North Somerset Youth Services Cuts - Councillor Probert's Survey and letter

Below is Weston Town Councillor Tony Probert's letter in this week's Mercury regarding the cuts to Youth Services in North Somerset, along with a link to a survey to give your views. Here's the survey link http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T5655GL and here's his letter.

Councillor Probert writes: "I am absolutely disgusted at the latest sickening cuts policy of North Somerset District Council who has decided to withdraw the sum of £250,000 from an earmarked budget for the establishment of a youth network across the county.

They promised this money to volunteers – Cameron’s ‘BIG SOCIETY’ - who have been working flat-out to establish youth facilities across the county because North Somerset Council has already axed such services throughout the region.

So in effect NSC is saying it couldn’t care less about our young people of today or tomorrow!

However I have investigated certain financial information on the NSC website and am once again totally nauseated to find out that some of our district councillors are earning more money than many people in full-time work but also note that throughout the publicity surrounding the devastating cuts being made to public services non refer to councillors deciding to take a reduction in their earnings.

Yours readers may like to know that in the last full financial year our district councillors cost the taxpayers £796,792.00p (go to: http://www.n-somerset.gov.uk/NR/rdonlyres/E45C9001-CDF7-40DC-BDEA-6F80417DBC97/0/statementofaccountsfor201112pdf.pdf  pages 67 & 68) to get confirmation of my statement.

I certainly think that our councillors should be prepared to take a substantial cut in their allowances for one year in order to provide the £250,000 for our youth networks or perhaps assume the same role for one year as Weston Town Councillors – of which I am one – who claim absolutely nothing for all the time and energy they spend supporting Weston-super-Mare.  If the District Councillors did this it would supply sufficient funding for three years of support for our youth networks.

I certainly agree with Lib Dem councillors Clare and Mike Kingsbury-Bell’s attacks on these ruthless cuts but I do wish they would organise a nationwide Lib-Dem revolt against their buddies in Parliament who are supporting the Tories vicious cuts each and every time!

Finally if your readers wish to air their views about my suggestions please go to:

http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/T5655GL and answer my questions.

So come on readers let’s have all your responses to my survey and show North Somerset District Council what you think."