What cuts – Page 5 – Notts Save Our Services

Anti-workfare demonstrations in Nottingham on Saturday 3rd March 2012 – part of National Day of Action

National Day of Action Against Workfare (March 3rd)

Joint Notts Uncut/Notts TUC Workfare Action as advertised on Nottingham Indymedia: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2429

Saturday 3rd March 2012. Starting 12:00 noon outside Wilkinsons, Parliament Street (across road from Victoria Centre), Nottingham.

See also: Boycott Workfare Leaflet

In solidarity with Liverpool Uncut’s action against workfare on Saturday 3rd March, Boycott Workfare has called a national day of action against workfare.

So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid labour that there is plenty of choice – Tescos, Asda, Holland & Barrett, Primark, HMV, and Topshop to name but a few.

Workfare means that those who need welfare are forced into unpaid work for multi-million pound companies. Instead of a living wage, they receive only JSA – a tiny £53 a week for the under-25s – far below minimum wage.

Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?

We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones, Sainsburys and TK Maxx have all recently announced that they would no longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit more encouragement to stop this exploitation.

We demand an end to this exploitation and call for welfare rights and living wages for all!
If you continue to exploit us we WILL shut you down!

In conjunction with Notts Trades Council.

Contact email: nottsuncut@gmail.com

More background information

The government has budged a tiny bit on workfare by claiming to withdraw the sanctions from its Work Experience scheme. This is a direct result of the enormous public pressure that has been put on companies who have been profiting from workfare.

But this is not the end of workfare and therefore we must keep the pressure up. That is why we will be taking to the streets this Saturday. Work Experience is just 1 of 5 workfare schemes. The Work Programme is another one of these schemes in which job seekers will be forced to work unpaid in high street stores, including well known charities, up and down the country. Some of these stores that may be worth a visit include – Wilkinsons, Savers, Asda, Pizza Hut, British Heart Foundation, Barnardos, Holiday Inn, Poundstretcher The Work Programme is a particularly disturbing form of workfare – not only can job seekers be forced to work unpaid for 6 whole months, but most shockingly, disabled people can be forced to work unpaid for an unlimited amount of time.

If you cannot make it to your local high street (or there is not an action near you) then you can follow the link to the companies’ online complaints page to raise issues about the exploitation that they profit from. You can also target the usual suspects (Tescos, Poundland, McDonalds, Holland and Barret, WH Smiths) who are still taking part in the Work Experience scheme and may well be involved in others. And then there are the companies who have only suspended involvement: Scope, Matalan, Argos, Superdrug. The Work Experience scheme is still a cause of concern. As the government press release made clear, there are still sanctions involved in this scheme and therefore there is still the element of compulsion. George Osborne has stated “Young people who don’t engage with this offer [of work experience] will be considered for mandatory work activity” where severe benefit sanctions (starting at 3 months!) can be imposed. With the Work Experience programme still being linked to sanctions directly and indirectly, and still remaining unpaid, we suggest pressure is put on companies to withdraw their support and to offer real paid jobs!

Here are some forms of action that will be happening up and down the country that you may like to try out: local groups are planning to do tours of the companies involved, set up stalls to make people aware of their rights on the various programmes (see Boycott Workfare site for materials), go into stores and ask managers to withdraw support or simply shut the stores down. Teach-ins and mic-checks are also fun activities you might want to include.

Last weekend for petition signing against Notttingham City Council cuts before 5th March 2012

Please see attached amended leaflet Notts SOS supporters will be handing out this Saturday 3rd March 2012, from 12 – 2pm in the Market Square, Nottingham. Saturday will also be a last chance to get names on the petition so if you haven’t already signed or if you have completed petition forms to hand in, please come along and visit the stall.

