WHY RESIDENTS IN OSCOTT ARE FACING CUTS IN THEIR SERVICES

I  would not usually quote an article in a local paper but in this case it helps me answer the  question I am being asked all the time " why are cuts being made to our services in Oscott"
Please read the article below.


GOVERNMENT CUTS BIRMINGHAM

 THE BIRMINGHAM POST 13.05.2015

The Labour-dominated Midlands faces another five years of pain after the General Election.
New analysis shows for the first time the extent to which council cuts have been targeted most heavily in areas where Labour's vote has continued to hold up.
Typically those areas also have far higher than average levels of deprivation, meaning they can least afford to lose council-funded services such as libraries, SureStart centres and social care for vulnerable children and adults.
Since the coalition took power in 2010, councils have repeatedly seen huge sums cut from their budgets.
But the amount by which so-called 'spending power' has dropped varies wildly across the country.
Birmingham has suffered the fourth biggest reduction in the country, seeing a 16 per cent drop in its budgets from £1,265.1 million in 2010/11 down to the £1,062.1 million it has been earmarked for 2015/16.
Liverpool has seen the biggest, with its spending power falling 18.1 per cent.
At the other end of the scale, a number of councils in leafy southern shires have seen their spending power go up.
They include Surrey (up 8.6 per cent), Wokingham (up 7.7 per cent) and Dorset (up 7.3 per cent).
The analysis only includes English councils and 'top-tier' councils with the biggest budgets.
It does not include smaller district councils in areas which also have a shire authority.
WORST HIT
Liverpool -18.1 per cent
Knowsley -17.4 per cent
Blackburn with Darwen -16.1 per cent
Birmingham -16 per cent
Manchester -15.9 per cent
Southwark -15.5 per cent
Newham -15.3 per cent
Kingston-upon-Hull -15 per cent
Hartlepool -14.8 per cent
Rochdale -14.7 per cent

BEST OFF
Isles of Scilly +12.5 per cent
Surrey +8.6 per cent
Wokingham +7.7 per cent
Dorset +7.3 per cent
Buckinghamshire +6.4 per cent
West Sussex +6.3 per cent
Cheshire East +6.1 per cent
Richmond-upon-Thames +5.8 per cent
Central Bedfordshire +5 per cent
Poole +4.9 per cent

Liverpool has seen the biggest, with its spending power falling 18.1 per cent.
At the other end of the scale, a number of councils in leafy southern shires have seen their spending power go up.
They include Surrey (up 8.6 per cent), Wokingham (up 7.7 per cent) and Dorset (up 7.3 per cent).
The analysis only includes English councils and 'top-tier' councils with the biggest budgets.
It does not include smaller district councils in areas which also have a shire authority.