Those involved in the Campaign held a meeting tonight to discuss the next steps. In addition to a legal challenge, the Campaign will be looking to organise further demos and events in the coming six weeks in the hope that the Council will change its mind before 30th September when the funding is withdrawn. For the sake of £190,000 per year, the Council may end up condemning 38 people to homelessness. We need to change their minds!
What can you do?
There will be demos and protests coming up that you can join in with, but for the time being we are asking you to do two very simple things:
1. Please go online and sign the petition. Over 8,000 names have already gone to Salford Council and to Downing Street, but the more they have the better. You can find the peitition at - http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/savelancasterhouse/
2. Email your Councillor and ask them to make sure this decision is "Scrutinised". Any decision made by the Council (unless it has been debated by the Full Council - which this hasn't) can be "scrutinised" by the relevant Committee. In this case that would be the Sustainable Regeneration Scrutiny Committee. They can make a decision that an issue should be debated by Full Council i.e. all the Councillors rather than a select few.
The Save Lancaster House Campaign is hoping to get the decision debated at the next Full Council meeting on 25th September, but in order for that to happen we need councillors to ask for it to be scrutinised and we need to ask them to do that.
I have copied the emails I have just sent below in case you're not sure what to write. It does come across better if you personalise it, so please just use these as an idea. You can find the email address and phone numbers for your elected councillors at - http://www.salford.gov.uk/findyourcouncillors.htm
Thanks,
Steven North
Secretary, Salford Against the Cuts
Template Emails
Email to Ward Councillors
Dear Councillor (insert name of Councillor)
As my elected councillor I would like to ask you to request that the decision taken by Councillor Connor, Lead Member for Housing to withdraw funding for Lancaster House be brought to the next Sustainable Regeneration Scrutiny Committee on 5th September.
My grounds for this request are as follows:
- the closure of Lancaster House will have an entirely negative effect on those people who currently reside there and those who may need the service in the future, who must be considered amongst the most vulnerable people in Salford;
- in my view discussions taking place on this important issue should have been open to the public; the people of Salford expect the most vulnerable members of the community to be properly cared for, and in this respect I believe the council has failed to represent the wishes of the community
- since the council has a legal obligation of care to such vulnerable people, this decision could result in Salford City Council being taken to High Court; if the High Court then support a Judicial Review, this could cost the Council £50,000 that could be avoided if the High Court can be avoided. As a council tax payer I would see this as a waste of public funds.
I hope you can help with this request.
Yours,
(name and address)
===========================================
Email to Councillor Dawson - Chair of the Sustainable Regeneration Scrutiny Committee (Councillor.Dawson@salford.gov.uk)
Dear Councillor Dawson
I would like to ask that the decision taken by Councillor Connor, Lead Member for Housing to withdraw funding for Lancaster House be brought to the next Sustainable Regeneration Scrutiny Committee on 5th September.
My grounds for this request are as follows:
- the closure of Lancaster House will have an entirely negative effect on those people who currently reside there and those who may need the service in the future, who must be considered amongst the most vulnerable people in Salford;
- in my view discussions taking place on this important issue should have been open to the public; the people of Salford expect the most vulnerable members of the community to be properly cared for, and in this respect I believe the council has failed to represent the wishes of the community
- since the council has a legal obligation of care to such vulnerable people, this decision could result in Salford City Council being taken to High Court; if the High Court then support a Judicial Review, this could cost the Council £50,000 that could be avoided if the High Court can be avoided. As a council tax payer I would see this as a waste of public funds.
I hope that this decision can be subject to proper scrutiny.
Yours,
(name and address)
===========================================
Email to Scrutiny email address at Salford Council (scrutiny.support@salford.gov.uk)
Hi
I would like to ask that the decision taken by Councillor Connor, Lead Member for Housing to withdraw funding for Lancaster House be brought to the next Sustainable Regeneration Scrutiny Committee on 5th September.
My grounds for this request are as follows:
- the closure of Lancaster House will have an entirely negative effect on those people who currently reside there and those who may need the service in the future, who must be considered amongst the most vulnerable people in Salford;
- in my view discussions taking place on this important issue should have been open to the public; the people of Salford
- since the council has a legal obligation of care to such vulnerable people, this decision could result in Salford City Council being taken to High Court; if the High Court then support a Judicial Review, this could cost the Council £50,000 that could be avoided if the High Court can be avoided. As a council tax payer I would see this as a waste of public funds.
I hope that this decision can be subject to proper scrutiny.
Yours,
(name and address)
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