UNISON Falkirk have submitted the following letter to Falkirk MSPs (both constituency and regional) regarding cuts to Local Government funding and the impact facing local services and jobs. We will share all responses.
We would encourage you to write your own letter to MSPs our adapt the UNISON version:
Constituency MSPs
Falkirk West - Michael Matheson MSP, SNP - Michael.Matheson.msp@parliament.scot
Falkirk East - Angus Macdonald MSP, SNP - Angus.MacDonald.msp@parliament.scot
Regional MSPs Mark Griffin MSP, Labour - Mark.Griffin.msp@parliament.scot
Alison Harris MSP, Conservative - Alison.Harris.msp@parliament.scot
Richard Leonard MSP, Labour - Richard.Leonard.msp@parliament.scot
Monica Lennon MSP, Labour - Monica.Lennon.msp@parliament.scot
Margaret Mitchell MSP, Conservative - Margaret.Mitchell.msp@parliament.scot
Graham Simpson MSP, Conservative - Graham.Simpson.msp@parliament.scot
Elaine Smith MSP, Labour - Elaine.Smith.msp@parliament.scot
Dear MSP
I am writing this letter to voice UNISON’s concerns about the future of Community Learning and Development Services (CLD) in Falkirk.
Proposals totalling more than £1.3m are currently being aimed at completely stopping all adult educational services in the community, and youth services in selected council areas. As well as affecting service users across Falkirk, the proposals in their current format will result in 138 council employees losing their jobs. From parents and toddlers groups to youth groups and senior citizens groups - no area of the community will remain unaffected. And to top it all off, 138 people will lose their jobs, creating misery for them and their family as well as the wider community.
We understand that the budget options affecting Community Learning and Development would result in:
- redundancy for the majority of CLD staff, reducing the staff group from one of around 100 people to a core group of less than 20 people
- the complete end of all adult education provision (although we would point out that the CLD Service is not currently structured in functional teams so that there is not a separate adult education team)
- the withdrawal of youth work provision from all but a few areas classed as in the category of areas suffering the most deprivation and
- the closing down of all community education centres, CLD bases and associated buildings unless communities themselves took on responsibility for running and financing them.
It is totally unacceptable that these cuts are being passed on to local communities in this way and we ask that you NOT vote for a budget that will include cuts to Local Government.
We would request that these points be fully taken on-board and that you stand with us against cuts.
I look forward to your response and hope that you will support us in this important matter.
Yours sincerely,
UNISON Falkirk