Islanders are invited to attend the next Unite the Isle of Wight public meeting on the 4th February at Quay Arts between 7-9pm.
The meeting follows the Isle of Wight Council’s public meeting (see OnTheWight’s live coverage) to discuss the budget.
Kay Smith, Spokesperson for the group said,
“After the Isle of Wight Council’s Budget Consultation meeting on Monday, we felt that it was really important to have an opportunity to discuss further what has been proposed.
“There was obviously a lot of dismay in the room with the extremely hard decisions the council has to make regarding cuts to public services, in this and future financial years. But there was also a great willingness from those that attended to look at how we can support and bring awareness to the fact that this is down to central government cuts.
“The council must save a minimum of £17.386 million in its current spending plans to set a lawful and balanced budget for 2016/17. Much discussion was put forward that the Isle of Wight can been seen as a ‘special case’ in terms of its funding needs and there was a big consensus during the meeting that we really want to see our MP Andrew Turner support this Island and help tackle the bleak issues that it now faces.”
The budget consultation
The council’s budget consultation closes on 12 February 2016. The Full Council will then set the council’s budget for 2016/17 on 24 February 2016 (OnTheWight will be reporting live from the meeting that starts at 5pm).
The Conservative government’s funding cuts to local councils puts many services under threat. This is what these government cuts could do to Islanders:
- Closure of the much loved Adelaide Club (Ryde) and The Gouldings (Freshwater) rehab centres for older people. (There is no private provider on the Island)
- End of grants to volunteer Youth Services
- End support for NHS patient travel to mainland
- End of ‘Supporting People’ service, putting more pressure on adult social and health services
- Reduction in care support for people with most complex needs
- Closure of Mental Health Day Services
- Reduction in service to people with sensory impairment
- Reduction in services to stroke victims
- More longstanding empty properties that could be people’s homes
- Housing Benefit claims take longer to process
- Less people on end of a phone when you call the Council
- Closure of Branstone Farm study centre for our kids
- No free parking for Blue Badge holders
- Only the rich or retired able to stand for election as Councillors, as allowances for loss of earnings are reduced
- Huge reduction in Council Tax payment support scheme for the jobless and less-advantaged
All of these are under consideration by our hard-pressed Council, many of whom weren’t elected to implement these cuts.
All welcome.
Image: Nick Efford under CC BY 2.0
