Labour's parliamentary candidate, Andrew Skudder, stepped up our campaign to reinstate the district-wide council play scheme in time for the summer holidays, when he joined fellow Labour party members in Horsham town centre this Saturday, as Labour launched its petition to reinstate the play schemes and to protect youth services. Following on from the Tory council's callous decision to pull funding on the district-wide play schemes, the Tories at County Hall are now considering slashing spending on youth services that could well see the closure of one or more of the district's youth clubs.
Our petition received a great reaction, with most local residents being staggered to learn of the closure of the play schemes. Horsham Labour party has campaigned against these cuts ever since a young mum from Roffey contacted us and alerted us to the possibility of the Tories closing the affordable, friendly and secure schemes. This is what our petition says:
We the undersigned call upon Horsham district council to reinstate the council run play schemes for both the Easter and Summer holidays and seek a commitment from the council to fully fund youth services ensuring that no cuts to youth clubs are implemented across the district.
If you support our campaign please email us with your contact details and we will add your name to the petition.
We have been appalled at the complacency of both the Tories and Lib Dems on the Council who, until we contacted them directly and also highlighted the loss of the playschemes in the press, were all apparently happy to simply nod the closure through, when the Council set its annual budget last month.
Some of the Lib Dems momentarily woke up, remembering briefly that their role is one of opposition, and put down an amendment to stall the playscheme closures. So feeble are the Lib Dems on Horsham district council, that they could not even persuade all of their own councillors to support the amendment, which was duly defeated.
It is worth noting that the Lib Dems then went on to support the annual budget, presented no alternative budget, and did not call for a recorded vote, so that they might formally oppose the cuts in services as a result of this year's Tory budget.
In Horsham it would appear that a vote for the Lib Dems is a vote also for the Tory party.
Vote Orange and Go Blue
Surely a better option for those who oppose the Tories is to support a party who will guarantee to stand up for Horsham residents and not simply nod through the Tory policies.
It will be interesting to see how the Lib Dems vote on the Berkeley Homes West of Horsham development, when the latest plan to make the developers wealthy at the expense of the needs of the community, are voted on this Tuesday evening. Our guess is that once again the Lib Dems will support the development and nod through this new proposal.