Make cash go further

Published: 3 March, 2011

• CAMDEN Labour wrings its hands and says it can’t do anything to stop the cuts. But other councils in cities facing the same or larger percentage reductions in funding have found ways of making money go further, so why can’t Camden?

Wirral Council has had a bigger reduction than Camden, but is managing to tighten its belt without closing children’s centres. Newcastle has the same reduction as Camden but is protecting frontline services, and keeping all its libraries open. Sheffield, losing millions more than Camden, is not restricting social services to people with critical needs and closing “optional” services like luncheon clubs. These authorities do not have council leaders marching or shouting down loudspeakers. They’re just getting on with the job of doing more with less money.

PATRICK JOY
Bedford Avenue, WC1