Socialists are calling for a ‘People’s Needs Budget’ in Reading ahead of hosting a public meeting to campaign against cuts.
A coalition of socialist groups in the town has slammed Reading Borough Council for cuts to services and has called for an alternative.
Samuel Fisher, a socialist organiser in Reading, said: “It’s getting to that time of year again when local councils prepare to vote on their budget cuts.
“Reading Borough, along with many Labour councils nationwide, can no longer blame funding shortfalls on a Tory government.
“Last year, they cut essential services once again at the same time as hiking rents and council tax to the maximum level permissible.
“They recently announced that a £200 payment from the Household Support Fund is available for those who need to apply but that’s really a drop in the ocean, given the amount by which bills and grocery costs continue to rise.
“The Household Support Fund announcement is welcome, but we have to ask if they are planning on further cuts to already stretched public services and we wonder how they can justify cuts when the newly refurbished civic offices recently reopened to the public.
“Where did that money come from?
“While the council consistently have not been providing the vital services needed by their constituents!
“For example, they have reportedly only managed a miserly 6.5 per cent of their own affordable homes target for 2024/25 of 169.
“Remaining beholden to private developers’ whims and wants, while approximately 4,675 people are currently on the waiting list for housing.
“Again, this goes on, when the council have made £1,747,643 in driver and parking fines recently.
“And even if the council – as an excuse for a cuts budget – points to the year-on-year cuts from central government funding – for example, a 40 per cent drop from 2009/10 to 2019/20 and counting – why are they conceding to this and not fighting for their constituents?”
Reading Socialist Party and the Reading Your Party proto-branch are planning a strategy to fight for a People’s Needs budget.
All serving councillors, local Trade Unionists, Sadaka food charity, New Beginnings and Reading Voluntary Action have been invited to a People’s Budget conference, which will be held from 2pm to 5pm at the Reading International Solidarity Centre in London Street.
The council’s budget setting meeting will take place on February 24.
Mr Fisher said: “We will be planning our fight for a people’s budget.
“We have met many people through Your Party who are definitely interested in campaigning for a fair budget which will actually support the needs of Reading residents and will be discussing putting forward candidates to stand for TUSC (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition) in the May elections.
“The mood is such that many people have quite simply had enough.”
The council received approximately £8 million from the previous Conservative government to conduct improvements to the civic offices in Bridge Street and create a new library.
