'They didn't listen and it's a sad day'
CAMPAIGNERS say they are 'bitterly disappointed' that efforts to save lollipop patrols and a city care home from council cuts have failed.
Stoke-on-Trent City Council today confirmed that almost all of its £21 million cuts proposals will go ahead as planned.
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Three lollipop patrols have been saved from the axe after safety assessments – at St Teresa's, Gladstone and Sandon Primary – but 40 will be cut.
The authority says schools must now find volunteers, ask existing staff to carry out the job or pay for the service using their budgets.
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Mick Booth's wife Wendy has worked as a lollipop warden at Newstead Primary School for four years.
Mr Booth, of Meir, said: "I'm appalled. Just one accident will be too many. Wendy has had several near misses.
"If they were to get rid of just one executive on £60,000 they could pay for 20 crossing wardens to help keep children safe."
Plans to shut St Michael's care home for rehabilitation, in Chell, will go ahead to save an initial £883,000.
The 30-bed centre helps vulnerable and elderly patients rehearse basic skills before returning home after a spell in hospital.
The council insists it can provide a better, cheaper service in people's own homes and that half of the 60 staff affected will be employed in the new service.
John Davis, chairman of North Staffordshire Pensioners' Convention, said: "I'm bitterly disappointed that common sense has failed.
"St Michael's provides fantastic care and it will be impossible to provide the same standard of service and facilities in people's homes without costing the public purse more in the long run.
"They've spent millions making this much-needed home a centre for excellence, now they're just going to shut it down. It's a sad day."
Councillor Dave Conway, leader of the opposition City Independents, said: "They have not listened to the people. What was the consultation for if they were going to carry on anyway?
"They say they have no alternatives. They must remember that Labour is an opposition party too – to the Tories in national Government. So where are their alternatives to these spending cuts?"
The council said it has cut the number of senior officers from 37 to 16 in two years – saving £2.3 million.
Council and Labour leader Mohammed Pervez said: "The Government cuts are so deep that they have to impact on some frontline services.
"There's no two ways about it. Savings have to be made.
"A lot of people have made comments about savings but not many alternatives have been put forward.
"Opposition councillors are attacking savings proposals but they too have not put forward any credible alternatives.
"My challenge to them is that it's clear we need to save £100 million in four years. They've moaned year on year about what we're doing, so let's hear how they would deliver £100 million in savings.
"It's getting tougher and tougher to just limit cuts to service redesign and back office. We are trying to generate growth and protect the most vulnerable."
The full council must now approve the budget at a meeting on February 28.
4 Comments
by Nicky_Davis_
Tuesday, February 12 2013, 9:55AM
“School crossing patrols seem to be on the agenda of the cabinet meeting Thursday Feb 14th 5.30pm Civic Centre Stoke
http://tinyurl.com/apg7hlr
It's open to the public to observe, why not attend and make your presence felt.”
by BucknallMel
Thursday, February 07 2013, 12:18PM
“As always, Pervez guts the city and stands there with the bloody knife in his hand shouting 'it was the tories what done it!' The government has cut the budget overall, but it is Pervez and his gang who decide where to make the actual cuts. So it is Pervez and co who have chosen to axe care services of all kinds, crossing patrols, libraries, swimming pools, children's centres, and all the rest - but also to increase top executive salaries by an obscene amount, build a ludicrous white elephant civic centre nobody wants and that they have absolutely no evidence will generate ANY of the benefits they allege it will, continue freebies and junkets of all kinds for themselves, and in general carry on like third world dictators. We see what you're doing, Mighty Mo, so at least spare us the insult added to the injury of assuming we are thick enough to blame anyone but you.”
by MusicHallFan
Thursday, February 07 2013, 10:38AM
“Don't EVER expect this Council to listen! They won't listen when the Angel blows the Last Trumpet! They are too involved in some devious political plan of their own to listen to the electorate, who don't feature in the plan. We have one solution only - make sure that they know that come the election they are all FIRED, then make sure that the new council gets rid of the incompetent officers in the first week.”
by Raytuppa
Thursday, February 07 2013, 10:22AM
“"My challenge to them is that it's clear we need to save £100 million in four years. They've moaned year on year about what we're doing, so let's hear how they would deliver £100 million in saving
Easy STOP the rebuilding of the civic offices.
Then slash the salary of the already wealthy Pevez and his cronies.
Pevez is a disgrace to the true meaning of the Labour Party, Tory in disguise,
Read more: http://tinyurl.com/ayznb57
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