‘No justification for cuts’

Campaigners against cuts to Bristol City Council will be holding a ‘snap’ protest from midday on Saturday August 27 at the water fountains, Broad Quay, BS1 4DA in Bristol city centre.

The protest organised by Bristol People’s Assembly with the support of Unite follows this week’s announcement by Bristol City Council of swingeing cuts to services because of cuts imposed by the Tory government.

Care for older and vulnerable adults, and support for children and families are amongst the services under threat as the city council wrestles with an imposed funding cut of ÂŁ60m by 2020, starting in April 2017.

In addition to these spending cuts, the council has revealed a shortfall in the savings that should have been achieved between 2014 and 2017 of ÂŁ43m.

To balance the books, the council will make around one in six employees redundant in a move which will save only ÂŁ29m from the shortfall.

Organisers of the protest are aiming to gather support from Bristolians and service users against the cuts and for council workers whose jobs are under threat.

Unite South West regional secretary Peter Hughes said, “Only by uniting communities, service users, union members, councillors and the people of Bristol can these severe and damaging cuts be effectively opposed.

“This protest will send a clear message to Westminster that the people of Bristol oppose these cuts and the catastrophic effect they will have on the services provided by dedicated and hardworking council staff.

“Bristol is a net contributor to the UK economy. There is no justification for these cuts, other than to satisfy the ideological opposition by the current Conservative government to the provision of services by the public sector.”

Join the protest here.