Budget cuts always seem to hit the most vulnerable hardest

MY STUFF IN THE HERALD EXPRESS 28th NOVEMBER 2013

 

Vince Cable (Secretary of State for Business, Innovation and Skills) came to visit South Devon the other day and amongst other things spoke to the local business forum at the end of a busy day. For all sorts of reasons I didn’t attend that gathering but was fortunate enough, thanks to Adrian Sanders MP, to spend a little time with Dr Cable during the late afternoon. I’ve always been a supporter of Dr Cable and really enjoyed reading his excellent book ‘The Storm’ about the financial crash, published in 2008.  But although I have admired his work I did have a problem with some of the changes in direction once he joined our coalition government. I reminded about his potentially being included in the 2012 Olympics as a member of the fiscal gymnastics team with backward somersaults as a particular skill. Those adjustments are of course a consequence of endless policy trade-offs in any coalition which is why our present political leadership has been a worry for me. Anyway it was a pleasure to meet him and I do recommend his book to you as we battle through this age of austerity.

I did raise an eyebrow recently, something that I seem to do a little too often these days, when HRH Prince of Wales called the three main political party leaders to Buckingham Palace to debate voluntary service for the young. Doubtless the meeting will result in numerous focus groups, assorted projects and the usual myriad of quango style organisations. Thinking about the financial action of the Coalition I felt a certain empathy with Prince Charles’ obvious concern for our young people. We should, of course, all be concerned because this is about the building blocks of a cohesive functional community and given the high level of young people without jobs this has to be a worry.

I do wonder whether our local political leaders had any of that in mind when setting the budget for Torbay in particular. Did you notice the Mayor’s budget detail or did it get lost in the swirl of political rhetoric that always makes any sort of reasoned analysis problematic? I did take a long hard look, as did a friend who made the following comment, “Have you looked at the Mayor’s budget on the website? There are so many cuts to services for the most vulnerable! SHOCKING!!” Curiously that comment was brought into immediate focus later that same evening when I bumped into another friend working for Torbay Council and lightly asked the question, “Still got a job?” Her face dropped and I realised immediately that I had asked the wrong question. It seemed that she had received her notice that afternoon. My reply was, “But you work with very needy young people!!” Given that she has always done much more than was required for her post, had supported so many marginalised young folk and helped in ways that I cannot even start to list the loss to Torbay will be huge. That’s the point really. It’s not just what folk do for a job it is also a matter of understanding what they also do through goodwill. Expecting the voluntary sector to pick up the slack is it seems to me wishful thinking!

Budget cuts always seem to hit the most vulnerable hardest. This budget is going to impact upon us all and so how about making your view known? Why not attend the Mayor’s Budget Event on 2^nd December at 6.30pm at The Rivera Conference Centre (also known at the ERC, on Torquay seafront). The event is open for us all to attend! If you have computer access then do take a look at: http://www.torbay.gov.uk/index/yourbay/events/budget where you will even find an interactive budget simulator to see how you might allocate the meagre funds available! You will also find a questionnaire allowing you to have your say about the Mayor’s proposed budget.

You have the chance here to participate in local government and the ability to engage gets even better because now Torbay Council will be streaming many of their meetings. What does that mean? Well this is a computer based facility that will allow you to watch proceedings live!  You can join, via the Internet, a full Council meeting live on 5^th December simply by clicking on: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tHy8b6V-_QE

Of course if you don’t have computer access you can read about these events in the Herald Express! You can also attend as a member of the public and watch our elected councillors in action although you cannot actually participate.  The meeting will be in The Forum at the Riviera International Conference Centre on the 5^th December starting at 5.30pm.

Goodness, we are all going to be busy bunnies!

Keep the smile!