Leaflet: Know the Cuts Notts SOS March 2012

£20 MILLION CUTS IN NOTTINGHAM!* Many city residents will be unaware of yet another year of further proposed cuts to our vital public services, increased costs to pay for them, and axing of local jobs. Below we highlight 10 headline proposals in the City Council budget for coming years. When they tell you “We’re all in this together”, …..you can see its not true.
* Council Tax up 3.49%
* Selling Portland Leisure Centre
* Closing two Older People’s Centres;
1) Marlstones Elderly Person’s Home, Bullwell
2) Willows Centre, Beechdale
* Closing the Museum of Nottingham Life, Brewhouse Yard
* Stopping food waste collections
* Closing nine recycling centres
* Reducing funding to young people support group Connexions
* Ending grant to the International Community Centre that provides facilities for 114 voluntary groups
* 195 Council job cuts
£24 MILLION MORE CUTS BY SPRING 2015!

Also join us in our lobby of the Council meeting on Monday 5th March that will set its budget, at either 12.30 – 1.30pm or 5pm – 7pm, or both if you can make it.

* All figures taken from Council Budget Proposal for 2012-13

And it’s happening all over the country… read this report from London

Haringey Alliance for Public Services
www.hapsnews.net

Press release, 28.2.2012

Haringey residents and workers march to defend local public services under threat

On Tuesday February 28th 150 residents and workers from a wide range of local concerned organisations marched to the Civic Centre to defend vital local services and jobs under threat. The demonstration, co-ordinated by the Haringey Alliance for Public Services, demanded Councillors reject proposals for another £21m of savage Government-driven cuts.

After assembling at 6pm at Wood Green Library, the anti-cuts protestors then marched to the Haringey Civic Centre. From 6.45 to 7.30pm there was a noisy rally outside the windows to the Council Chamber where Councillors at the full Council session were discussing the latest unfair, unnecessary and unacceptable cuts proposals. The rally included an ‘open mike’ session with a range of heartfelt and powerful speeches – and chants of ‘No Ifs, No Buts – No Public Sector Cuts’ and They Say Cut Back, We Say Fight Back’. Members and reps of the following organisations spoke: The 684 Centre Users, Haringey Defend Council Housing, Haringey UNISON, Haringey Federation of Residents Associations, Day-Mer, Defend Haringey’s Health Services Coalition, Haringey Friends of Parks Forum, Wards Corner Community Coalition, and a range of individuals.

The speakers described how the latest £21m cuts come on top of the scandalous and destructive £40m cuts pushed through last year resulting in a wave of closures of centres, loss of front line services and jobs, and more and more ‘outsourcing’ and privatisation. This year’s cuts continue in the same vein, with all departments suffering reduced budgets. On top of the Council cuts the local NHS faces massive underfunding and privatisation threats, and welfare benefits are being cut causing increased hardship and homelessness among vulnerable sections of our communities.

Many speakers pointed out that this avoidable tragedy for Haringey residents is due to the Government’s determination to underfund and undermine public services as they seek to force them to close or be privatised. Anger was expressed that vital public services are being sacrificed to bail out the bankers and banking system which caused the current economic crisis – yet massive ‘fat cat’ bonuses and over £100billion corporate tax avoidance scams continue.

However, many speakers also took heart from the many local and national protests and strikes over the last 12 months, including the recent 1.5 million-strong public sector pensions strikes, the growing chorus of opposition to the Government’s threats to the NHS, the successful use of picketing and direct action to defeat pay cuts in the construction industry, and the growing disarray of Government ‘workfare’ forced-labour schemes.

‘This local Haringey demonstration was one of hundreds of similar protests and mobilisations this week at Town Halls throughout the UK. It shows that the fight back against the Government’s ideological assault on our vital public services continues. We demand adequate resources for Haringey and pledge to continue to defend Council services, the NHS, welfare benefits and all the other rights and services fought for by previous generations.’
– Dave Morris, Haringey Alliance for Public Services

For more information check out our webpages or contact: haps@haringey.org.uk

Join us in fighting the cuts – Notts SOS update for week beginning 27th Feb 2012

Last Thursday, Nottinghamshire County Council voted through its latest
cuts budget with the “independents” and LibDems tagging along with the
Tory majority.

Nevertheless,The fight against the cuts continues. In Nottinghamshire
they still need to be implemented and, across the river in the city,
it is just over a week before Nottingham City Council meet to agree
their budget. We’ll be there making it clear that we’re not happy with
the way they are meekly following central government’s diktats and
passing on the costs of the crisis to the ordinary people of
Nottingham.

