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Union last stand as cuts passed
Raising voices: People of all ages protested. Pictures: Roger Nadal.
ALMOST 200 trade unionists gathered to stage a final protest in opposition to Sheffield Council’s £84 million budget savings - but the plans were approved by councillors.
Placard-waving public workers at the Town Hall blew whistles and chanted against 273 job losses and service cuts.
Ruling Lib Dems had their proposals approved after the opposition Labour group declined to put forward alternative plans, which could have been passed with support of the two Greens and lone independent.
The vote was taken following a heated debate within the council chamber yesterday.
Lib Dem council leader Coun Paul Scriven banged his fists as he made a passionate speech slamming Labour councillors for criticising the council without coming up with their own budget.
He told them: “You are abdicating your political responsibility. You are letting down the people who voted for you.”
Coun Scriven criticised Labour for claiming they did not have full information to come up with a budget - when Labour’s leadership had been meeting senior officers since last year to discuss council finances.
Coun Scriven criticised plans - outlined by Labour if they take power - to reverse budget cuts to Sure Start centres by taking money from schools’ budgets.
Labour say they would use the city’s economic growth fund, currently in reserves, to create apprenticeships, reduce cuts to care payments, and save Police Community Support Officers.
But Labour opposition leader Coun Julie Dore angrily replied: “The devil of your budget is in the detail. You haven’t told the public about all the cuts you are going to make. We have the figure of £1.3m from libraries but with no detail - what does it mean?”
Her deputy, Coun Bryan Lodge, added: “Let’s look at the Lib Dems’ priorities.
“The Lib Dems have rolled over and accepted cuts to the highways PFI scheme. They are cutting PCSOs. What about young people? They have supported the EMA cuts and raising student fees.”
Green Coun Rob Murphy said: “Lib Dems have an ideological fervour for cuts while Labour were proposing ones bigger than Thatcher’s. We are the only party opposed to all cuts.”
n Youth jobs face axe: P9
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 23 comments to this article
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Blue-Stratos
Sunday, March 6, 2011 at 12:56 AMHow can the Sheffield people vote for the Labour party, when the Labour Party have not told them what they propose to cut in relation to facilities and services. They have not produced a budget, so how on earth can they expect the electorate to make a decision, without a budget put before them. Yes, the Labour party have a wish list ,of what they would like to put forward, however they have not stated where the monies are comming from or what cuts they intend to make. Do the Labour party really expect the Sheffield people to vote for them, on the proviso of not putting a budget forward, untill and (If) they are elected. Labour have already stated that they intend to make cuts, however they will not tell us unless they are elected. Come on folkes, would you purchase something untill you knew all the facts, and not after the purchase, (Buyer Voter Beware.)
waywoodwind
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 09:41 PMSurmising again ,,,,, born 1943 ,,,,, as a working man every mortgage was large especially when you have children
Commentator
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 09:08 PMPity that Labour supported the cuts and voted to let them go through. Even if they didn't want their own budget, they could have supported the Green Party amendment and stopped some of the cuts to the most vulnerable. Only the Greens voted against the cuts.
NickGriffinHasACriminalRecord
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 08:24 PMWindbag So you were born in 47 and had a large mortgage when your children were babies. That, I suppose, would have been in the late 60s or 70s, maybe early 80s. A large mortgage would have got you a mansion in Sheffield in those days. And how much were you earning to get a large mortgage? Typical BNP. Claim to be working-class but they end up betraying their bourgeois property-owning privileged background.
waywoodwind
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 06:51 PMLost my job many times especially when my children were babies and with a large mortgage ,,,,,, just walked the streets and visited the job centre till any job came along which I took ,,,,, many of this public service employment areun ion and political induced and designed for which the BNP members were barred ,,,,,,, yes I pay taxes ,,,, always have since the age of 15 till now in my retirement
crystal peaks man
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 06:29 PMThe councilk workers and public sector workers need to live in the real world,I work in the private sector and I dont have the luxury of taking time off work to protest. You have had it far too good for far too long,now its your turn to bare the pain the rest of us have had to take.
Boomdocker
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 06:05 PMYou can always rely on the "you didn't put forward an alternative" as an excuse for the decisions taken by the ruling Liberal Democrat bosses. It is for the Liberal Democrats to put forward their proposals as the ruling group on the council. Trouble is Scriven has seen the Barnsley By-election results and if transposed in May across trhe country, him and his co-horts are done for. Cleggy sold his principles for a "government chauffer". He, and his untrustworthy mates have to suffer the consequences.
norbsa
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 05:24 PMWhat a load of rubbish from waywoodwind and lifelongowl,still everybody is entitled to their stupid opinion.
samman
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 03:27 PMComment removed by moderator
verysadowl
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 03:01 PMWaywoodwind & Lifelong Owl and other knockers - let us know when you lose your livelihoods, we can all have a bloody good laugh at your expense then. Public sector workers are working people like any others, many do dirty, thankless jobs for small reward - don't be fooled by flannel from the Star and the rest of the press that all town hall staff are on massive salaries, they damn well aren't. You might not smirk so much when you need help from others. I'd like to know what good you contribute to society apart from harping at others' misfortune. Remember these cuts apply also to emergnecy services and the health service. The people you are so fond of hating will be claiming benefits soon. Will you feel better knowing more of your taxes (assuming you pay some) are going to keep more unemployed?
EAMONN WARD
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 02:49 PMKayte : The Green Party sent this to the press yesterday : "Unlike Labour and the Lib Dems, the Green Party is vehemently opposed to cuts and is clear that the national deficit can be paid off by taxing the wealthy and the banks and closing tax loopholes. But at local level, Green councillors are determined to make the best of the difficult situation and have tabled a budget amendment which seeks to save services to the most vulnerable such as children, older people, disabled people, those on low incomes, unemployed people and victims of crime. " The cuts are an ideological choice and Labour will be cutting as well.
seenitall
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 02:27 PMHow sad that the opposition failed to vote... preferring the act of abstention...nor did they give a serious clue as to how they will deal with the reduced budget... come May....when they will sweep to power and adopt their usual prescriptions!
stevee
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 02:20 PMI wish the star would fix these multiple posts!!!!
stevee
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 02:19 PMLifelong owl - even lefty militant trade unionists are allowed lunch breaks where they are free to do what they like as long as not breaking the law. And how do you know all the people there were lefty militant trade unionists. Cannot ordinary people wiht no policitcal leaning also object to cuts if they don't agree. Some of the people in the pic look like pensioners to me - are they lefty militant trade unionists too?
stevee
Saturday, March 5, 2011 at 02:18 PMLifelong owl - even lefty militant trade unionists are allowed lunch breaks where they are free to do what they like as long as not breaking the law. And how do you know all the people there were lefty militant trade unionists. Cannot ordinary people wiht no policitcal leaning also object to cuts if they don't agree. Some of the people in the pic look like pensioners to me - are they lefty militant trade unionists too?
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