As the cuts axe starts to fall, remember who is to blame

Published: 11 February, 2011

• LOCAL government obtains the greatest part of its income from central government, supplementing this through council tax. Curiously, some poorer boroughs such as Islington have been more severely penalised than some more affluent ones in the spending review. With its major source of funding reduced, it is obliged to adjust its budget accordingly, and consider drastic staff cuts and reductions in services.  

At Islington Fairness Commission’s well-attended meeting on January 11, the “Hidden Voices” of many struggling individuals and valuable charitable organisations dependent on the council’s financial support used the occasion to emphasise their needs. The council is obliged to decide where to impose the least painful cuts. Will fewer people’s lives suffer from cuts in housing benefit, reduced  provision of aids to the disabled or the withdrawal of social services to the poor or sick elderly? Valid comparisons are meaningless, like comparing the virtues of apples and pears.  

It’s likely that, in order to inflict least deprivation on the most disadvantaged, cuts will be made to such widely appreciated items as libraries, hanging flower baskets and Christmas lights, cultural and aesthetic assets which give pleasure to thousands. Wherever the cuts fall there will be cries of anguish or indignation. The government will have largely succeeded in deflecting people’s wrath from blaming its policy to their council’s enforced implementation of its funding cuts, however hard it attempts to judge fairly between its various clients.

Meanwhile, the banks accorded help to survive are already making profits and paying huge bonuses. Blame should be targeted to where it is due: the coalition’s judgement to impose heavy taxes on all its citizens (disproportionately harder on the poor than on the rich) rather than seeking redress from the banks and the excessively wealthy, and the numerous tax evaders hiding their millions in tax havens.

ANGELA SINCLAIR-LOUTIT
Highbury Hill, N5

• IT would be interesting to readers if you could publish details of Islington Council’s income from central government, under headings for the last financial year, the current year and next year. It would be necessary for you to add ringfenced items for last year and this (next year I think previously ringfenced funds are still being paid but the council can spend the money as it wishes).  

Council tax-payers can then make their own minds up as to  the accuracy or otherwise of the scare stories from the council and various protest groups. Obviously, on top of the central funds, the Town Hall receives council tax income, which will probably increase a little for next year. I think there will be a change in the business rate arrangements which will add further income. With this information, we would then know if savings of £52m are sufficient or not enough.

BOB TOOKEY
WC1

• I WOULD like to congratulate all those who attended Saturday’s anti-cuts rally through Islington to the Town Hall.

We marched to protest against the coalition government’s ideologically driven attempt to destroy our public services, NHS and welfare state. The government has just announced that 250 nursing jobs are to go at Bart’s Hospital.

Such is the nerve of this government that it will cut back on secure jobs and essential services while Tory allies in corporate multinational companies, like vultures, are waiting to cherry-pick in a bonanza of privatisation. We are having none of it. Democracy is not just about putting an X in a booth every five years. It’s about our involvement in our community, workplace and environment. That’s why we marched last Saturday.

We are also asking people of Islington to support the massive TUC march  through central London on March 26. There will be a feeder march in Islington (possibly starting at Highbury Fields).

We want to send a clear message to the government that it has no mandate to carry out such savage cuts to the very fabric of our services.

MICK GILGUNN
Secretary, Islington Trades Union Council