In eight days time, Salford Council cuts will mean that transport to day centres for severely disabled adults will be axed for many families. Tonight, Thursday 21st August, at 7pm, parents and carers, and their supporters, will be meeting at Swinton Royal British Legion to discuss one last attempt to try and keep the service upon which many of them depend.
So far, they have done everything in their power to try and put a stop to the cut. There has been a protest Rally on the Lawn of Salford Civic Centre, branded `illegal' by Salford Mayor Ian Stewart (see here). There's been petitions (ongoing - see here) and even a failed call-in by Labour Party councillors who disagreed with the cut (see here). And, last week, parents and campaigners blockaded the house of the Mayor to give him a taste of what it's like to have no transport (see here).
Tonight, Swinton British Legion will become the Last Chance Motel. However, the campaign has been energised by yesterday's revelations that, while making huge cuts to services for the vulnerable, Salford Council had been secretly subsidising match day costs of up to £164,000 for the Salford Red Devils and its millionaire owner Marwan Koukash, as well as giving the rugby club two years free rent at the AJ Bell Stadium the Council jointly owns with Peel Holdings (see previous Salford Star article – click here)...
...All this, on top of over £1million of loans to the Stadium company, CoSCoS, by the Council (see here) and an almost interest free debt of £1.5million owed by the Koukash company Salford City Reds (2013)...
"This puts a whole extra dimension on the outrageous cuts the Council is making" says Paul Gerrard from Salford Against The Cuts "While hundreds of families are being plunged into misery, money is being thrown hand over fist at Salford Reds, and Council procedures are being breached. We will be taking this further and the Mayor has not heard the last of us."
Meanwhile, Noreen Bailey, carer for two sons affected by the transport cuts*, posted on the Star website in response to the scandal...
"I felt so sad just thinking that another human could treat someone less fortunate than themselves the way our most vulnerable people of Salford have been treated. How on earth do we put our faith in anyone when we see what this man has done. Why are these people so greedy? I will never understand them. They are on extortionate wages...In 34 years of fostering we have never even charged for petrol or anything because when our children come to us they become part of our family, not an excuse to claim what we can."
She explained why it's so important for her boys to have transport to day centres, not just for their social life but also to give herself some respite...
"I cannot remember when I last had a night's sleep because my boys don't have a clock that tells them it's night or day time" she explained "Many a night one of our boys will want to laugh, shout, bang the side of his bed just because he needs reassuring that we are there for him. Our other son just loves to sit up laughing - lol - which I can assure is so catching that whether we like it or not we end up laughing so loud ... I am telling you this is just to say we do not have to be greedy to be happy because I don't have a lot of money like our Mayor has. But the love I have for my boys and the love they give us should be seen by these people and then start to realise that they are so lucky with the position they have been given."
On tonight's meeting, Noreen adds: "We only have eight days to arrange a last attempt to keep our transport. We know this will not affect some because they are still in school but what happens when they get into adult services and there is nothing left for them? We really need your help."
Meanwhile, a petition has appeared on Change.org urging councillors to hold a vote of no confidence in Salford Mayor Ian Stewart "to get him to resign" – see here.
Stop Cuts To Transport For People With Disabilities
Thursday 21st August 7pm
Royal British Legion Swinton
Cheetham Rd, Swinton M27 4UQ
• To read Noreen's story and other parents' experiences and for more details on the cuts – click here and click here
UPDATE: 27th August - Watch the live Salford Star TV broadcast from the Audit Committee meeting - http://bambuser.com/channel/salfordstar
(1).JPG)
(1).JPG)
(1).JPG)
(1).JPG)
(1).JPG)
.jpg)
.jpg)
.jpg)
(3).jpeg)
.png)
(1).JPG)
