Shambolic #Calderdale Budget meeting sees ConDems slash funds for deprived neighbourhoods

Posted on February 25, 2014 by jenny

In a meeting that the Mayor described as “shambolic”, and that led a Councillor to say that it was no wonder that only 23 percent of the electorate bothered to take part in Council elections, Calderdale Council voted by 26 to 23 in favour of a Conservative/Liberal Democrat Amendment to Revised Cabinet Budget Proposals for 2014/15, 2015/16 and 2016/17.

The ConDem amendment’s main effect is to shift funding away from the most deprived neighbourhoods in Calderdale. It cuts £500K from Neighbourhood Working in North & West Central Halifax, and spreads some of the savings thinly across the whole Borough, with £5k/year to be spent by each of the 17 Ward Forums, as it sees fit. Which costs £255K over 3 years, if my arithmetic is right. A net saving of £245K.
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Demo against Calderdale ConDem Councillors’ budget proposals, 5.15pm Monday 24th Feb

Posted on February 23, 2014 by jenny

There will be a demonstration outside HalifaxTown Hall at 5.15pm, before the Budget Council Meeting at 6.00pm on Monday 24th February.

Calderdale Unison is asking all Unions that are members of Calderdale Trades Council to encourage their members to attend the demonstration. Non-union members are also welcome.
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Natural England staff stay home to avoid Don’t Fund Flooding! protest

Posted on February 21, 2014 by jenny

Ban the Burn protesters, bearing mops and buckets, visited the Head Office of Natural England this morning to deliver a clear message- DON’T FUND FLOODING – only to find that Natural England had advised staff to stay away from the office rather than face the protesters from Hebden Bridge, which suffered major flooding twice in the summer of 2012.

The protesters managed to hand over their petition to one remaining member of staff in the office.

The protesters wanted to tell Natural England that action on reducing run-off from the uplands is urgent, in order to minimise flood risk downstream.
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Parts Per Million shortlisted for climate change arts award

Posted on February 20, 2014 by jenny

At the reopening of Tate Britain, Liberate Tate traced the chronology of the exhibition “BP Walk Through British Art” to mark the increase in carbon in the atmosphere over each decade.

This performance, Parts Per Million, is one of four pieces short-listed in the “Best Artistic Response” category of the Climate Week awards.
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Campaign to Protect Our A&E gets good response in Todmorden

Posted on February 19, 2014 by jenny

On Saturday 15th February, Calderdale 38 degrees NHS campaign group held an information stall on Todmorden market.

Despite the cold and wet, they had an excellent reception with many people stopping to talk about the rumoured threats to Calderdale and Huddersfield A&E departments. 130 people signed a petition asking the Calderdale Clinical Commissioning Group to ‘protect our A&E’. Continue reading →

Judge rules bedroom tax does not apply to bedroom for visiting child

Posted on February 19, 2014 by jenny

Thanks to Joe Halewood’s blog that published the news of a successful Housing Benefit/Bedroom Tax appeal in Liverpool. The judge upheld the appeal against Leeds City Council, on the grounds that a parent has a responsibility to provide accommodation to a child when they visit.
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Upper Calder Valley Plain Speaker

"To be truly radical is to make hope possible rather than despair convincing."