[OccupySheffield] [OccupySheffieldPrivate] ACTION OUTSIDE THETOWN HALL - JAN 6 - in response to the letter from the Leaderof the Council - Julie Dore

[barriers2bridges at virginmedia.com]

The Greens aren't the only one's marginalised within SACA and, they're not
the only one's with an alternative to the cuts.

Any local authority with any guts within the ranks, could follow the example
of Liverpool in the '80s - apparently they stuck it out and challenged the
government, but my knowledge is limited on the history of it.

 

See you all tommos, but not with bells on...

 

Dawn

 

From: Mick Ibbotson [mailto:zapatista2010 at googlemail.com] 
Sent: 05 January 2012 14:38
To: jean wildgoose; David Kirkham; Occupy General
Subject: Re: [OccupySheffield] [OccupySheffieldPrivate] ACTION OUTSIDE
THETOWN HALL - JAN 6 - in response to the letter from the Leaderof the
Council - Julie Dore

 

Jean, David, all

 

>Hi David - am in absolute agreement about our opposition to Govt policy but
my understanding is that SCC would be acting unlawfully if they do not
implement cuts as dictated by Central govt which could then move in and take
over. So we can demonstrate against govt policy but it would seem SCC has
it's hand tied?

 

As I understand it, the Govt have not said councils have to cut services -
that would be political suicide - what they have done is reduced the budgets
the council receives - how the council deals with that is a matter for them.
What would be an issue if the council refused to set a budget - as Labour as
opposition did last year when they could have easily overturned the Lib Dem
proposal then Eric 'Communities' Pickles would simply send a team in to set
a budget and everything would be slashed as they went - there would also be
an issue of the council being fined, meaning further extensive cuts in the
years to come.  

 

So in effect, Jean you are right their hands are tied. Politically it would
be an issue not to set a budget which would haunt them for years to come.
This consultation with the public is a farce - 99% of us don't have access
to the budgets to which to make an informed judgement from - however it does
give a 'get of jail free' card to the likes of Dore and Lodge - as they can
say 'well its what the public wanted?' - at the end of the day all the
consultation will do is give the racists and bigots in our society a
platform to rant about their chosen issues. As the council have been already
been briefing councillors on the budget cuts - the decisions are already
made - just not made public. 

 

And finally we come to SACA - fighting the cuts - but not willing to raise
issues with the Labour council or previous government who are equally to
blame for the problems we face locally. What alternatives are they offering
- so far they are rattling the drum, saying 'no to the cuts' but fail to
disclose what they will do differently. They have no alternative, no
solution. The only active political group in the city with thought out
alternatives are the Greens and they are marginalised in the SACA movement. 

 

No doubt tomorrow they'll be criticised by the SACA speakers for suggesting
alternatives - but its a no-brainer. Its important to protect services where
possible to the most needed or where the services can be best provided with
the best outcomes but I suggest that Labour will simply prop up their pet
projects and damn the rest and use the cuts as an excuse. 

 

I agree we should protest about the unfairness of it all, but suspect the
people making the decisions will not take that into account at all.

 

Mick

Green Party member

 

 

 

 

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