30 January - Cuts - except for O’Neill’s favoured few
One of the oddest things I’ve seen proposed as part of the council’s cuts
programme is that if you plan to use a computer in a library it must be booked in advance
and on-line. Surely if you have access to a computer to make the
booking you don’t have any need to go to the library to use one? I
suppose it’s another tick on a jobsworth’s list and helps distract residents
from the real issues. One of those is that councillors are keen to slash and
burn so long as it doesn’t hit their own pockets. It’s been reported many times
that the council Leader is determined to protect her fat cat staff on
£4,000 a week and ignore all the contrary advice from government. I
wrote to the minister
a month ago drawing attention to the two fingers being raised in
his direction by Teresa O’Neill but
so far there has been no response. But at least he is big enough and ugly enough
to stand his ground if he wanted to, unlike the residents of Bexley’s care homes.
When I get reports of Bexley’s criminal activities in the realms of parking and
other non-personal issues they are easy to report in as much detail as I can
find but twice this month I have been sent details of Bexley’s abuse of
vulnerable residents which are impossible to cover in detail for fear of council
retaliation. A few days ago I alluded to the
near death of a disabled child in
Bexley’s care and the “cheating and lying” (quote from a parent) employed to attempt a
cover-up and now I have another report involving social services. A
letter to all residents of care homes
assures them that the council’s budgetary negotiations with
support providers will not “have any significant
impact on warden services provided to people in sheltered accommodation”.
But one of those wardens has broken cover and given details of what it will mean
to them. A 33% pay cut. No cuts for the fat cats but a big one for essential
staff! As you might expect, this particular warden cannot afford such a loss of
income and has decided to leave. How is it that care home residents are being
assured that no changes to services are anticipated? I suppose the only
explanation is that Bexley council is once again doing what it does best. Lying and cheating.