Bradford cuts petition goes to Council Executive on Feb 11

The Bradford People's Coalition Against the Cuts petition was presented to the Council at its full meeting yesterday (Jan 18) and it was referred to the Council Executive, which meets on Friday February 11, at 10.30am. This meeting is open to the public.
Text of the People's Coalition's submission to the Council follows:

We present this petition on behalf of Bradford People's Coalition against the Cuts: individuals, groups, and trades union representatives who wish to speak out against what we know to be unjust. We are realists. We are looking for councillors - Conservative - Liberal Democrat - Green - Labour, who - although they may not agree with all within the campaign - recognise the basic unfairness and dishonesty of proposals to cut back on staffing levels and funding in the public and voluntary sectors.
Statement of intent
We are asking you, councillors, to make a statement of intent: to argue for a budget based upon the needs of this district, not a programme of cuts designed to make the poor pay for the benefit of the super rich.
The proposed cuts target the most vulnerable - disabled people, single parents, those on housing benefit, black and other ethnic minority communities, students, migrant workers, pensioners, and lesbian, gay, bi-sexual and transgender people. Women are expected to bear 75% of the burden. The poorest will be hit six times harder than the richest. Internal Treasury documents estimate 1.3m job losses in public and private sectors. The FSA reported (Jan 2011) that Lloyds, HSBC, Barclays, RBS between them will pay 800 people over a million pounds each. There are 18 millionaires in the cabinet. A government of millionaires says'we're all in it together' and 'there is no alternative'.
We say: There are alternatives
We are asking you counter the lie that there are no alternatives to cutbacks in the public and voluntary sectors.


Alternative 1: There are more effective ways of reducing the deficit.

Jospeh Stiglitz: Nobel Prize winner for Economics - ex Senior Vice President of the World Bank:

"So this is my hope for the new year: we stop paying attention to the so-called financial wizards who got us into this mess - and who are now calling for austerity - and start using a little common sense. If there is pain to be borne, the brunt of it should be felt by those responsible for the crisis, and those who benefited most from the bubble that preceded it."(January 3rd 2011)

Sixty-eight per cent of the public sector workforce is female: Depriving a £21,000-a-year council worker and single mother of her livelihood would cost £19,000 in lost tax and National Insurance income and extra benefits to be paid. The local economy will suffer the loss of her and others' purchasing power.
Minimum tax rates of 40% and 50% on incomes above £100,000 and £150,000: would raise £14.9 billion. A 0.05% financial transaction tax between UK financial institutions would raise £38 billion. We could raise £25 billion missing through tax avoidance; raise £70 billion missing through tax evasion.


Alternative 2: There is no crisis
From 1918 to 1961 the UK national debt was over 100% of GDP. During that period the government introduced the welfare state, the NHS, state pensions, comprehensive education, built millions of council houses, and nationalised a range of industries. The public sector grew and there was economic growth. Today UK national debt is around 60%: less than Germany, France and the US.
For example: Today there are over 5 million people on council house waiting lists. There is an urgent need to build affordable housing. House building generates jobs, income and revenue (and tenants pay rent for housing). People in work generate economic growth, benefit payments are lowered and tax revenues are increased.

Alternative 3: The crisis is caused by a lack of demand
In the UK, the value of wages has declined from nearly 65% of GDP in the 1970s to 55%
today. Over the same period, the rate of corporate profit has increased from 13% to 21%.
Ordinary people can't afford to buy the goods we make.


The cuts so far in Bradford
As you know, over £7m has been cut from this year's budget, including:
- More than £3.8 million ring-fenced for education;
- £1.5m to encourage business growth.
- £1 .4m of cuts from the working neighbourhood fund - helping get people back into work.
- £250,000 from a programme helping people to live independently.

(T & A 11th June 2010)

We call for a needs-based budget - not a banker's budget.

"The cuts for the next financial year will still have a massive affect on us. It's still several thousand jobs almost certainly, it's still a massive effect on frontline services and it's still people not getting the services they so desperately need "

(Ian Greenwood 14th December)

We call on you to stand up against this assault upon human decency. Don't hide behind a consensus that only exists between the party machines - whether you are - Conservative, Liberal Democrat, Green or Labour - look not to party affiliation - but to the people of your ward. Stand up against what you know in your heart is wrong. Make yourself known to the people of Bradford.


Editor's note:
While it's important to go through established negotiation procedures, it would be naive to expect that reasoned argument will change things. Indeed, the Council's unanimous decision to refer the petition to the Executive is probably, in some councillors' intention (and not only the Tories') to sweep matters under the carpet.
There was a medium-sized attendance in the public gallery yesterday, and apart from one vocal intervention (see a later posting) it was more well-behaved than the rather larger gathering which attended the December meeting.
While it will be necessary to work for a larger turnout for the Executive meeting on February 11, matters will really be sorted by actions outside the council chamber, and in particular targeting councillors who vote for cuts.