The Marjorie Richardson Centre has been saved thanks to a concerted effort by Lib Dem activists and residents writing letters to the Executive, including a recorded letter to Tory Council Leader, John Kingsbury, which he had to sign for at 7:30am one morning. This helped to force the Tories to cave in on their plans to close this vital community service.
The Centre has been given a £15 000 lifeline to continue operating but at a cost of making a cook and cleaner redundant in their business plan. It is most unfair that community services such as the Marjorie Richardson Centre have to pay the price for Tory financial mismanagement of the Council to “plug the £1 million + hole” in council finances. The Tories are now applying financial crisis management measures such as forcing council staff to forfeit pay awards, overtime and take sabbaticals to pay for their financial mistakes and lack of foresight. Residents and community organisations have already started paying the price of Tory cuts being applied to fill their financial hole in the council accounts.
Had the Tories not levied an ill-thought through 0% council tax rise in 2008/09, embarked on a costly accelerated redundancy programme of council staff and levying half-hour parking charges, the Council would have about £2.5 million available in reserves to help steer it through the recession. Instead the Tories raided reserves in 2008/09 to push through the 0% council tax rise and redundancy programme. We are paying for their mistakes now.
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