Come along and get involved!

—–

BOYCOTT WORKFARE

Workfare is the name applied to a number of government programmes in
which people on workfare are expected to work without pay. Instead of
a living wage, they receive only JSA – a tiny £53 a week for the
under-25s – far below minimum wage.

Workfare means those in paid positions may see their jobs replaced by
this unpaid labour. Why would a company pay for people to do these
jobs when they can get free labour from the Job Centre?

There has been a lot of controversy about this over the last week,
following (ultimately successful) protests against Tescos which was a
participant in the “Work Experience Programme”.

In solidarity with Liverpool Uncut’s action against workfare on
Saturday 3rd March, Boycott Workfare has called a national day of
action against workfare. Notts Uncut are organising a demonstration as
part of this in Nottingham.

So many high street stores are involved in taking on forced unpaid
labour that there is plenty of choice – Asda, Holland & Barrett,
Primark, HMV, and Topshop to name but a few.

We can put a stop to this forced unpaid labour – Waterstones,
Sainsburys and TK Maxx have all recently announced that they would no
longer take unpaid placements – the other companies just need a bit
more encouragement to stop this exploitation.

Meet outside Wilkinsons, Parliament Street, 12pm

Protest details: http://s.coop/nottsworkfare

More on workfare: http://www.boycottworkfare.org

—————

OCCUPY NOTTINGHAM

The occupation of Nottingham’s Market Square has now been ongoing for
more than 4 months. The campers are inviting people along to an
outreach and social event in Sneinton. This is an opportunity to enjoy
a relaxed informative insight into the economy, the Occupy movement,
and its aims, achievements and plans the future.

What to expect:

Speakers/Open Debate: 7-8pm
Food, Music & Poetry: 8-9pm
Networking/Open Floor: 9-10pm

…and much much more!

This is a free event organised by the Occupy Nottingham Outreach
working group, and everyone is invited to get involved or attend for
an insightful, educational and fun evening!

The event will be held at Sneinton Hermitage Community Centre,
Sneinton Boulevard, NG2 4GN

More details: http://occupy-nottingham.org.uk

—————

CITY COUNCIL CUTS

On Monday March 5th, Nottingham City Council will be meeting to agree
its budget, slashing jobs and services and hiking council tax.

Notts SOS and Nottingham City Unison will be holding a join
demonstration outside the Council House from 12.30pm-1.30pm.

Unison are also holding a smaller demonstration at Loxley House on
Wednesday 29th February in defence of the essential car user allowance
which has already been cutback and is likely to be attacked further.

—————

ONE MILLION SIGNATURES FOR EUROPE

A petition has been launched calling for the “onerous debt” on Greece
to be written off. The intention is to collect a million signatures.
Under the Treaty of Lisbon, a petition with at least one million
signatures obtained from a number of Member States can be sent to the
Commission inviting it to change the law accordingly.

Petition: http://www.1millionsignatures.eu/?a=en

—————

DATES FOR YOUR DIARY

Tuesday 28th February, 7pm-10pm
Occupy Nottingham community outreach and social evening, Sneinton
Hermitage Community Centre, Sneinton Boulevard, NG2 4GN
http://occupy-nottingham.org.uk

Wednesday 29th February
PCS protest against closures of DVLA offices. Nottingham Business Park, Strelley
https://imc.li/zxphu

Wednesday 29th February, 12.30pm-1.30pm
Nottingham City Unison protest outside Loxley House in defence of
essential car user allowances
http://www.nottinghamcityunison.org.uk/

Saturday 3rd March, 12pm
Protest against workfare. Meet outside Wilkinsons, Parliament Street.
http://s.coop/nottsworkfare

Monday 5th March, 12.30pm-1.30pm
Nottingham City Council meets to set its budget. A protest is being
organised by Notts City Unison and Notts SOS.
http://www.nottinghamcityunison.org.uk/

Wednesday 7th March, 1pm-7.30pm
Save our NHS mass day of action, Houses of Parliament, London.
http://s.coop/unitenhs

