Category: Campaign info

About the Notts SOS campaign

Notts SOS on ITV as massive cuts in local authority budgets are announced

Notts Cuts Watch #9 and events in week starting 13th December 2010

The latest edition of Notts Cuts Watch is available now on Nottingham Indymedia:

http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/805

This is a weekly bulletin detailing how the Age of Austerity has been impacting Nottinghamshire over the last week or so. This edition includes information on grit bins in the city, consultants in the county and what the students did this week.

The bulletin also includes a helpful run-down of anti-cuts events in Nottingham over the next week as below.

Note that we’re meeting on Monday 13th December at 7.30pm. This will be our last meeting before Christmas, so try and come along if you can.


UPCOMING EVENTS (Edited/updated from Notts Cuts Watch #9)
*Monday 13th December,2pm, Nottingham City Council meeting which includes a motion introduced by David Mellen requesting that the
government “review and change” their policies to avoid “leading to a wasted generation in Nottingham and the UK”.

* Monday 13th December, 7.30pm, Notts SOS meeting. Open planning meeting at the International Community Centre, Mansfield Road. See https://nottssos.org.uk/contact/ for venue details.

* Monday 13th December, 7.30pm, the local labour party is holding a debate at the Labour Group’s City Agent’s office about the Nottingham Labour Party’s strategy for the local elections next in May next year. Council leader Jon Collins is chairing. Why not go along and make some helpful suggestions? The address is Unit 13a, John Folman Business Centre, Hungerhill Road, NG3 4NB.

* Wednesday 15th December, 11am, Nottinghamshire County Council cabinet meets to discuss the budget and closure of Gedling School. Save Gedling School campaign are planning a protest at County Hall at 10am. Supporters are invited to bring placards and banners. Balloons will be release. Check Facebook for details.

* Saturday 18th December, the latest day of action against tax avoiding corporations. Nottingham details are on UK Uncut and on Facebook. As will other events, meet 1pm at Clumber St. Vodafone. Special carol song sheets will be available.

Them them eat paint! Education struggles set to continue in Nottingham after vote to raise fees is narrowly passed in Commons

Amidst the widescale revolt on the streets of London on the day of the vote to raise tuition fees, and the front page news spectacular of the paint bombing of the heir to the throne’s car on his way to a Royal Variety Performance, one thing is clear. After this narrowly won House of Commons vote, we are definitely not amused, and the fight against raised fees and other cuts to education will continue.

The choice of fees or graduate tax from different politicians is a diversion. The bottom line is that tuition fee rises, by whatever means students will be asked to pay them back, and the abolishing of Education Maintenance Allowance (EMA) for 16-18 year olds are examples of ordinary, and in this case mainly young, people having to pay as individuals for the economic crisis. We are told there is no alternative but there is – make education, like healthcare a common good, freely available to all. Our society has become so much more unequal and this has to be reversed. Private individuals continue to increase their wealth in spite of the crisis that was caused by speculation and the search for quick profits.

The attack on the royals, whilst this one off opportunity will no doubt be debated endlessly in terms of ‘security’ as will be the policing of anticuts and fees protests in general, it’s importance is mostly symbolic. What is really important is that more and more people are prepared to take to the streets to say no to privilege, no to top management bonuses, no to multi-billion tax dodges, and no cuts in services, arts and education. Why should we be the ones to suffer while the rich carry on entertaining themselves seemingly regardless of what we are going through?

Not only students …

On the website of Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts names of a total of 85 university staff at University of Nottingham from the School of History, School and Modern Languages and Culture and the School of Politics and International Relations can be found, in full support of last weeks occupation and opposition to the rise in fees.

One of the staff supporter who spoke during the occupation has written an article on his blog: Trade unions and global restructuring

It is especially good to see education workers supporting the students’ initiative, and that a city-wide education network is in the making. This network will hopefully involve students in higher and further education colleges and schools, parents, teachers, lecturers, researchers, technicians, admin and clerical, porters, cleaners, caterers – everyone. Organising in education will be a theme of the forthcoming Notts SOS conference on 15th January 2011.

