With United at the top of the First Division (at least at the time of writing) and the Hacienda finally reprieved all could be thought to be well in Manchester. Matters are a little different, however, both for those who provide Manchester City Council's services and those who make use of them.
It certainly requires an extremely distorted logic to see how closing Northfields, Hayhead View and Briarfields Elderly Persons' Homes canbe equated with the City Council's boast of Defending Services Similarly with turning Hillside, Weylands and Woodville EPHs into day centres. Some of the residents have lived in these homes for over 20years.
Community centres In addition four Community Centres are threatened with closure: Aquarius, Colony Centre, Paget St. and Ladybarn.
Nor is it only elderly who are being hit. The Dommett St centre for disabled young people and the Raglan day centre (for mentally disabled young people) are also under threat whilst another centre for mentally disabled young people (Ross Place) is subject to review.
With only a very few exceptions all funding from the Sept. 28, 1991 No. 8 is to be cut. While the average reduction is 5-15% Some groups will lose their entire council funds.
There is a certain irony in some of the cuts. Briarfields EPH and the Aquarius Centre are both in Hulme, which has just won a 'competition' for increased funds from central Battle Whether this money will help reduce the long-running battle between the Council anc the well-organised Hulme tenants' movement remains to be seen.
It is more likely that the cash will be used to continue yuppiefying Hulme at the exthe local residents. What is clear is that elderly people have no place in this scheme.
How about Defending Jobs, the other half of the Council's slogan? The Council is currently looking for about 200 redunJancies in its Direct Works department and the City architects are also wanting to shed jobs.
The Council funded GM Buses has threatened 500 job losses. Over the last few months there have been disLeisure Services and Libraries - at the very least.
Filofax
The Council leaders have, however, managed to find enough cash to provide every councillor with a leather to ensure they don't forget when they next have to cut services to the elderly, swimming baths and libraries or call for redundancies.
To make sure opposition to its policies is limited to the 'left' Council leadership is carrying out a purge of all those councillors who refuse to implement Tory policies.
Seven councillors have already been removed from all posts in Council committees and banned from representing the City in any capacity - (no chance of the be ri invited along when the leaders go of on their next expenses paid junket in a further ruitless bid to hold the Olympic Games in Manchester!)
Two of the seven are facing expulsion because they attended an anti-Poll Tax picket in Liverpool at the same time as Lesley Mahmood.
Final warning
y the same logic everyon ho attended Eric Heffer' funeral at the same time as Lesley Mahmood could be open to xpulsion. A further five coun cillors are on their 'fina warning, Briarfields EPH stands on the site of a house at one time inhabited by Charlotte Bronte. Whilst Hulme may not pro vide the bleak and magnificent scenery of Haworth Moor that inspired Wuthering Heights the goings onors wanchester s councillors would surely have urged Charlotte to create another literary master-piece.
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