March Against the Cuts - 5th March

All Saints Park at 12.00 and marching to Albert Square.
Rally 1.30 pm Manchester Town Hall

We will be protesting against the Coalition government’s determination to make us pay for the economic deficit The question of how local Councillors who say they are against the cuts should respond to the Coalition Government's imposed funding cuts to local authorities clearly remains a major controversial issue.

The so-called 'Dented Shield' approach previously employed by Labour controlled Councils back in the 1980's against the Thatcher Government, combined with a complete lack of involvement by Labour & other opposition party Councillors in the anti-cuts fight on the ground, is clearly a wholly insufficient anti-cuts strategy if one at all, and falls way short of the type of anti-cuts stance we should expect all elected representatives worthy of their salt to be taking in the next period.

Report from the Wednesday 23rd Budget Meeting

This is intended as a straight record of what I saw, please add to it if you were there so we get a fuller and more rounded picture of the event.

Around 130 people turned up at some time between 6 and 6.45pm outside Bury Town Hall to protest against the cuts.    The major groups represented were ourselves (with two banners), a substantial (and noisy) presence from the Youth Parliament, the UNITE union and a number of members of UNISON.    Two people (including me) were taking names of new members of the Action Group.   I signed up 16 new members.  We were at the Manchester road entrance and were encouraged by supportive toots from horns from passing traffic.   

There seemed to be an unnecessarily large police presence, largely occupied in ushering us to the right entrance or in assisting ushers to protect the entrance to the Town Hall. 

There was clearly another way in to the Town Hall open for councillors and we saw no Lib Dem or Tory councillors and therefore could not lobby them.   The Labour group plus MP Ivan Lewis turned up (I guess around 6.25) and briefly addressed us through a loud hailer expressing their support before mingling with the protesters.   The Bury Times political correspondent was there.

BURY ACTION GROUP PRESS RELEASE 27TH FEBRUARY 2011

Last Wednesday Bury Council made a few headline changes to its drastic set of budget cuts, no doubt hoping to be supported and praised as a listening council. The concessions make very little difference.

Bury Action Group always knew we were in for a long fight over cuts. Our organising meeting next Tuesday at the Met Theatre at 7pm will plot the way forward for the next few months. New members are welcome to attend.

One concession came directly from the Tories: transport to school for children with special needs was reinstated. Congratulations to the vigorous campaign from parents which put this at the top of the agenda and made it impossible to ignore.

Protests greet Bury Council cuts meeting

Report from Thursday's Bury Times.

Huge Bury Council cuts were due to be rubber stamped at a critical local authority meeting.

Protesters from Bury Action Group announced they would be lobbying outside Bury Town Hall last night before councillors deliberated over the proposed budget cuts of £12.2 million.

Please click here for the full report

Pictures from Wednesday's Demonstration

Please click here for a link to Whitefield Labour Party's site which has pictures from the demonstration outside Bury Town Hall

UNISON statement on the campaign

Most of you will be aware of proposals going before council that if passed will result in significant job losses. An action group “bury against the cuts” has very recently been set up to protest against all cuts to the council budgets. As yet no decision has been made by the UNISON Bury branch executive committee on whether we will be joining with this grouping.

 The branch do of course want to build the widest possible support for opposing both the current proposals and the nationally driven cuts in local government that will undoubtedly have a devastating effect on all our jobs. We will report back on any decision to affiliate or not to this or any other such group once we have had discussions with representatives of the group.

BURY ACTION GROUP PRESS RELEASE 20TH FEBRUARY 2011

Bury Council’s budget meeting at 7 pm on Wednesday plans cuts that will decimate many essential services. The cuts are being imposed in a great rush with little or no consultation with employees or the people of Bury.

Bury Action Group will lobby and demonstrate outside Bury Town Hall from 6pm and has tabled questions for the meeting itself. Please come and join us.

These cuts will directly affect some of the most vulnerable people in Bury. Transport to school for children with special needs will be withdrawn, in some cases forcing their parents to give up work. The budget for carers who help vulnerable adults to maintain their independence will be slashed. Provision in libraries for people with sight and hearing difficulties will be cut. A hostel for the homeless may be under threat.