Campaign re cuts locally

Green party members are handing out a leaflet today re the cuts - you can see my updated summary of the Green Alternative at the top of this blog by clicking on 'Coalition Cuts'.

Big Society sent in an email to me by a local resident bottom and photoshop by local artist

In Nailsworth Greens have exercised their right to summon a Town Meeting in Nailsworth. They have used a little known provision of the Local Government Act 1972, which allows six or more local electors to require the Town Council to hold a public meeting to consult the whole town. Catherine Farrell, the District Council candidate for the Green party in Nailsworth, who is proposing the motion, explained: “The draconian nature of the intended cuts has shocked us all. The library is a social lifeline for many, and the youth club is doing fantastic work with our local teenagers. We really can’t just sit back and watch those facilities go forever. A Town Meeting will give the residents of Nailsworth the best chance they may get of being able to discuss possible solutions. We expect to see a lot of concerned people voicing their opinions there.” See more here.

While in Stroud Town where there is a Green party majority already they have been looking at what can be done to fight the cuts. Here is the statement from John Marjoram, Deputy Mayor, chairing the Town Council meeting on 25^th October 2010:

"Let us be under no illusions, the Coalition is about to take the axe to public services. For the Tories this is not a financial crisis but a long awaited opportunity to shrink public services. The main weight of the cuts will be felt around the Welfare provision (£7Bn) and already Claimants are being demonised, however there is not much reference to Tax dodgers. It is predicted that the brunt of these policies will be felt by women in society.

Both the Institute for Fiscal Studies and the Conservative lead Local Government Association (LGA) is critical of the severity and speed of the cuts. I would maintain that these cuts will seriously damage our local and national, community cohesion. I predict that once public services, like Libraries, and there staff lose their jobs they will never be reinstated. There can be no justification in retaining nuclear submarines at a cost £1.2Bn each and at the same time, slimming down Housing benefit. We will arrive at an American situation where the poor are virtually ignored and undervalued. Our Council will do whatever it can to pick up the pieces, with the help of the voluntary sector, from this devastation, like increase funding of the CAB. Some Councillors, no doubt will wish to take a stronger political line in directly opposing the Coalition."

Greens have also joined the demonstrations locally. Meanwhile at the National Coalition of Resistance Conference on SAT 27th Nov the Green Party will have our own stall and our own literature. As folk will know Green MP Caroline Lucas signed the initial letter with Tony Benn launching the coalition - see here - read much more on the website at: www.coalitionofresistance.org.uk/