Threat to lunch clubs

Published: 15 April, 2011

• THE Mayville Centre in my ward does fantastic work with all sections of the community (Awards bill ‘would save our lunch club’, April 8). It is incredible that the council cannot find just £2,000 to keep this popular club going. I will happily use my small ward budget to help the Mayville as I have with other community and elderly groups in Mildmay.  

There is a real danger that some of Islington’s smaller elderly lunch clubs which cater for minority groups will be in danger because of decisions like this. I know of several that are nervous about their future.

But the saddest thing about all this is that the decisions about which lunch clubs the council will fund are being made behind closed doors. What’s worse is that ruling Labour councillors have delegated the decision to council officers, even though this is a vital decision that should be made in the open.  

It’s time for Labour councillors to take responsibility, explain their decisions to Islington’s elderly and stop hiding behind council officers.

The decision on the Mayville is particularly insensitive when your article highlighted just some of the ways the council is wasting money –  £35,000 on new office furniture, £5,000 on a red carpet for councillors, £2,000 on a jolly at a five-star Mayfair hotel, £40,000 on glossy leaflets about the council’s compulsory recycling scheme, £60,000 on the council’s glossy magazine to residents. Are these things really more important than the Mayville lunch club for old people?

CLLR RHODRI JAMIESON-BALL 
Lib Dem, Mildmay ward