Category: What cuts

Information about specific cuts

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

Nottingham City Cuts consultations – “They asked. We said no cuts”

Nottingham says no to the cuts posterCity consultations

Following the city council ‘consultations’ on the cuts, where we were asked to rate council services for importance, meetings have been going ahead with the title “We asked. You said, What next?” . This consultation is designed to draw residents into discussion about what should be cut. But there is a clear message of no cuts coming out from the exercise.

Here is one view from a resident of Forest Fields about an Nottingham City Council consultation on Wednesday:
NCC have no answers to the cuts

Something that the Councillor didn’t point out but that I thought was quite interesting was that all of the categories were given average scores of greater than 2.5, and all but one category was given an average over 3. These results look suspiciously like people want to keep all of their services.

There are now two more “We asked. You said, What next?” meeting dates left in the current round, both on 14th December.

And in the county …
From our own correspondent (Parish of Nottingham blog): http://parishofnottinghamshire.blogspot.com(Thursday, 9 December 2010)

Kay Cutts looked like she was going to explode today in full council:

A Beeston member asked her about the transfer of some land for the tram to the City Council. Evidently her second hand car salesman transport portfolio holder won’t sell it so the City Council are getting a compulsory purchase order – a long, expensive drawn out business. I’ll now quote a witness:

“The member asked her a straightforward question about the transfer of the land to which she replied rather curtly that a compulsory land transfer arrangement, not purchase was under way and her colour slowly changed from Vogon green to a lighter shade of red. The member then asked how she squared this with her promise not to obstruct the tram and that it may cost her friends in the City Council over £200,000 to get the compulsory order, how could she justify that waste of public money during these difficult times? Her complexion then went through the various stages of red to glowing traffic light, we all thought she was about to burst. She finally just stuttered out something about them not selling voluntarily before sitting down, looking rather embarrassed. We then realised why – sitting directlybehind her was a glowering Leader of the City Council; Jon Collins.”

Notts Cuts Watch #8 (29th Nov-5th Dec 2010) plus events for week beginning Monday 6th December 2010

Notts Cuts Watch #8 (29th Nov-5th Dec 2010) – this is the latest installment of the excellent Notts Cuts Watch which is a round up of the previous week’s cuts and anti-cuts news courtesy of Nottingham Indymedia. See http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/775. It also includes a list of forthcoming events for this week. These events are also listed below, plus details of some of these events and more dates specific to education activity are mentioned on the Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts website.

The news this week has been dominated by snow which has rendered the north of the Nottinghamshire and much of the country almost inaccessible. But a little frozen water isn’t going to stop the important business of cutting private services and there’s no shortage of material for this week’s Notts Cuts Watch. All of it brought to you in a new, shorter format which is hopefully easier to use and more interesting .

You are also invited to submit additional news stories by emailing a special Notts SOS email address: nottssos+watch [at] gmail.com

Upcoming

The following is a run-down of the anti-cuts events happening over the next week (thanks to Notts Cuts Watch compiler).

  • Monday 6th December, 2.30pm. Rally outside the Great Hall in conjunction the Vice Chancellor meeting that the occupation successfully negotiated.
  • Monday 6th December, 3.30pm all students are invited to join an open forum discussion with the Vice Chancellor 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.
  • Monday 6th December, 6.15pm, Bakersfield Community Centre, Sneinton. 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, Sneinton Against the Cuts are urging people to come along and “make your voice heard!”
  • Tuesday 7th December, 7.30pm,The 3rd meeting of the Nottingham ‘Anarchists Against the Cuts‘ non-group will take place at the Sparrows Nest.
  • Wednesday 8th December, protest against Nick Clegg in Sheffield. University of Nottingham Students’ Union are putting on coaches, leaving the university at 10am. It isn’t clear if this is open to non-students.
  • Wednesday 8th December, Defend ESOL: a meeting about a cut to funding for ESOL (English for speakers of other language), called by UCU (Universities and Colleges Union) and NNRF (Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum). This cut to ESOL will affect both service users and teachers.
  • Thursday 9th December, 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. The suggested donation for the coach is £5, but whatever you can afford. If you are interested, email: nsafac [at] gmail.com with your name. Coach leaves 9am from Portland Building steps, University of Nottingham.

Continue reading: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/775.

Defend ESOL (English for speakers of other languages) – meeting on 8th December

You are invited to a meeting about a cut to funding for ESOL (English for speakers of other languages).

This meeting has been called on Wednesday by UCU (Universities and Colleges Union) and NNRF (Nottingham and Notts Refugee Forum). This cut to ESOL will affect both service users and teachers.

Date: Wednesday 8th December 2010
Time: 5.30pm
Place: The Square Centre, Alfred Street North, off Huntingdon Street. NG3 1AA

Background

The government’s proposals for changing ESOL funding next academic year pose an extremely serious threat. They radically restrict the rights of many non-English speakers to publicly funded classes, and threaten the jobs of ESOL teachers.

In their new strategy for FE, the government will restrict access to public funding to students from ‘settled communities’.

