FAIR PAY

 

Nottingham City Council Budget Approved

The Nottingham Evening Post reports that the Labour-run Council has passed their cost-cutting budget amidst political opposition and protests. At one stage, it was reported that the trams were brought to a halt in the city centre by a sit-down protest by deaf campaigners.

Like the Tory-run County Council, the City is proposing budget and service cutbacks whilst increasing spending in other areas. Both councils are increasing charges to elderly service users.

Both the City's Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have criticised the budget and put forward alternatives. The Tories suggested cutting back on money spend on communications, including the Council's Arrow magazine. Council magazines have been widely criticised across the country following a large scale FOI request inquiring into their costs and in some cases councils have already scaled back or dropped their publications in response.

The Lib Dems also pointed to potential savings in publicity: Cllr Gary Long, leader of the Lib Dems is quoted in the NEP article as saying, "What makes a city proud is the way it looks after its people, not huge stickers on the side of lorries telling people that they are proud."

The City Council has faced criticism in the past for spending money on controversial banners proclaiming the council's achievements - in one case the district auditor described these banners as "borderline legal".

Ironically, the City Conservatives also suggested reducing the amount of money spent on temporary staff - a measure the County Conservatives rejected when it was put to them by the unions.

Footage of the protest can be seen here.
Image credit.