes to cut £54.4 million from its spending in the next three years.

This meeting, then, is the big one! (To be followed in the next few months and years, I suspect, by several more big ones, as the hoped-for savings from One Barnet do not materialise, and the council makes further cuts to plug the resulting gap.)

Residents are still just about allowed to have a say at these events, in the form of public questions. We are allowed up to 20 questions but only if they fit into half an hour, because that is our time limit.

Apparently, not surprisingly, an 'unprecedented number of questions' has been submitted for tomorrow night, including mine - I am questioning the proposed abolition of the youth services.

Sheltered housing residents will demonstrate in front of Hendon Town Hall, where the meeting takes place, from 6pm. Please join us if you can!

5 comments:

David Duff said...

So given that Whitehall is absolutely not going to provide money to cover your council's's spending, where and what would you cut?

And how many people would agree with you?

baarnett said...

I'm sorry, DD, but a wide range of British society is not going to take the necessity of the cuts as a "given".

George Osborne has suggested we are an economic basket case, like Greece, but that is nonsense.

Budget cuts yes, but no savage ones. There is no huge debt crisis in Britain. Most debt is long-term, and to British institutions, which effectively spend the money on things that the government can then tax.

George may have gievn us an OSBO, but his policies may be destroying his patient.

Moaneybat said...

Mr Duff,

Since your escape from either Berlin or Leningrad your English unlike mine, is very good for the length of time you've survived in GB without capture. You've earned the right to vote.

It's a tough question you put, you would not get an honest answer as none of us wish to be arrested for "incitement" Anyways, the "opposition" would need to see the books, secondly, there would be a majority. Our lot of Tory councillors are probably worse than the Reykjavik mob at managing money.

David Duff said...

Baarnett, a "wide range of British society" can do what it likes but until the government of the day is defeated in the Commons they will just have to accept that theirlocal councils will have their budgets cut. So, I say again, given the *reality*, what would you cut?

Moaneybat, you are quite right, my English is much better than yours because I cannot understand the point you are striving to make. Anyone can look at 'the books' of your local council. Where and what would you cut?

Rog, my dear old thing, still as witty as ever, I see!

Rog T said...

David Duff,

I wouldn't waste wit on a twat such as yourself. Abuse does just fine.