Thursday, December 11, 2008
Tories admit plans to cut funding for domestic violence and community safety and that jobs will be lost
Brighton Tories plan to cut funding to community groups who work on stamping out domestic violence and improving community safety.
Brighton & Hove City Council cabinet member for communities, Cllr Dee Simson refused to promise groups throughout the city centre would be safe from cuts when she faced a grilling from residents at a meeting of the Eastern Road Partnership.
She said that the Tarner and Eastern Road areas would still get some help, but confirmed that some staff would go.
Green city councillors Ben Duncan and Paul Steedman who attended the meeting on behalf of residents, said the decision was 'a disgrace'.
“The two areas under threat have been identified as the city’s most deprived – but the Tory council is attempting to blame the government for the cuts while refusing to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to helping residents in the city centre.
“The Tarner area has one of the highest levels of mental health problems in the country – and Eastern Road has one of the region’s highest concentrations of older people and other vulnerable residents.'
At last week’s meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council Cllr Simson said she could not confirm that no groups would face closure – today (11), she said her budget for next year had not been finalised, but that because of the council’s political priorities Council Tax would be kept as low as possible and that would mean there was less money in the pot for everyone.
The Eastern Road Partnership, which consists of ward councillors, residents of sheltered housing, council tenants and housing association homes in the area, agreed to spend its remaining money on funding drug and alcohol outreach work, a Nintendo Wii to help elderly and other high-rise residents keep active, community safety black-spots in the area – and a number of other community projects.
Cllr Duncan added:
“I am deeply saddened that this Tory administration would rather spend its cash on cutting taxes for the better off residents in the leafy suburbs – and divert what little is left to supporting projects in Tory-held wards instead.” www.lgbtgreens.org.uk
Cllr Gill Mitchell, Leader of the Labour Group, who will be presenting a petition from the community to the Tory Cabinet protesting at the cuts said,
"The Tories have said that they want to take funding away from areas like Tarner and give it to individuals instead. This is crazy as the projects that are helping so many will now end and all the investment in the community will be wasted."
Brighton & Hove City Council cabinet member for communities, Cllr Dee Simson refused to promise groups throughout the city centre would be safe from cuts when she faced a grilling from residents at a meeting of the Eastern Road Partnership.
She said that the Tarner and Eastern Road areas would still get some help, but confirmed that some staff would go.
Green city councillors Ben Duncan and Paul Steedman who attended the meeting on behalf of residents, said the decision was 'a disgrace'.
“The two areas under threat have been identified as the city’s most deprived – but the Tory council is attempting to blame the government for the cuts while refusing to put its money where its mouth is when it comes to helping residents in the city centre.
“The Tarner area has one of the highest levels of mental health problems in the country – and Eastern Road has one of the region’s highest concentrations of older people and other vulnerable residents.'
At last week’s meeting of Brighton and Hove City Council Cllr Simson said she could not confirm that no groups would face closure – today (11), she said her budget for next year had not been finalised, but that because of the council’s political priorities Council Tax would be kept as low as possible and that would mean there was less money in the pot for everyone.The Eastern Road Partnership, which consists of ward councillors, residents of sheltered housing, council tenants and housing association homes in the area, agreed to spend its remaining money on funding drug and alcohol outreach work, a Nintendo Wii to help elderly and other high-rise residents keep active, community safety black-spots in the area – and a number of other community projects.
Cllr Duncan added:
“I am deeply saddened that this Tory administration would rather spend its cash on cutting taxes for the better off residents in the leafy suburbs – and divert what little is left to supporting projects in Tory-held wards instead.” www.lgbtgreens.org.uk
Cllr Gill Mitchell, Leader of the Labour Group, who will be presenting a petition from the community to the Tory Cabinet protesting at the cuts said,
"The Tories have said that they want to take funding away from areas like Tarner and give it to individuals instead. This is crazy as the projects that are helping so many will now end and all the investment in the community will be wasted."
