libraries Just as the labour movement moved into action in resistance to Toryimposed cuts in Bury, so around the country we must be clear that we will accept cuts from neither Tory nor _aDou -controles councis.
But the new 'cash limits' system which Healey has used to chop £1.8 billion means that this is exactly what we are faced with. The September circular from the Department of the Environment spelt out the full implications of the Government's local spending for next year. As Transport House publication, Labour Councillor, put it:
*The level of current expenditure will be as in the Public Expenditure White Paper.... that is, about a 1% resucuon trome noa semement figure for 1976-77. However, in order to reach that figure local authorities would have to reduce their spending by 4.3% because they are already 3.3% 'overspent' in 1976-77. Government say they will assume that local authorities have put into balance the amount they 'ought' to have saved by the 16 July revision. Rate Support Grant next year will be reduced accordingly. It will not be boy or relevant expenoiture anything like it. Even to reach the 'standstill' White Paper figure for 1977-78 councils will have to cut their spending by 4.3% compared with their actual spending this year and increase their rate to make up for the cut in the Government Grant."
Put quite simply, this means cuts, half of which will be on postponing capital spending projects originally scheduled for next year, and half by cutting back actual ded today.
A campaign to implement Composite 26 passed at the Labour Party conference must be based on mass action against the Government's policies and mobilising the labour movement deansE men. Councillors who openly flout the Labour Conference decision and who support the Government's anti-working class measures must be treated in the same fashion as the Government ITSe T or Tory CouncHlOrs THE FINAL DEADLINE for notices for "What's On' Is quamon the Monday before AdverS BrO Axceptional corcumstances. Rate: 2p per word.
Sat 20 Nov, 8pm, at Idea Hayk you can consume. Al nigil dancing and against the right-wing attacks.
on abour Rooms, Broad 1s, repon-Dack meeting.
Edmonton Labour Rooms. Broad comonton, N.to 5.E.1. LMDI and NUS delegation speakers.
nose councillors opposed to the must be forced to reveal similar to the labour Whether they sit on Regional or Area Health Authorities. on local educa tion authorities or are just voting against cuts on the Council, it will only be through mass action by the labour movement that the cuts wil be thrown back. They must be forced to reveal all plans so that such a fight can be prepared When the last round of cuts came in Wandsworth, nounced its intention not to implement them, but got around the difficulties by jacking up the rates. But this is just another way of making the working class and its potentia allies pay for the crisis. If councils find that inflation is eating away at their spending power should increase their revenue refusing to pay -interest money they raise through loans. And they should demand that the rate support grant is protected against effects through index-linked automatic increases.
Labour Councils need look only as far as the workers they employ to find allies against the Government's cuts. Such Councils support all demonstrations, lobbies the cuts and join in with the public sector building action against the cuts.
Labour-controlled council country had supported 17 November by bringing their employees to the nationa demonstration. the Govern ment would think twice about further cuts in the pipeline with the forthcoming IMF-inspired 'mini-Budget.
GREG MANZANO cuts movement. councianANDREW WIARD then they inflation Elisabeth Garret Anderson Hospital.
should be HELP. and strikes against If every CARL BRECKER - chairman of the Hounslow Health District Joint Shop Stewards Committee addresses the 70 delegates at last weekends labour movement conference called by the London Regional Committee against Cuts. The first task for the militants at the conference will now be the support and extension of the struggle at the WE The campaign against the cuts in Bury has taken on mass proportions CUts NEED NURSERY COMPOSITE This conference reiects cuts in the social wage and instructs the Labour Government to carry out its manifesto commisers to crease dna worse mot Social services. whist recoonising int urgent need for an expanded industrial base and the socialist industrial planning measures inar are recuree to meer una bbjective, Conference rejects the reac tionary view that public spending -nouses. schools, hospitals and healt! centres has to be cut back in order finance higher profits in public 'Conference calls for unitv in the tradi union and Labour Movement in resistance to the cuts, and instructs Government to pursue socialist porcie: which will rapidly reduce the level o unemployment instead of cutting back on the social wagt *Conference reiects the basic implica tion of the Government's White Paper on public expenditure. It demands an extension or socals oanine ano conto o the economy in order to create employment, make better use of resour ces and to end social inequalities and is totalv ooposed to present and proposer cuts in the social and educational servi'Conference supports those Labour Councils which have refused to imple ment the cuts, and calls on other Labour Groups to follow suit. Conference urges the _abour wary to conduct an active campaign against cuts in public expend iture, and calls on the National Executive Moved by NATIONAL UNION OF PUBLIC EM PLOYEES Seconded by CARDIFF NORTH WEST CLP Photo: CHRIS DAVIES (Report
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