Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Call in to oppose council cuts - Friday 20th February 2015 at 1.30pm at Civic Centre
The Labour-run Council’s final budget proposals were put forward at a Cabinet meeting (10th February) last week.
Residents groups, people who use day care centres, and children centres all raised their concerns about Labour’s plans to close, children’s centres, day care centres and reduce funding for many services for the most vulnerable people in the borough.
The Lib Dems have called on the Labour Cabinet to think again, re-consider cutting services and instead look for cuts from communications and agency staff spending.
The Liberal Democrats have repeatedly opposed the council’s budget plans and raised their concerns at the Cabinet meeting last week, along with many residents and users of day centres and other services that are due to be cut.
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Clive Carter on
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THANKS for posting this Karen. There's no doubt there're cuts coming, regardless which party forms the next government. However local authorities have some, albeit limited, choice as to where the cuts are made and the extent to which Haringey's handsome reserves are used.
IMO, the well-padded Communications Department is overdue for a cull.
It is responsible for producing the largely waste-of-time-and-paper Haringey People magazine. As far as I can tell (from the internal LBH intranet) it is also responsible for the current quality of Haringey Council Consultations.
Because so many are so devoid of meaning, they waste money.
There is an analogy I would use to describe many of our local authority's Consutlations, especially the ones that are take-it or take-it. It like the selection of candidates on the ballot paper in the Soviet Union.
As with Facebook, one can either click "Like" or not click "Like" . Welcome to Council tick-box Facebook-class consultation!
Councillor
Liberal Democrat Party
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Permalink Reply by Karen Alexander on
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The important point here is that the council does have some discretion as to where the cuts are made - as you rightly say the cuts will happen regardless.
I am particularly concerned about the children centre that serves our families here in Harringay.
I hope our Harringay Labour councillors will be fighting tooth and nail to make sure that we don't lose it. It would be reassuring to residents to know that they are on the case.
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Permalink Reply by pamish on
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This is a bit much considering your party has enabled the coalition govt to impose 30% cuts on the budget. Just sayin'.
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Permalink Reply by Michael Fitzpatrick on
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Haringey has modelled its budget proposals on the Local Government Association’s Adult Social Care Efficiency Programme, which assumes budget savings of around 3% per year, less than half the 7% annual cut proposed by Haringey in its three year budget plan. Anticipating further austerity measures in its report published in July 2014, the LGA warned that ‘some councils are beginning to believe that they cannot make the level of savings required without putting their basic services for vulnerable people at risk’.
But Haringey has carried on regardless, recommending cuts on a greater scale than other local authorities and over a longer period. Over the past 10 weeks, Haringey Council has railroaded its proposals through a token consultation process. Apart from withdrawing plans to cut care packages that were probably illegal, it has ignored all representations from service users, families and carers.
In 2012 a Mencap study revealed that budget cuts had already drastically reduced day services around the country, with damaging consequences for people with disabilities and families and carers. It also noted that the shift to personal budgets had resulted in a reduction in day activities, as service users could not afford the increased costs. Some 80% of carers reported that they had ‘reached breaking point’. This is the context in which Haringey plans to close three out of four remaining day centres in the borough and, in particular, the only dedicated autism service, at Roundway.
Though the Council has suggested that a ‘social enterprise’ might replace existing day services, it has given no indication of how this approach could maintain the structure and expertise provided by current provisions, in relation to people with dementia and mental health problems as well as those with autism and learning disabilities. In all these circumstances, we recommend that the Roundway and other day centres should remain open until satisfactory replacements are fully operational.
Michael Fitzpatrick, Save Autism Services Haringey
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Thanks for posting this. I spoke briefly at last week's Cabinet meeting about the concerns of family carers like myself whose loved ones have a diagnosis of dementia and currently attend one of the two dementia day centres in the borough. The highlight of that meeting was a young man speaking in support of his day centre. He said that in taking away the place where he met with his friends, participated in activities and received support, the Council was in effect telling him that he has no value. This was denied by the relevant Cabinet member but it resonated strongly with me. The subtext I am getting is that my mother (87 with Alzheimers/ vascular dementia and attending a day centre two days per week) is not valued, nor are my efforts to care for her. This will not of course stop me caring for her but will make my task that much more difficult.
I suspect the presence of an "elephant in the room". Euthanasia: dead people cost nothing; a 100% saving. The only remaining difficulty will be how the decision makers sleep at night.
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Heather, you also spoke this afternoon and well, as did the other three deputations to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee. following our Call-In.
Councillors Sarah Elliot and Gail Engert spoke for our group. (I was one of the five signatories to the Call-In).
As you probably also know by now, the meeting to review the Budget, decided to refer the issues that the LibDems raised, to the Full Council meeting on Monday for a decision with recommendations to change the Budget to protect Youth Services, Children's Centres, The Roundway Centre and the Haven Day centre.
All Committee Members – including four Labour members – voted for our recommendations.
In the 14 years that Opposition Members have had the ability to call-in Cabinet decisions, this has not happened before. This is the Opposition working as it should.
Details of our concerns can be found here.
Clive Carter
Councillor
Liberal Democrat Party
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This is a great result. Let's see what happens on Monday at Full Council when it goes to the vote. The 4 Labour Councillors on the scrutiny panel yesterday need to continue to support the recommendations by the panel call in to change the budget to protect youth services, children's centres, the roundway centre and the Haven Day centre.
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Let's not forget the Haynes and Grange day centres (dementia care). One of these will be closed under the current proposals. Before I spoke at yesterday's meeting, I sought clarification from Cllr Bull (Chair) that these centres were included in the remit of the Call-in, and he confirmed that they were.
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Permalink Reply by Alice Martin on
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The Haynes is a life-line for my mum. And for me. I would not cope with the caring role if it were not for the Haynes. This would cost the council so much more if people like me withdrew their home care. Many people couldn't manage without the Day Centres. So short sited.
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