Cuts will hit wellbeing

Published: 24 June, 2010

• THE proposed cuts in public spending risk pushing us into further recession, and this greatly increases my concern about the impact on the most vulnerable.

During the latest informal health scrutiny committee meeting, we raised issues for the committee to focus on in Camden.

We noted the high rates of suicide in the borough, particularly prevalent among young men, the refugee community, people with mental illness and, unusually for England, older women too.

The suicide rate for women here is three times the national average.

Of course, suicide is an extreme case though many others from these and other groups suffer serious depression.

We must seek to protect them.

These people are often not the most forceful or well-connected, especially when it comes to funding.

We will push hard to retain funding for the services they need and enhance the services provided.

The case of older women seems to be that they suffer from isolation.

The Greens, in line with our principles of fostering wellbeing, fairness and community, will push strongly to protect funding for those services in order to implement these goals .

Two key services in our sight are community activities like local community gardens and adult education classes.

With adult education classes, schools and other institutions have studios and art rooms fit for such activities.

Over the past few years, government policy has focused on the continuing education for young people.

However, it did this by plundering adult education as an easy source of funds.

This imbalance needs to be addressed – for good affordable and local classes for all.
CLLR MAYA DA SOUZA
Green Party,
Highgate ward