UNISON, the UK’s largest union, today urged the Prime Minister to listen to Tory council leaders and senior local councillors who have written directly to him to warn about the devastating impact of government policy on local councils.
The four-page letter describes the deeply negative impact of levelling continual criticism at councils, and the effect it has on those who work ‘extraordinarily long hours for our communities’.
Heather Wakefield, UNISON head of local government, said:
“Tory council leaders are right to be worried about the devastating impact of government policy on our local councils. The Prime Minister needs to start listening as a matter of urgency if he wants to prove his government’s regular criticism of local government is not simply designed to soften up the public mood to make way for massive budget cuts.
“The government’s deepest-in-a-generation spending cuts, aimed directly at local councils, are robbing our communities of vital services. All across the country, care homes for the elderly, nurseries, Sure Start centres, libraries and even swimming pools are closing down. This will scar our communities for many years to come.
“The council leaders are right – council staff are working harder than ever to keep services running. Massive job cuts have piled their workloads high, yet three years of frozen pay have hit them hard. Many are struggling to afford even basic essentials.”
ENDS