Wednesday 14th March
National student walkout over “reforms” to higher education
http://gu.com/p/35dqz

Saturday 17th March, 2pm
Nottingham Indymedia are organising an online security skillshare at
the Sumac Centre.This will include an introductory session on using
Indymedia to post your own news about campaigns
http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2413

Wednesday 28th March
Possible national strike action over pensions by PCS and NUT (and
maybe other unions)

Saturday 12th April, 2pm
Legal observer training organised by Nottingham Defence Campaign and
run by Green and Black Cross. Held at the Sumac Centre, Forest Fields
https://imc.li/2sgsx

—
Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS)

Website: https://nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottssos
OStatus: https://indy.im/nottssos
Facebook: http://tinyurl.com/nottssosfb
Nottingham Indymedia:
http://nottingham.indymedia.org/groups/notts-save-our-services

Know the Cuts – Notts SOS campaign against City Council cuts in 2012-13

Notts Save Our Services (Notts SOS) is campaigning against council cuts in both the City and County.

Download our flyer against City Council cuts: Know the Cuts 2012

£20 MILLION CUTS IN NOTTINGHAM! (All figures taken from Council Budget Proposal for 2012-13)

Many city residents will be unaware of yet another year of further proposed cuts to our vital public services, increased costs to pay for them, and axing of local jobs. Below we highlight 10 headline proposals in the City Council budget for coming years. When they tell you “We’re all in this together”, …..you can see its not true.

* Council Tax up 3.49%
* Selling Portland Leisure Centre
* Closing two Older People’s Centres;
1) Marlstones Elderly Person’s Home, Bullwell
2) Willows Centre, Beechdale
* Closing the Museum of Nottingham Life, Brewhouse Yard
* Stopping food waste collections
* Closing nine recycling centres
* Reducing funding to young people support group Connexions
* Reducing redundancy pay for council staff to legal minimum with proposals for 195 Council job cuts
* £24 MILLION MORE CUTS BY SPRING 2015!

The council intends to set this budget on March 5th – join our campaign against these proposals

114 user groups face International Community Centre cut – letter from Notts SOS

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

Nottingham protest against ATOS Healthcare and police repression in Hockley – Friday 3rd February 2012

Press Release from Nottingham Defence Campaign

PROTEST AGAINST ATOS & POLICE REPRESSION IN HOCKLEY

Activists have called to a protest against the conduct of Atos ‘Healthcare’ and what they describe as ‘police repression’ coming Friday (3rd February 2012).

In September 2011, two Nottingham residents, a retired paediatric nurse and a wheelchair user were arrested following a peaceful protest at the local offices of Atos ‘Healthcare’. Faced with an impressive solidarity campaign and apparently worried that their case had no chance of holding up in court, the CPS and Atos backed down. The charges of aggravated trespass were dropped.

The case of the ‘Atos Two’ was followed by arrests of Notts Uncut activists just before Christmas and the confiscation of a photography student’s tapes after he filmed an arrest.

Supporters of the arrestees have described these events as worrying signs that the local force is changing its attitude towards peaceful protesters. This seems to have been confirmed by a police officers’ remark who commented on the arrest of the ‘Atos Two’ by stating that there “had been too much of this sort of thing and we were told to crack down on it”.

Jamie Kennedy from the Nottingham Defense Campaign said: “The police have wasted time and resources on ridiculous charges. Meanwhile, Atos’ biased and abusive conduct against benefit claimants remains unchanged. They might have backed off from going after the Atos Two but we will certainly not let them off the hook!”

