Barnet UNISON Press Release: 31 January 2011
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – Big Society Bites back!
Yesterday over a 1,000 people took to the streets of Barnet in protest against cuts to public services in Barnet.
The march through Thatcher’s former constituency to the Arts Depot (also under threat from cuts to funding) was organised by Barnet UNISON, Trades Council and Barnet Alliance for Public Services.
The turnout provided a clear message to local politicians that the community is at last waking up to the reality of what the ‘Cuts, Cuts Cuts’ agenda means to them and their families.
John Burgess, Branch Secretary said:
“The Coalition’s Big Society is being turned on its head. Their vision of dumping responsibility back onto the community is being rejected by local residents and staff. The Councils stealth taxes (i.e. increased charges for services) and the cuts to care services for vulnerable adults forcing carers to take on more are simply not acceptable. We are being told that frontline services would not be affected, yet the Budget seeks cuts to mental health services, youth services, school crossing patrols, children’s centres, learning difficulties provision, care packages and much more.”
The march finished at the Arts Depot and protestors entered a packed auditorium to hear speakers talk about the impact of the Cuts.
Tariq Ali castigated the adherence by all parties to the idea of the market as a solution to all problems.
Frances O’Grady, deputy general secretary of the Trades Union Council (TUC) gave a rousing speech “We can see Barnet is a window on Cameron’s Britain. This is the way he wants all of Britain to go. “Never mind easyJet this is Ryanair public services. Not necessarily cheap but definitely nasty.”
Other speakers included Linda Perks UNISON Regional Secretary, who condemned the “idiotic easycouncil model which this council are grimly determined to foist on us: three years old and still having millions of pounds of our money spent on it, with not a single penny made in any savings!”
Robert Johnson, of Barnet Voice gave a powerful speech about what he saw as a massive cut to mental health services he claimed a his group, a grass-roots mental health organisation, faced a 33 % drop in funding and an “uncertain future” helping people in the borough.
Resident Susan Dunning, who attended the march said: “We had people here angry about the cuts to so many different services across the borough including mental health care, youth services and park maintenance “So many children’s centres which have just been opened are now due to be closed. “People on crutches, in wheelchairs, with prams turned up to join the march.”
Rock Against the Cuts (RAC)
This was the launch of RAC with The Foundations’ headlining also on the bill was Boz Boorer, the False Dots, The Hamptons and 13 Riots. The audience really appreciated the performances, plans are already underway for a bigger fund raising event a number of known artists have declared their willingness to support the event.
What next
On 15th March 2011, for a discussion with Prof. Dexter Whitfield, Director of the European Services Strategy Unit, author of One Barnet Critique – the analysis of the One Barnet Framework. The meeting will seek to find out what the real cost of the cuts will be to the Barnet residents.
Meeting starts at 19:00 in the Greek Cypriot Community Centre, 2 Britannia Road, London N12 9RU.
End.
Contact: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk
Background:
BBC http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/mobile/uk-england-london-12318150
ITV http://www.itv.com/london/council-protests51114/
Photographs
· You can view pictures of the march here on Flickr and here
· To view Video clip click here