Calling for expert aid and training to help branches to analyse local authority budgets, Louise Tyres of Eastern region told delegates at UNISON’s local government conference that “this brutal attack on local government spending is only going to continue.
“Branches need to be in a position to put forward alternative budgets … to be able to enable effective budgets before final voting,” she explained.
“This is essential because many councillors don’t have a clue about financial matters and don’t know what they’ve voting for.”
Stressing that serious analysis of budgets and proposals is an excellent basis for fighting back against cuts, Gareth Davies, Northumberland branch said “local government law is never easy.”
But he noted that his own branch had challenged and won a battle to halt cuts to car allowances – by analysing the financial situation.
Karen Evans of Denbighshire County branch also stressed how helpful such an education proved in her branch – it had enabled them to understand council reserves and challenge the council over cuts.
Lynn Poulton of the service group executive stressed that, whatever individual councils do about cuts, ultimately, the choice to make and force cuts has been made by the government.
And this is the same government that chooses austerity and depresses growth; and the same government that freezes public sector pay at the same time as cutting taxes for the richest people in the country.
In a series of motions, delegates backed calls for a vision for the future and for continued campaigning around alternatives to the austerity agenda, promoting policies and ideas for genuine growth and the creation of jobs.
Mervyn Butler from the Northern region stressed that, while it was not important to get into a North versus South debate, the impact of austerity policies on areas such as his reagion is disproportionately higher than in other areas.
Angela Raynor from the North West added that it was those who are most in need who are most affected, but cited The Spirit Level to remined conference that inequality has a negative impact on everyone.
Lisa Foot of Sunderland noted the substantial regional difefrences in the cuts and the impact of those cuts.
“Let’s not let this government make a postcode lottery out of our public services,” she urged.