Protesters will gather on Friday 3rd February 2012 from 12.30pm at the junction of Carlton Street and Heathcote Street, Hockley, Nottingham; see http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2335

Contacts

Nottingham Defence Campaign
Tel: 07758867343
Email: nottsdefence@riseup.net
Twitter: http://twitter.com/NottsDefence
Website: http://network23.org/nottsdefence

Notes for editors

1) Regarding the original protest against Atos see: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2053
2) Regarding the charges against the ‘Atos Two’ see: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2168
3) Regarding the solidarity campaign for the ‘Atos Two’ see: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2207
4) Regarding the arrests of Notts Uncut activists see: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2276
5) Regarding the harassment of student photographer see: http://nottingham.indymedia.org.uk/articles/2238
6) A Statement of Support for the Atos Two has been signed by more than a hundred persons and organisations, including Welfare Rights Groups, Councillors and John McDonnell MP: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/articles/2195
7) Atos Healthcare was selected by the Department of Work and Pensions (DWP) to administer the Work Capability Assessments (WCA).
Campaigners claim that WCA are part of a deliberate policy by the coalition government designed to force as many people as possible off disability benefits regardless of their physical and/or psychological abilities.
Critics of Atos Healthcare point to the high number of successful appeals against decisions by the company. A report by BBC Inside Out East found that more than one third of appeals were successful: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-15681502
Furthermore the expertise and conduct of the so called ‘healthcare professionals’ undertaking the assessments has been severely questioned by campaigners. In August it emerged that twelve doctors employed by the company were being investigated by the General Medical Council over allegations of improper conduct: http://gu.com/p/3x7jd

Notts SOS protest city council cuts budget

Notts Save Our Services

PRESS RELEASE – January 21st, 2012

Anti-cuts campaigners protest Nottingham City Council cuts budget

Anti-cuts campaigners today (Saturday 21st January) launched a campaign calling on city councillors to vote against Nottingham City Council’s proposed budget for 2013-14.

Nottinghamshire Save Our Services (Notts SOS) held a stall in the Market Square to raise awareness of what the council is planning and collect signatures for a petition calling on the council not to impose further cuts.

Notts SOS is also calling on people concerned about the impact of the cuts to attend consultation sessions being run by the council to challenge councillors to reject the proposals.

Earlier this week, Nottingham City Council announced budget proposals which foresee a 3.49% council tax increase alongside 195 job cuts.

The council are looking at selling-off Portland Leisure Centre; closing two centres for older people, Marlstones Elderly Person’s Home in Bulwell and the Willows Centre in Beechdale; closing the Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard; cutting food waste collections and closing nine recycling centres; reducing funding to Connexions, a support service for young people; and reducing redundancy payments for laid-off staff to the legal minimum.

In total the council hope to save £20m to cover a shortfall arising from reduced government funding as a result of the coalition government’s austerity drive.

The council has also said that this would not be the end to the cuts, with an additional £24m of cutbacks required by the end of the spring 2015.

Notts SOS believe that the cuts agenda is ideologically driven and are urging councillors to stand-up to central government.

Claire Taylor from Notts SOS said, “Council Leader Jon Collins and Deputy Leader Graham Chapman have been vocally critical of central government and often with good reason. Now it’s time for them to put their money where their mouth is and refuse to pass the cuts onto the people of Nottingham. Even a single council refusing to implement a cuts budget would shake the coalition government.”

Rosemary Muge from the group added, “The same week the council announced it’s planned cuts, Goldman Sachs revealed an £8 billion pay and bonus bill for UK staff in 2011 – equating to £238,832 for every worker. The bankers who caused this crisis have avoided paying for it and instead the cost is being borne by ordinary people. Nottingham is already a deprived city it needs investment not further cutbacks.”

Notes for editors

1. Notts SOS was launched in September 2010. They oppose cuts to services, job losses and cuts in benefits and aim to support workers organisations, service users, community groups in fighting cuts in Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire. They hope to inspire confidence to think, meet and act. And to be inspired.

2. Last year Notts SOS held a demonstration when the city council met to set its budget. A petition was presented to Deputy Leader Graham Chapman. Councillors were later heckled from the public gallery and Jon Collins was challenged by protesters while he was being interviewed for the BBC.

ENDS

Links:

Notts SOS website: https://nottssos.org.uk

Notts SOS Twitter feed: https://twitter.com/nottssos

Notts SOS Indy.im feed: https://indy.im/nottssos

Contact email: nottssos [at] gmail.com

Nottingham City Council’s draft Budget for 2012/13 published – public consultation meeting dates

Nottingham City Council’s draft Budget for 2012/13 has only just been published.

