See also: Campaign launched against ICC cuts
Here is a letter to user groups about the proposed cut in the City Council’s grant from £54,000 to nil for the International Community Centre on Mansfield Road, where we hold our fortnightly meetings. There are 114 user groups at the ICC and at the last Notts SOS meeting we agreed to do our best to contact them about what is intended and see if some will come to our next Notts SOS meeting on Monday 20th Feb and/or take other action. Here is a copy of the letter which is also a flyer that is being put in every room over the next fortnight from today (agreed with the ICC).
To all groups using the International Community Centre (ICC)
Dear ICC user group
Proposed ending of Nottingham City Council grant to the ICC
Are you aware the City Council is proposing in its budget for the coming year to cut ALL of its £54,000 grant to the ICC?
The ICC is at present funded by this grant, financial support from the YMCA to repair and maintain the building, and income from groups like you that use the building. If this grant is cut, prices for use will increase a lot, and make it difficult for some groups to continue to meet here. It will also divert resources from community groups to sustain their community activities to instead being spent on room hire.
There is also the likelihood of further spiralling increases if some groups can no longer afford to meet here and the shortfall having to be met by the remaining smaller number of groups.
This grant was originally set up under a programme to improve the work of the voluntary sector. It has been successful in that there are now 114 different groups that use the ICC.
We urge your group to add its voice of protest to this proposal and request the council reconsider and fully reinstate this cut.
Please join our campaign to retain the grant to the ICC. How you can do this:
• Come to our next Notts. Save Our Services meeting at the ICC at 7.30pm on Monday 20th February. Other details about how you can contact us are listed over the page.
• Lobby Councillor Dave Liversidge’s and go and visit him at his fortnightly surgery. He is Portfolio Holder for Housing Strategy and Community Sector, and his surgeries provide an opportunity for voluntary sector and community sector organisations to raise awareness of their work and discuss issues. The surgeries are held at Loxley House, on Station St, on alternate Friday mornings from 9.30am to 12.15pm. The next date is 10 Feb. To book an appointment you need to contact Phil Hearn at NCC 0115 8762183 or email phil.hearn@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
• Email your comments/views to: Voluntary.sector@nottinghamcity.gov.uk
• Write to : Tricia Gilby, Service Manager Voluntary Sector Sustainability, Communities Courtyard, Wollaton Road, Nottingham, NG8 2AD
The Council meets on Monday 5th March to set its budget – so time is short to change the minds of Councillors….
Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts. SOS) was set up in the autumn of 2010 to campaign and oppose all cuts to services in Nottingham and Nottinghamshire. We have been fighting council cuts on many levels since then, including organising a 1,200 strong march to the city centre in November 2010.
We can be contacted at:
Website: https://nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottssos
Indymedia Instrant Messaging: https://indy.im/nottssos
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/nottssosfbNottingham Indymedia:
http://nottingham.indymedia.org/groups/notts-save-our-services
or phone 07940 952825