BEDROOM TAX? NO WAY!

The movement against the bedroom tax is steaming ahead:

Little Hulton & Walkden held a protest on Thursday 25th April - see Salford Star http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=1793

City West didn't have any answers for us so we will meet them again on Wednesday 1st May, 1.00 pm at their offices on the Little Hulton precinct, and we meet the night before - Tuesday 30th April, 7.30, at the New Albion on Manchester Road to plan for that.

Ordsall got off to a great start with 60 at their meeting last Thursday, and a decision to meet again in a fortnight and elect a committee, with a view to a protest at Salix Homes.  See Salford Star http://www.salfordstar.com/article.asp?id=1794

EVERYONE WHO'S AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX IS INVITED TO JOIN US ON THE MAYDAY MARCH FROM SALFORD TO MANCHESTER, SATURDAY 4th MAY, ASSEMBLE BEXLEY SQUARE 10.00 am.  BRING BANNERS AND PLACARDS!

MARCH AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX! SAT. 20th APRIL

Join the protest this Saturday, assemble Mocha Parade, Lower Broughton, at 1.00 pm, Saturday 20th April, march into Manchester to join up with the Manchester demo at Albert Square.

Ordsall against the Bedroom Tax meets Royal British Legion, Thursday 25th April, 7.00 pm

Little Hulton anti bedroom protest at City West office, Little Hulton District Centre, Thursday 25th April, 2.00 pm

MEETINGS AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX

Manchester has seen two demonstrations against the bedroom tax in the last month, now it's kicking off in Salford:

BROUGHTON AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX
Monday 8th April, 6.00 pm
Humphrey Booth Centre, Heath Avenue, Broughton

LITTLE HULTON AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX
Tuesday 16th April, 7.30 pm
The Albion, Manchester Road, Little Hulton

Salford against Cuts will be discussing plans for a demo in Salford at its meeting on Monday 15th April, 7.00 pm, White Swan, Worsley Road, Swinton.  Come along and help us plan for it.

AXE THE BEDROOM TAX!

On Saturday 23rd March Salford against Cuts supporters petitioned on Salford Precinct against the Bedroom Tax, while others took to Eccles Town Centre.  Many who signed had just received their notification that day.  Others who signed aren't affected at all but all knew someone who was and they are outraged for their neighbours.  We met these cases:

• One woman who is on benefits will have to find an extra £20 a week as she lives in a 3-bedroom house (allocated to her and her son years ago in an 'unpopular' area) and has two supposedly spare bedrooms since he left home
• another with two children (boy and girl) in separate bedrooms will have to find the extra money until they are both over ten!
• a tower block on the precinct consists of 2 bedroom flats.  No-one has any kids (who can blame them for not wanting to bring up kids in a tower block?) and most are single.  A whole tower block of bedroom tax payers!  We hope to organise a meeting in that tower block in the next fortnight, and have plenty of other names and emails to follow up.

As Alan Metcalfe of SAC put it: 'Bedroom tax a massive issue in Eccles, met many people directly affected, we must get rid of this horrendous piece of legislation !!!' 

Next week (30th March) we petition in Little Hulton, nr. Morrisons, 11.00 - 1.00, another bedroom tax hotspot.

More details soon.

RALLY AGAINST THE BEDROOM TAX

Manchester Piccadilly Gardens 16th March
500 rallied in protest at the hated bedroom tax

From 1st April anyone living in social housing and receiving housing benefit will lose out if they are deemed to have 'spare' bedrooms.

Salford has over 5000 households where this is the case, one of the highest rates in the country.

Salford against Cuts are planning local protests - more details soon.

SAC MEETING CALLS UNITED PROTESTS AND WARNS LABOUR COUNCILLORS:

'FIGHT THE CON-DEMS - OR STAND ASIDE FOR THOSE WHO WILL!'

On 9th February sixty people - service users, council staff and public - heard the case against the cuts.  Cuts to the Youth Service, cuts to the Rangers Service, cuts to opening hours at Ordsall Hall, mental health service cuts, the privatisation of Home Care etc, and more.  We are building a campaign to unite all these battles and will lobby councillors at the Labour group (Monday 25th Feb., 5.00 pm, Civic Centre) and the full council (Wednesday 27th Feb, 8.30 am, Civic Centre - might be postponed, check this site nearer the day).

A statement was agreed unanimously calling on councillors to:

• refuse to implement the Con-Dem cuts
• use reserves and borrowing powers to maintain services
• launch a mass campaign with other Labour councils and the trade unions to win back the £88 million stolen (so far!) from Salford people

..... and if councillors won't stop rubber stamping Con-Dem cuts, then SAC will encourage and support council candidates who will!!

See Salford Star site for more details incl photos of the meeting.

Come to our AGM on Tuesday 19th February - see side-bar for details.

Public Meeting

Saturday 9th February at 11am

Swinton Royal British Legion

Cheetham Road

Manchester, M27 4UQ

(nr. Victoria Park, behind Cricketers' pub)

 

Join the staff, service users, and the public who are joining together to challenge the next rounds of devastating cuts to services in Salford.

 

We are opposing the cuts to Ordsall Hall staffing, the privatisation of Home Care staff, Learning Disability support services, Mental Health groups and drop-ins, and the closure of Day Centres, as well as opposing the withdrawal of services from people with "moderate needs".

 

Speakers from invited campaigns and Salford UNISON