News from Westminster Labour

Labour challenges 20 job cuts in Westminster Children’s Services

Conservatives cut services to children but £3 million a year “spin machine” carries on untouched.

Labour Councillors have called for detailed scrutiny of Council plans to cut 20 jobs from the Children’s Services Department as part of drastic plans to cut costs in the wake of the Council’s loss of £17 million in now-failed Icelandic Banks.

Labour Councillors say they are concerned about the impact of the loss of 20 jobs on child protection services, on early years services and on the Council’s ability to give advice and support to schools in difficulty.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said:

“We are very concerned at the loss of 20 jobs in Children’s Services at a time when child protection isssues are of concern to everyone. We also want to scrutinise the job losses to see what impact they will have on early years services and support to schools. We have called for a special Scrutiny Committee meeting to discuss these matters out in the open and in public.

“At the same time, we want to know why Children’s Services is cutting 20 jobs and yet there are no plans to cut any jobs from the Council’s overblown ’spin machine’ Communications Department which costs council taxpayers over £3 million a year?”

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