If you followed OnTheWight’s live coverage of the budget-setting meeting last night, you would have seen the Conservative Group leader question why the council hadn’t made the full £9+m of cuts to discretionary services that had previously been identified.
Last month, the Independent administration listed out all items that ‘could’ be cut if needed, but in their final budget proposal chose to protect many of those vital services for another year.
“Socialist ideology” just “won’t cut it”
Cllr Dave Stewart placed blame on what he referred to as the council’s ‘socialist ideology’ for not making a further £3.7m of cuts to services (the services saved from cuts listed here).
He said the approach,
“Just won’t cut it with this government, because that’s not what this country elected them to deliver.”
Impassioned speech
Later in the meeting, Cllr Baker-Smith (independent) made an impassioned speech in response. She explained what a socialist approach meant to her,
“It’s providing care for the elderly and disadvantaged.
“It means that when one of your members fought for community buses, that was socialism.
“One of your other members has recently written to me about concerns that we no longer provide a free planning service. That would be socialism.”
She went on to say,
“Dave, you’re now saying that an additional £4m worth of services have been identified but not cut. Absolutely!
“This administration have not supported cutting cross-Solent travel for people who are seriously ill with cancer to get treatment.
“We’ve not supported reducing services for people with sensory impairment. We’ve not supported closing the Adelaide rehabilitation centre. We’re not closing the Gouldings rehabilitation centre this year. We’re not cutting £1m from supporting the most vulnerable people in our society through the Supporting People project.
“But you are saying that you would support those cuts.
“If that’s socialism then yes, I am quite happy to be referred to as a socialist.”
Lumley: “Shocked at Cllr Stewart’s remarks”
Following the meeting, Labour’s Cllr Geoff Lumley said,
“Many of us at last night’s meeting, both councillors and members of the public, were quite shocked at Cllr Stewart’s remarks.
“What is particularly noteworthy is that he holds those views, but his group didn’t have the guts to propose them as they know what the public reaction would be.
“That this man aspires to lead this Council in the future should present a warning to all Islanders over the next year or so as to what would be in store should he succeed.”
Steve Butler IOW TUC Spokesperson told OnTheWight,
“The word ‘Austerity’ is being used by the Tory Government (ideology) to batter Public Services. We need a Government that cares for all the people.
“The IOWTUC will not accept any Service Cuts or Job losses.”
Services saved for another year
The services that have been saved – helped by a great deal of input from the Labour Group – include:
The Gouldings and Adelaide Club
Support for Cross Solent Patient Travel
Work with the sensory impaired
Most care costs for complex cases
Funding for stroke initiative
Mental Health Day Services
Branstone Farm
Grant funding for Youth Offer contract and the Targeted Youth Service team
Hardship fund for the Local Council Tax Support Scheme for unemployed people
Supporting People programme
Work on turning empty properties into homes.
Article edit
Comment from IOW TUC added.
Image: © Fran Heath
