Taking place at 1830 on King Street outside the Town Hall you can expect an assortment of chanting, wailing, sackcloth and gnashing of teeth ... sorry got a bit carried away there, but definately the chanting and I would imagine a fair bit of banner waving too.
The cuts, which are so far reaching they have on several occasions made the national media, are likely to transform the social make up of Hammersmith & Fulham for generations. Millions of pounds of buildings are being sold and first in line for cuts are services to some of the most vulnerable people in society, as this 11 year old boy recently and movingly described.
Our Council was seen in the run up to the election as being an example of what a new Conservative government would do in office if elected, and is still seen as a testing ground for radical new policies. That's why anyone who'se anyone from Cameron's cabinet comes here regularly, the latest having been local communities secretary of state Eric Pickles.
The Council defends itself against attacks by arguing that it is putting "services before buildings" and pointing out that the voluntary sector, like the public sector, has to do "more for less". All very true, and the Council does need to tackle what it calls the "debt mountain" we face. It steadfastly refuses to answer questions about why it's propaganda publication "H&F News" which was, embrassingly for the Council, called "propaganda on the rates" by the same Eric Pickles recently is shielded from these cuts and remains a worthwhile use of our taxes.
Pictures, possibly video if you're lucky, and a full report to follow from the rally...
Chris, you should not buy the tories excuses for the cuts 'All very true, and the Council does need to tackle what it calls the "debt mountain" we face.' Other councils have debts, as do governments. That is partly how they finance services. It is wrong to compare govt finances to those of an individual. Yes interest needs to be paid out of income but that is part and parcel of LA funding. What the tories are doing in LBHF is selling off the family silver to help fill the gap caused by their obsession with reducing council tax, year on year. At the expense of services for the poor and disadvantaged...........
ReplyDeleteIain Muir