For a summary see http://www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=17124.

These include 195 job cuts and a council tax increase of 3.49%.

Additionally, the council are looking at

* encouraging staff to volunteer to work 35 hours rather than 37
* selling-off Portland Leisure Centre
* closing two centres for older people, Marlstones Elderly Person’s
Home in Bulwell and the Willows Centre in Beechdale
* closing the Museum of Nottingham Life at Brewhouse Yard
* cutting food waste collections and closing nine recycling centres
* reducing funding to Connexions, a support service for young people
* reducing redundancy payments for laid-off staff to the legal minimum

The budget will go before a full council meeting on 5th March.

We’ve already begun a campaign to encourage councillors to vote
against the budget. Keep an eye out for stalls and protests around the
city.

Public consultation meetings are being held as listed below. It is important that as many people as possible go to these meetings to pressurise councillors not to implement this cuts budget. Get yourself there and urge your contacts to attend.

Saturday 21 Jan 12, Sherwood District Centre, Outside Co-op., 684 Mansfield Rd., NG5 2GE, 10am -12noon. Contact telephone: 0115 883 8469.

Tuesday 24 Jan 12, Clifton Cornerstone Southchurch Drive, Clifton, NG11 8EW, 6:30pm 915 3079

Wednesday 25 Jan 12, Indian Community, Centre (ICCA), Hucknall Road, Carrington, NG5 1QZ, 6pm 883 8469

Wednesday 25 Jan 12, Bentinck School Bentinck Road, Radford, NG7 4AA, 4pm 883 8469

Wednesday 25 Jan 12, Greenway Centre Trent Lane, Sneinton, NG2 4DF, 6.30pm 915 3079

Monday 30 Jan 12, Top Valley Community Centre, Top Valley Way, NG6 9DD, 6pm 915 9127

Tuesday 31 Jan 12, Loxley House LB41, (BSL interpreters will be present), Station Street, N2 3NG, 5pm 876 4955

Wednesday 1 Feb 12, Thomas Hewly’s Baptist Church, Church St, Lenton, NG7 1SJ, 2pm -3.30pm, 883 8469

Wednesday 1 Feb 12, Southwark Primary School, Park Lane, Basford, NG6 ODT, 6pm 915 9127

Friday 3 Feb 12, Bulwell Market Place Bulwell, NG6 8HD 9.30am 915 9127

Monday 6 Feb 12, Meadows Library Wilford Grove, NG2 2DR, 6-8pm 915 3079

Wednesday 8 Feb 12, Chase Neighbourhood Centre, Robin Hood Chase, St Ann’s, NG3 4EZ,4.30pm 915 3079

Wednesday 8 Feb 12, Sheila Roper Community Centre, Baslow Drive, Lenton Abbey, NG9 2SU, 7pm 883 8469

Thursday 9 Feb 12, Bilborough Market Bracebridge Drive, NG8 4PN, 9.30 -11.30am, 915 9127

Thursday 9 Feb 12, Kingswood Church Lambourne Drive, Wollaton, NG8 1GR, 7pm 883 8469

Thursday 16 Feb 12, Nottingham Salvation Army, 397 Aspley Lane, NG8 5RR, 6pm 915 9127

Nottingham & Notts Branch of Keep Our NHS Public – Letter to GPs and Press Release

Update from Nottm & Notts KONP 10th January 2011: Please find attached a press release from Notts-KONP that has been sent at very short notice to the Nottingham Post – it is based on one issued by the NHS consultants association and supplied by the KONP office. PRESS RELEASE from Notts-KONP 10 Jan 2012 [PDF version] or [Word version]. The stall on Saturday was very successful – see the photographs at Notts Indymedia. Remember to check Bevan’s Run blog every now and then – today has the terrific speech which started the run off this merry morn; down the left hand side up to the minute tweets from Clive P. http://bevansrun.blogspot.com/

Here is a message and standard letter from the recently relaunched Nottingham & Notts Branch of Keep Our NHS Service Public.

