Thursday, August 23, 2012

Labour's Pay Deal and Cuts to the Voluntary Sector

There are few easy decisions for local councils these days as they are facing a future with considerably less money than in the past. Local authorities have to prioritise and councillors must make judgements about where best to spend money and where to save it. 

However it does strike me as very wrong for Labour in Southampton to be announcing an extra £1.1M to fund pay increases for council staff earning over £35,000 and £65,000 pa, yet on the same day in Cabinet voting through cuts of £750,000 to grants to the voluntary sector. We heard from the voluntary sector that the impact of cuts is hitting small charities who in some instances are themselves having to reduce hours and pay for their employees who earn considerably less than this.

Every decision has its consequences and this is one such example and it does not seem right. 

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