Having suffered millions of pounds of cuts during 2011, and staring down the barrel of an extravagantly expensive roads PFI project, the council now plan to hit Islanders with a further £4.2m of cuts in 2012.
Alliance representatives attending the full council meeting on 21 September were shocked to hear the targets for the local authority?s next round of cuts.
Alliance chair, Tanja Rebel, said “this new set of proposals clearly attacks those Islanders who can least afford to face another set of swingeing cuts. The ruling Tory group are quite happy to see an end to the youth Connexions service, an ill-advised reorganisation of youth services, a „remodelling? of Wightcare – the home care service for old and disabled residents – and cuts to unsocial hours payments for council employees; something which adversely affects the lower paid workers.”
Rebel went on to say, “our Tory councillors need to properly justify these cuts. David Burbage Associates have already stated that the council budget is ‘on course’ for 2011/12, and some sources inside the council are suggesting that we already have a £4m under-spend. On this basis, why are they pressing ahead with more economic pain for already hard pressed Island residents?”
The Alliance has pledged to re-invigorate its campaign, between now and the final vote on these new set of budget proposals, to urge the local authority rethink its plans for further cuts.