See also: Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts! Press release: Students expose Vice Chancellor’s regressive views and University’s lies and Notts Black Arrow: Nottingham Against Austerity

Parents against student debt - sign held on London anti-fees protest on 9 December 2010
Parents against student debt - sign held on London anti-fees protest on 9 December 2010

Next Notts SOS meetings on 13th Dec 2010 and 10th Jan 2011 plus Conference invite for 15th Jan

We were meeting weekly but this has changed for the holiday period. The venue may also change in the New Year but we will keep you notified. Please put the Conference date in your diary. This will be a major strategic event for the anti-cuts campaigning in Nottingham and Notts.

Our next meeting is: Monday 13 December, at the International Community Centre, YMCA, 61b Mansfield Road, Nottingham, NG1 3FN. 7.30pm until 9.30pm. All welcome and you can just turn up.. This will be our last meeting in 2010.

In the New Year the next meeting will be Monday 10 January 2011, 19.30, venue to be announced, and meetings will then be fortnightly (e.g. 24th January, 7th& 21st February etc.).


You are also invited to participate in the Notts Save Our Services Campaign Conference taking place from 10am to 4pm on Saturday 15 January at the Dunkirk and Old Lenton Community Centre, Montpelier Street, Nottingham. Details to follow.

Tell your workmates, friends and neighbours about our campaign and get involved in saving our services.

Read our latest Notts SOS Newsletter no.2

Nottingham Students Against Cuts and Fees events on Monday 6th and Thursday 9th December 2010 [plus videos of 4th protests and Billy Bragg at occupation on 3rd]

Anti university fees demo in Nottingham 4th dec 2010Nottingham Students Against Cuts and Fees are organising big events this week that you should all come and get involved in. These follow the suspending of the occupation on Friday and the marching through nottingham on Saturday 4th December. Watch [video of the march] on the 4th and Billy Bragg’s views about the university’s ‘concessions’ put forward to end the occupation.

1. At 2:30pm on Monday 6th, there will be a rally outside the Great Hall in conjunction the Vice Chancellor meeting that the occupation successfully negotiated. Please come down and show your support and make some noise! Download flyer: nsafc_rally_forum_6_dec_2010.pdf

2. At 3:30pm, also on Monday 6th, all students are invited to join an open forum discussion with the VC over the raise in tuition fees and cuts to the university, which is taking place in the Great Hall. All students are allowed to come, even if you weren’t in the occupation; even if you’re unsure about your position. Come down and hear the debate and get involved! (Same flyer as above)

3. On Thursday 9th, MP’s will vote in the commons to raise tuition fees. NSACF have organised coaches to take students, staff and supporters down to London for the National Day of Action. This is a big event, involving all occupations and the student movement as a whole! Download flyer: nsafc_dayx_9_dec_2010.pdf

The suggested donation for the coach is £5, but whatever you can afford. If you are interested, please email: nsafac@gmail.com with your name – Coach leaves 9am from Portland steps on Thursday 9th.

Also, join the Facebook event. for the 9th December activities.

Snienton Against the Cuts meeting – Monday 6th December, 6.15pm

The next Snienton Against the Cuts meeting has been called.

SAY NO TO LOCAL CUTS

Monday 6th December, 6.15pm
Bakersfield Community Centre
312 Sneinton Dale

– FOR fairness, justice, and integrity in dealing
with the recession and the National Debt.
– FOR a solution tackling the underlying causes of the recession without blaming or penalising victims of the recession – eg. the unemployed, people on low incomes.
– FOR Public Services, which are key to a democratic and just society.
– AGAINST targeting and blaming particular groups or communities
– AGAINST setting communities against each other in a battle for resources.

Join our Facebook group or email SneintonAgainsttheCuts [at] gmail.com

At this Nottingham City Council “We Asked, You Said” event, the council will tell us the results of a recent survey sent out in the arrow about which services should be cut.

But why should services be cut when there is a fairer way?

Say NO to £1 charges for library internet.
Say NO to another increase in social care
charges for day centres for the elderly.
Say NO to cuts in services for the homeless.

This is the thin end of the wedge – Say NO to cuts in our services.
• Come and tell the council what effect these cuts will have on us: our elderly, our young, our disabled, our vulnerable, our communities.
• Ask them how they are planning to fight these cuts and defend our services.