LETTER TO GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

The more pressure that is put on personnel involved in changes in the National Health Service the more likely it is that we can obstruct the Government’s privatization plan. Please find below a model letter for patients who are concerned about the Government’s proposed changes to the NHS. We urge you to post or email this letter to the doctors at the general practice at which you are registered. You may wish to alter the text to express your particular concerns. Also please forward this letter on to other people who may wish to use it. It would be useful if you would inform KONP of any responses you receive.

Nottingham and Notts Branch of Keep Our NHS Public

Contact: info@notts-konp.org.uk

* * *

Dear Dr./Drs. … .

I am very concerned about the changes to Primary Health Care that the Government is trying to bring about by means of its Health and Social Care Bill.

The Government intends that the provision of much health care will be brought about by means of Clinical Commissioning Groups purchasing appropriate services. We have been led to believe that it will be general practitioners in CCG’s who will actively choose the suppliers of services. However, close scrutiny of the proposed legislation reveals that most GP’s will not be deemed to be suitably qualified and experienced to make such decisions. In practice it will be representatives of private health care companies who will effectively decide how the money will be spent. As you are probably aware, the British Medical Association has expressed serious concerns about this and other aspects of the proposed changes to the NHS.

In general it seems to me that the Government’s proposed changes to the NHS do not have the aim of creating a more effective health care service. Rather the real aim is to provide opportunities for private companies to make profits. Such a change could well result in a decline in standards of health care. There is some very useful briefing information on the website of Allyson Pollock – http://allysonpollock.co.uk and more campaign information on www.keepournhspublic.com

As one of your patients I would like to know what are your views on the Government’s plans for change in the NHS. I suggest a discussion of these matters at the next meeting of your patient participations group.

Yours sincerely,

(Signature)

Happy New Year from Notts SOS – January 2012 meetings and events

Happy new year from Notts SOS. With the festive break behind us, things are now getting started again. We’ll first be meeting this evening (Monday 9th January) then two weeks after that. There will also be another Notts Uncut demo on Saturday and a meeting about the policing of protest in Nottingham. Keep an eye on our website for updates.

NOTTS SOS MEETINGS

We meet every two weeks which means that the next meetings are Monday 9th January and Monday 23rd January.

As ever, we meet at 7.30pm at the YMCA International Community Centre, Mansfield Road. Meetings are usually finished before 9pm and there’s often an opportunity to carry on any discussion informally in the pub afterwards. Please do come along and get involved.

OCCUPY NOTTINGHAM

The occupation in the Market Square has now been in situ for almost 3 months, an astonishing success. However, the city council is now making noises about trying to evict the occupiers by the end of the month. Details are vague at the moment, but keep an eye on the occupations’ Twitter/Facebook pages for more news.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/occupynotts
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/occupy.nottingham

NOTTS UNCUT

Notts Uncut will be out and about again in 2012, visiting tax dodging companies in Nottingham on Saturday 14th January. They’re keen to build on the success of 2011 and show that they are not intimidated by the heavy-handed policing which they experienced during their “Christmas Special” protest in December.

Notts Uncut will be meeting outside Boots, Upper Parliament Street at 12 noon.

Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottssos
Website: http://www.nottsuncut.co.uk
Email: nottsuncutaction [at] gmail.com

RIGHT TO PROTEST MEETING

Following the arrests at the Notts Uncut “Christmas Special” and in light of the continuing prosecution of the “Atos Two” there is a need for people in Nottingham to get together to work out how we can effectively resist political policing.

To this end the Nottingham Defence Campaign are inviting people to an open meeting at the Sumac Centre, 245 Gladstone St, NG7 6HX, at 2pm on Saturday 14th January to discuss we want to respond. The meeting will be relatively informal and the agenda can be shaped by the specific concerns of attendees, but likely points of discussion include legal observing and support, court solidarity, further protests and wider publicity.

Event details: http://nottingham.indymedia.org/events/2298

Please come along or, if you can’t make it, spread the word.

Website: https://network23.org/
Indy.im: https://indy.im/nottsdefence
Twitter: https://twitter.com/nottsdefence

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Notts Save Our Services
Web: http://www.nottssos.org.uk
Twitter: @nottssos