Got a letter home last week from school saying that our local council intends to cut almost £30 million from its learning and leisure services by 2013/14, and also housing and social care.
The school have expressed their concern over this and want all local parents to go on the website, complete the survey and express their views. I'm doing it just now and am shocked by the questions. It's mainly disagree, agree, neutral answers. I'm paraphrasing, but here's some of the propsals:
Close down the social services office in X (town).
Cut janitorial positions, and instead provide one janitor to cover multiple schools.
Cut canteen staff, free fruit and bread, and increase school meal prices by 25p (excluding free school meals).
Withdraw funding for (local sheltered housing) and encourage elderly people to live independently within their own homes.
Withdraw individual additional support need staff and replace with a more 'generic' assistant.
Reduce cleaning staff in schools.
Reduce our discretionary and community care grants.
Cease free school swimming lessons; only charge those not in receipt of free school meals.
Remove lunchtime patrol staff (lollipop ladies).
Reduce funding to citizens advice bureaux.
Reduce funding to local police and fire safety community based initiatives.
Move waste collection from 2 weekly to three weekly.
Charge £20 for Blue Badges.
And THEN it asks at the end, would you be willing to pay more council tax to help X X Council with its services?
What. A. Joke.