As everyone knows, the new Tory / Lib Dem coalition is ideologically and politically committed to making cuts in budgets this year, but I wish they weren't doing it in such a chaotic way. The Environment & Culture department reckons it will have to find getting on for one million pounds for the cuts so far announced (not counting whatever Boy George comes up with this afternoon), but instead of telling local authorities directly, officers have had to sort through government pronouncements to detect how much of the cost cutting will hit us.
It seems we are threatened by a variety of cuts to grants that are seldom heard outside local government, but which pay for things people care about. There are reductions in the performance reward grant, housing and planning grant and contaminated land grant. The cut that will hit hardest will be the elimination of subsidy for swimming for pensioners and children. As we have one of the lowest sports participation rates in London, that is particularly bad for us.
I wonder how many of the people voting for Sarah Teather at the General Election realised that they were voting for free swimming to be taken away from children and pensioners at Willesden Sports Centre?
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