No one asked us when the Government decided to slash public services and target the poorest and most vulnerable to pay for the banks’ mess.

No one asked us when they decided to “reform” the benefits system in the middle of a recession when it’s even harder to find full time work.

No one asked us when the Government picked on benefit claimants, large families and the disabled and ignored huge bank bonuses, tax evasion and banking mismanagement.

Why should we now be asked to “choose” which vital services should be cut and who should lose their jobs?

The government says we are “all in this together.”

• But they have taken away money and services from the poorest people.

• They have provided £850 billion to support the banks who are still giving out huge bonuses to their richest employees and creating no new jobs.

• The 1000 richest people in the UK are still seeing their income rise by £70bn in the past year, and the average chief executive still earns 88 times the average pay of a full time worker.

The City Council are our local representatives – they should be on our side – they know more than anyone the devastating impact the cuts will have on our communities. They need to send a clear message to the Government that these cuts are unfair, that they are damaging and that we will not accept them. They need to demand a fair solution.

Come to Bakersfield Community Centre at 6.15 on December 6th and make your voice heard!

Notts SOS Newsletter no. 2 for December 2010 – out now

We’ve produced the second of our newsletters in two-page format to make it easier to print off. We’ll also be distributing these on Notts SOS stalls. Hope you like it. Get in touch if you’d like to contribute to the next, or just send us a short article or information about your anti-cuts activities.

Read/download Notts SOS Newsletter No. 2 – Word version: nottssos_newsletter_2_dec_2010_final.doc

Read/download Notts SOS Newsletter No. 2 – PDF version: nottssos_newsletter_2_dec_2010_final.pdf

Come to Notts SOS planning meeting – Monday 29th November at 7.30pm. Plus Notts Cuts Watch #7.

Notts SOS campaigners meet each week in Nottingham to share information and to discuss and organise anti-cuts activities. Groups and inidividuals who are fighting cuts to services are welcome to participate in these meetings. Venue details are on our contacts page.

Forthcoming events include continued action against student fees on Tuesday 30th November, a second demonstration outside Vodafone in December and a Notts SOS conference in January. We will also discuss holding a joint stall with Nottingham CND who are campaigning to scrap Trident 2.

Read a round-up of last weeks cuts and anti-cuts news: Notts Cuts Watch #7 on Nottingham Indymedia.

“The Student Revolt is ON!” in Nottingham – get info via website, facebook, twitter & email

Nottingham Trent University anti-fees action 30th November 2010
Nottingham Trent University anti-fees action 30th November 2010

University of Nottingham anti-fees action 30th November 2010
University of Nottingham anti-fees action 30th November 2010

After successful protests last week, the new campaign Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts invites students and staff to get involved on Tuesday 30th November saying,

All out for next Tuesday!
As we are sure you are all aware there has been action up and down the country this week against the government’s shameless attack on our education.

At University of Nottingham urgent action is needed to co-ordinate the campaign – a big rally on campus is one thing – but walkouts and rallies at local schools, colleges and at Trent Uni too is what is going to make this a fight we can win!

University of Nottingham – Time: Tuesday, November 30 · 11:30am. Location: Portland Building steps, Students’ Union, University of Nottingham.

Also at Nottingham Trent University – Meet 12 noon, Students’ Union, Byron House, Shakespeare St. for a march.

Here is how you can help:
1. Invite all your friends to the Facebook event page, and tell everyone you know about the protest (outside of Facebook too)!
2. Join us flyering – from 11:30 Friday & Monday outside the Portland building (near the cash points).
3. Pick up posters from us & put them up in your halls/local shops etc.
4. Encourage all the education workers – academics, admin, cleaners and even security to join us and take action!
5. If you are not at Nottingham Uni but want to co-ordinate some action – get in touch!

Website ‘Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts!’: http://nsafc.wordpress.com/

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=144577568927052

Twitter: http://twitter.com/nsafc

Email: nsacaf [at] gmail.com

Flyer/Poster PDF: action_fees_cuts_30_nov_2010.pdf

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