THERE were emotional scenes at Thurrock Council last night as dozens of users of a community bus pleaded with the council to save the service.
Thurrock Council may cut all the funding for the service in the next financial year.
Over fifty users attended the meeting which began in what can only be described as chaotic.
The chair of the scrutiny committee, cllr Sue Gray soon lost control of the meeting and had to be rescued by director of planning, David Bull who informed the audience of the due process and then Chadwell St Mary cllr Gerard Rice managed to call a halt to the meeting and allow users to have their say.
The portfolio holder, cllr Andy Smith did not attend.
YH cameras were on hand to record the highlights.
Cannot believe the Council are even considering cutting this vital service..it really is a lifeline for disabled people..they need MORE money…utter disgrace and a kick in the face for the disabled of Thurrock.. I have no confidence in anything those Councillors said about /listening to the passengers views……really??!! Lets hope so or they really will be stuck at home….care in the community?!?!….I think not :-((
This was the first time i have been to a Thurrock Councl Meeting, if this is how they conduct their weekly meetings, no wonder Thurrock Council is in a mess, to say to many Trans Vol users had turned up got the meeting off to a bad feeling straight away—The Chairwoman had no idea how to coduct a meeting.
This service must not be cut!!!. Yes savings must be made i understand that but not at the exspense of people who are vunerable. Care in the community is just a title. Maybe we could see something never seen before. Senior staff high earners, Cllrs and the Cheif Exec or even our UKIP Mep chipping in to save this service. All else failing people power thats what got the horses off the Mardyke if i remember rightly.
Absolutely disgusting to even think of cutting such a service ! An absolute lifeline for most of the members… As the guy in blue said this Transvol service should have been ring fenced and protected. Heartbreaking to hear the Transvol days out are a holiday for some people. Shame on those if they do decide to cut. Whatever next. Appalling. And the worse run, most unprofessional meeting I’ve ever seen !!!
One of the more interesting council scrutiny committees. Nice move Cllrs referring the matter to a task and finish. Well done to those Transvol and thurrock lifestyle solutions for getting users along to the meeting.
From what I understand the savings on this service would amount to around £100,000 per year. From what all the Labour Councillors tell us, they need to make savings of £40 million pounds. The saving on cutting this service amounts to one quarter of one percent of the savings. In the scheme of things, it’s miniscule.
This amounts to nothing more than the council playing politics with a very important service to those that use it. Comrade Kent will be standing in front of the cameras saying “look what the nasty Tories made me do”. They should all be ashamed of themselves.
The problem is that the Council has abandoned its usual approach to coming up with ways to balance the books. For whatever reason, and I think it’s senior officers spending too much time down the road in ‘the other place’ – London Borough of Barking & Dagenham – these cuts are being rushed through with no real thought about their impact. It didn’t used to be like that – there was always plenty of opportunity to comment on what was being proposed in previous years. That’s gone out the window now – the Council is starting to get desparate.
Cllr Sue Gray, Chair of the Committee appealed, to those members of the public present at the meeting, to show some sympathy for her as it was her “first time in the “chair” of a Council committee”, what a pity she seemed unable or unwilling to show very little, if any, sympathy for those disabled people who rely on “Trans-Vol”. I suspect she finds being “Chair” of the South Ockendon Residents Association [SORA] far more cosy and to her liking so perhaps she would like to declare her position on the proposed cuts to “Trans-Vol” as Chair of an organisation supposedly standing-up for vulnerable members of the community.
Hey everyone – there was a great meeting at the Beehive the other night. The voluntary sector are committed to fighting these indiscriminate cuts and are fuming that yet again Council Officers are making decisions based on accountants needs not the people. Why didn’t they ask us in to help them? You get 7 days to comment once the details are out – well done to the Cllrs for saying lets have a task and finish group as at least they will get more facts. Look at the faces of the officers on this film – they hadn’t a clue what the people looked like that will be trapped in their homes if this goes ahead. Listen to the ladys statement / question “you get £2 service for every £1 you spend” – are they daft? The Council has not got £0 .. they have a budget well in excess of £100M .. so spend it correctly. You are not god creatures giving Alms to the poor – you are HIGHLY PAID administrators of OUR money – now stop wringing your hands and start doing your job properly!!
Credit must go to all the residents who managed to turn up and voice their views, not many residents do and that is why the Councillors were taken off guard.
What an appalling spectacle Cllr Sue Gray made of herself, this women is chair of SORA, South Ockendon residents association and has been doing this for many years and thrives on her self importance, to portray that this was her first time as chair of a meeting and to be kind to her beggers belief. Questions need to be asked from this council as to how such a pathetic figure can play any part in decision making. She and her colleagues need to be reminded that residents are human and to take away the only transport these vulnerable people have is disgraceful.
My mother and I were at this meeting, and couldn’t believe this woman is getting paid £8000 a year to read from a piece of paper a council worker given to her! The young Tory chap seemed to be on the ball, but how can John Kent consider putting someone like this in charge of something so important? And this is supposed to be Thurrock’s next mayor? What a joke! If anyone ever needed proof that Labour just give jobs to people just to feather their own nest, this is it! This £8000 could have been used to keep this vital service going!
Hello All where have you been – £25 million cuts by Central Govt last 2 years now £30 million over next 3 years. THURROCK COUNCIL BUDGET CANNOT TAKE THIS!
LABOUR PARTY NEEDS TO SAY NO. AND JACKIE DOYLE PRICE NEEDS TO ANSWER WHY?