Cuts Watch

ConDem Cuts – ‘Women and Children first’

EXPERTS have agreed that the ConDem cuts target the bottom 30% of the population.  It is estimated that 70% of the cuts in benefits and services announced so far by the ConDems will come from the pockets of women. Just look at the frightening list below:

• Abolition of Child Trust Funds
• SureStart maternity grants cut
• Cuts to SureStart Centres
• A 3-year freeze on Child Benefit
• Child Benefit cut for many women who choose to stay at home
• Cuts to working tax credit
• Cuts to the percentage of childcare costs parents can claim

Is this fair, Is this protecting the future?

Look out for our campaign on these cuts in the coming months, join in by registering your support, signing our petitions and by making sure you tell the LibDems what you think in the local elections next May.

Housing Benefit Cuts in Reading – What will it mean for you?

The Department for Work and Pensions had to do an impact assessment of the ConDem’s Housing Benefit cuts for each local authority.  This is what they estimate the impact will be in Reading for families living in housing with:

I bedroom = £12 a week less

2 bedroom = £11 a week less

3 bedrooms = £13 a week less

4 bedrooms = £20 a week less

Is this Fair?  How is this protecting families?

Massive Education cuts across Reading

The Tory/LibDem Council have decided to go ahead with the planned £1.5m cut to the Education budget.  The cuts will be as follows:

• £280,000 from the schools improvement service, a central support and advise service for schools
• £429,000 from the youth service for projects for young people.
• £345,000 for the Give it a Go fund which schools were told they would receive for outings for children whose families can’t afford school trips
• £350,000 for children’s centres
• £75,000 to cut one manager post in the children in need services
• £75,000 cut to the Connexions services for you people in education, employment or training

Reading Labour strongly oppose these level of cuts, Cllr Jon Hartley (Shadow Education spokesmen) said

‘The ConDen cabinet is taking away vital support for one of the most important public services when other councils have managed to find smaller savings across the whole range of their services. In Bracknell, for instance, their more experienced councillors are spreading these in-year cuts to limit the damage’

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