Thame Childrens’ Centre supporter pleads against budget cuts

DESPITE a mass protest outside county hall this afternoon, against £69m of cuts from the County Council’s budget, as well as impassioned speeches from several members of the public inside the building and four addresses from County Councillors, at the end of an hour-long discussion, OCC’s Cabinet voted unanimously to recommend the proposed budget to the full council on February 16.

The proposed budget cuts include slashing bus subsides and closing Childrens’ Centres throughout the county, expected to include Thame’s Red Kite Centre.

During the meeting, placards were waved and there were cheers and applause after every speaker against the cuts that would affect those they viewed as vulnerable. There were several calls for Tory Cabinet members to resign.

One of the speakers at this afternoon’s Cabinet meeting was Mary Stiles, speaking in her capacity as Chair of the Advisory Group of the Red Kite Children’s Centre in Thame, and Chinnor and Thame Town Council’s Parish Transport Representative.

Mrs Stiles told the meeting: “The closure of all 44 Children’s (Children’s) Centres and the cutting of all bus subsidies are both very short-sighted proposals and in addition to the catastrophic effect on the users of both services, will lead to a greater cost to the public purse in the future.

“You will know from the consultations the arguments made by many individuals and organisations in favour of keeping our Children’s Centres open and our subsidised bus services running. In three minutes I have time to make only a few points:-

Cllr John Tanner talks to protesters outside county hall during last September’s protests again the closure of Childrens’ Centres – Image courtesy of Linda Smith

Children’s Centres
– prevention is always better than cure and more cost effective in the long run
– families need local services, not a centre 20+ miles away (the distance from Thame to Didcot)
– outreach from over 20 miles away is costly in both time and money
– providing a service only for referred families is stigmatising and makes those families harder to reach

Image courtesy of Oxfordshire NASWT

– in Thame and Chinnor Health Visitor clinics, physiotherapy and speech and language therapy sessions all take place in the Red Kite Children’s Centre. Other premises
would have to be rented for these services if Red Kite closes

Subsidised bus routes

– at present there is a bus service in the Thame area which is used by people living in villages or the edge of town to go into town. Many have contacted me to say what a
lifeline this is and I know from talking to other Parish Transport Representatives, people all over Oxfordshire are saying the same
– if people become isolated, because they cannot go out regularly, all the research shows that particularly elderly and disabled people and parents of young children can   suffer from poor mental health, leading to problems which could have been prevented and costs which could have been avoided
– the local residents who have contacted me have said they don’t need a bus every day – 2 or 3 times a week would suffice. They are not asking for much

“Please think again. Don’t cut completely. Find a way to save our Children’s Centres and subsidised bus services.
It may be a cliche, but true none the less – where there’s a will there’s a way.”

Despite the vote going against the protesters, Mary Stiles is undaunted has said that she intends to get a petition up before  the full council meeting on February 16, to try and save the 120 bus, and that she will be joining in with the Pledge Card Campaign against all Councillors who voted to close Oxfordshire’s Childrens’ Centres.