Only those students ‘actively seeking work’ and receiving JSA or the new ESA (Employment and Support Allowance) would be eligible for full fee remission. Others would be subject to so-called ‘co-funding’, which in all likelihood means an increase in course fees, including for those in low-paid jobs and on Working Tax Credit or housing benefit. In addition, asylum seekers and students on Section 4 support would no longer be eligible for publicly funded language classes.

This attack on ESOL funding would undermine integration, progression and access to decent employment. It could push provision back into the margins of voluntary teaching and under-resourced community classes.

UCU and the Refugee Forum are jointly calling this organising meeting for teachers, students and others to discuss what action we can take to defend ESOL.

Everybody welcome.

Keep up the pressure on Saturday 4th December, 1pm-5pm

BREAKING NEWS: The University of Nottingham occupation is voluntarily suspended. The University management has agreed to a meeting with students and staff on Monday, for a discussion about the demands of the occupation from Nottingham Students Against Fees and Cuts.

The hundreds of students involved are now free to join the events in town on Saturday!

1pm: Protest tax avoiding corporations! Starts 1pm at Vodafone on Clumber Street in Nottingham City Centre. Other shops may be visited of corporations that are avoiding tax using off-shore headquarters and other dubious methods.

then stay for

2pm-5pm: Third day of action on student fees and education cuts in Nottingham on Saturday 4th December 2010, Market Square, in Nottingham City Centre.

Let’s keep up the pressure in the run up to the vote on student fees on Thursday 9th, and beyond. Elsewhere, the 4th has also been called as a general day of action against austerity, and against welfare and housing cuts. The students’ occupations and demonstrations have sparked enthusiasm and strong will such that anti-cuts activity cannot be ignored. Much more will be needed but last month has surely provided the beginning we needed.

Read the latest Notts SOS Newsletter – Issue no.2, December 2010.

Opposition to Nottingham City Council introduction of Day Centre charges and increases – Market Square protest 12.30pm, Tues 21st Dec 2010

Nottingham City Council recently introduced charges for people to attend its Day Centres, although not without there being a large campaign of opposition to this proposal. The charges have now come in and within weeks, the Council proposes to increase them from £2 to £3.50 a day. In addition, transport charges could go up from £2.60 to £4 daily, home care from £9.20 to £11.50 an hour, meals at home from £2.60 to £3.00 and there is also a proposal to scrap the maximum cap on home charges (currently £81).

Such massive increases will have a huge impact on users of these services, many of whom will have to either reduce or stop using them altogether. This in turn threatens the existance and future of these services (since one way of cutting services is to run them down and then say no one wants or needs them). There is a very short consultation period on these proposals and any responses should be sent to the City Council by 9 December 2010, to Helen Jones, Director for Adult Community Inclusion, Nottingham City Council, Loxley House, Station Street, Nottingham. NG2 3NG. Tel: 0115 915 5555. The City Council Executive Board will make a decision on 21 December with a view to implementation on New Years Day.

Nottingham City Unison has called a protest outside the Executive Board meeting 12.30pm on Tuesday 21 December, Old Market Square. All SOS and other community campaigner and trade unions are invited to participate.

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

Third day of action on student fees and education cuts in Nottingham on Saturday 4th December 2010, 2-5pm

Nick Clegg's pre-election student fees pledge, now brokenAs you will have seen elsewhere on our website, anti-fees/cuts action is being taken by Nottingham students and staff at both Nottingham Trent University and University of Nottingham today (now supported by UCU and NUS locally), and a Third Day of Action Against Cuts to Education has been called already to take place in the Market Square, Nottingham city centre, on Saturday, December 4 from 2:00pm – 5:00pm.

Facebook: Official Nottinghamshire Protest against the cuts to education

NOTE: This was originally advertised for Sunday, but it has been brought forward a day and the time is now 2pm, so people can start at the Vodafone demo at 1pm, then continue in the Square.

The organisers are keen that this is not only involving students but all who will be affected by the education cuts and fees increases and encourage creative methods of protest,

“The student occupations at Edinburgh, Newcastle, Cambridge and UCL universities, and the Royal Holloway Against Cuts group have all voted to call for a day of local demonstrations across the UK against cuts in education.

The decision was taken to hold this third national day of action on a Sunday so that parents, younger students, trade unionists and other supporters of the campaign who aren’t able to join us on the walkouts can take part.

We need to draw in all the other groups who are fighting against cuts, and who want to support our fight to save education and defend EMA.

In Nottingham we are holding a rally in the city centre, for everyone affected by the cuts to the public sector. This isn’t just for university students, it’s also for teachers, staff, lecturers, college students, secondary school pupils, primary school pupils, parents, workers in the public sector, trade unionists.

Help spread the word- invite your friends to this event on facebook, print off some leaflets to hand out at your school/college/workplace.

ALSO! Keep in mind, a national day of action does not just have to be just marches and speeches organised by a few people. Get together with people you know and plan something creative/devious/disruptive/fun/progressive/meaningful.”

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