Nottingham campaigners hand in 11,000-strong petition against council funding cuts
A last ditch effort by campaigners fighting for a better deal for Nottingham in the face of “devastating” cuts to public services has seen a petition signed by more than 11,000 city residents handed in to 10 Downing Street.
A group drawn from a number of community groups representing sectors that will all be impacted by the proposed cuts travelled down to London on Friday (March 1) to hand in the petition calling for funding from central government and a commitment to work with the people of Nottingham to find sustainable solutions.
They are calling on Westminster for immediate financial assistance for Nottingham City Council ahead of the budget decision meeting on Monday (March 4) that would see the cuts confirmed.
They are Adam Pickering (LeftLion/Hustle Collective); Mutsa Makaka (Shifting Your Mindset); Shoana Qureshi-Khan (Nottingham Counselling Service); Marcellus Baz (Switch Up); Matthew Chesney (BACKLIT) and Sarah Manton (Nottingham Open Spaces Forum).
Baz, the founder and CEO of community organisation Switch Up, said: “The proposed council cuts to our already exhausted and depleted frontline services will have a devastating impact on our communities, especially those from low socioeconomic backgrounds that are already teetering on the edge.
“We work on the frontline. Our communities have still not recovered from the effects of the pandemic, then they have been hit hard with the cost of living crisis, further cuts will have a catastrophic effect. This will see the gap that people are falling through widen further. The human impact is unthinkable.
“Currently crime rates are soaring, mental health services are depleted. We cannot afford to see services that support the vulnerable reduced or closed down when we need them the most. We call on the government to stand up, to support us, to give our communities a lifeline, and offer our young people the future they deserve.”
The ‘Resolve’ campaign is made up of arts and culture organisations, youth leaders, charities, community, environmental and volunteer groups from Nottingham drawn together by their shared alarm of the impact the cuts will have on the people of the city.
Resolve’s initial open letter to Nottingham City Council before the budget consultation closed put forward ways that the city could increase revenue and prevent cuts to services, such as a tourist tax and better managing the Council’s property portfolio which they say has been poorly managed.
City councillors are almost certain to vote through the cuts on Monday.
