'County Hall cuts will hit the old and vulnerable'
OLDER people will bear the brunt of drastic cuts planned by Notts County Council.
That's the message from angry pensioners, politicians and union officials after the Evening Post yesterday revealed details of County Hall plans to save £85m over the next three years.
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Cathy Helliwell
Councillors plan to sell all the authority's residential care homes, axe four day-care centres and charge for the rest, almost double the cost of meals for elderly people and hike the cost of home care.
Wheelchair-bound Cathy Helliwell, 73, who regularly attends a day centre, said: "If they raise the charges, I don't know if I'll be able to keep going. We're all on limited incomes."
Roy Tomlinson, 76, chairman of the Nottingham and Notts Pensioners' Action Group, said: "This is a tax on the elderly. It is hitting the most vulnerable parts of our society."
Mike Scott, Unison's joint branch secretary at the county council, said: "We have heard a lot about protecting frontline services and vulnerable people in difficult times. This completely flies in the face of that."
The council says it has to make the savings because of the increased costs posed by an ageing population, efforts to safeguard children and the recession.
But it also wants to make good on a Tory manifesto pledge to freeze council tax next year at a cost of £9m.
Despite the cuts, the council is investing £15.5m in adult social care and health next year to cope with the strain on services.
Council leader Kay Cutts said: "There are difficult but necessary decisions to be made. We cannot spend money we do not have."
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by Plonk, Heanor at work
Monday, November 09 2009, 2:23AM
“Insensible you live on another planet totally devoid of any common sense and with blinkers on. Which party currently has the country in debt to £797billion? labour, who has let immigration get totally out of control and can't tell us how much it costs? labour.
Which party has done more than anyone in history to promote fringe parties such as the BNP? labour.
These are real facts, and more are that your loved party have more spin doctors than any party in history so what is a spin doctor? of course there professional liars.
Why does any political party have to employ so many liars? of course to tell more lies, more than any other party in history. Here are the real facts.
Why do you resort to calling people who oppose your bigoted views tories and suddenly call them BNP members in the next post? they can't be both can they, you're doing exactly what your beloved labour party do!!! make the facts fit your narrow minded bigoted views without consistency.
It shows what a total moron you really are.”
by Mr. Sensible, The Real World
Sunday, November 08 2009, 10:56AM
“Plonk, I think you will find it is the Tories who have lied and not told us the truth.
And as for John, who says:
"But then again what can you expect from someone who thinks it costs over £7million to remove a traffic light...."
Well John, let me quote to you from the post a couple of weeks ago:
"But a private letter, dated August 4, to County Hall cabinet member for Transport and Highways Coun Richard Jackson, said: "If any revisions to the scheme materially reduce benefits to bus journeys, it would call into doubt the original approval decision." ('Gedling bus plug row over money threat', Post, October 24th).
And removing the plugs would have an adverse effect on bus journeys!
And as for:
"he thinks they could balance the books by spending £30 million MORE on funding an unecessary tram..."
Another quote?
Here goes:
"Coun Richard Jackson, Notts County Council cabinet member for Transport and Highways, sent out a press release after the council voted against funding up to £18m towards building new lines to Chilwell and Clifton.
The statement said: "Our contribution to this project would have been the equivalent of doubling our support for bus services across the county."
But Broxtowe Borough Councillor Steve Barber says the statement omitted an important fact.
The £18m figure needed to extend the tram was a one-off capital payment, whereas the money spent on bus services by the county council, which Coun Jackson compared to the tram cost, was £12m per year." ('Councillor apologises over tram cost confusion, Post, November 4th )
And the Council have indicated that they need to save £33 million this year, and I have already explained how, by scrapping the tax freeze (which will cost £9 million and only benefit the rich), scrapping the removal of the bus plugs (which will cost millions) and scrapping the thousands being spent on Kay Cutts's own offices, and now Richard Jackson has admitted that he lied over the costs of tram and buses and is doing anything but "improve bus services"...
More than half, and possibly all of those cuts, home sell-offs and extra charges might not be needed.
Fact!”
by j, leic
Sunday, November 08 2009, 2:55AM
“"Eat your own words, moron. Do you seriously think NuLab will win the next election? Do you seriously think NuLab will EVER win another election."
Of course they will, why wouldn't they? They are one of the most succesful post-war governments we have seen.
Take off your blinkers for once in your life; not everyone is as hateful as you.”
by Plonk, Heanor at work
Sunday, November 08 2009, 2:11AM
“He's got no sense full stop.
Quotes the labour manifesto of lies and indoctrinated truths.”
by John, Carlton
Saturday, November 07 2009, 5:44PM
“What an absolute idiot that Mr sensible guy is. The County council need to balance their budget and make £85 million savings and he thinks they could balance the books by spending £30 million MORE on funding an unecessary tram and not carpeting an office.
By my maths that means that cancelled office carpet would have cost £115 million.
But then again what can you expect from someone who thinks it costs over £7million to remove a traffic light.... what a plonker. He obviously still lives at home with his mum because he has no sense of what anything costs..”