A LAST-MINUTE bid to protect threatened public services has been tabled ahead of Redbridge Council’s annual budget meeting tomorrow evening (Thursday).

The Labour opposition is demanding that the council dip into its reserves to secure the future of a council-run children’s centre which, in the past 50 years, has given thousands of the borough’s youngsters their first experience of the countryside.

The Glasbury children’s centre in north Wales is facing an annual funding cut of £255,000 which would leave parents and schools to find the £438 cost of sending a child there.

Labour deputy leader Wes Streeting said: “It’s outrageous that the cabinet member for leisure is writing begging letters to schools to keep Glasbury House open.

“We think it’s right to take a small proportion of the budget to save Glasbury, as well as Redbridge Drama Centre and the Kenneth More Theatre.”

Labour is also proposing the abolition of the council’s seven area committees and their replacement with four regional committees whose meetings would also be attended by community organisations other than the council.

Cllr Streeting said: ”It’s a sensible compromise in tough times.

“We would be replacing area committees with something much more welcoming for the public.

“People could pop along to have a five minute chat with safer neighbourhood teams or councillors and then go home, or stay and participate in the open discussion forum.”

Council deputy leader Ian Bond said the plan would mean fewer decisions made at a local level.

“They are proposing to turn these committees into public meetings with no real powers, and just centralise all decision making.”

“Area committees are about deciding issues locally in front of the people who are affected.

“I think this is all deeply cynical and frankly staggering.”

He also said that an appeal to headteachers for more of a contribution to Glasbury House was bearing fruit.

“I’m hoping we will get some good news on Glasbury House,” he added.

“We have had a positive reaction from the schools we have written to and I’m confident we can find a sustainable solution.”

Conservative leader of Redbridge Council, Keith Prince, added: “I have concerns about area committees, too, but that doesn’t mean to say we should get rid of them altogether.

“As for what they are saying about Glasbury House. It’s rubbish, a joke.

“This is typical Labour. It’s spend it all now on the credit card and then get someone else to pay the bill.”

LABOUR’S PROPOSED AMENDMENTS

• Cut councillor allowances by £70,000 and scrap 62 committee meetings to invest in young people, street cleansing and planning enforcement.

• Mount a one year 'Leisure and Culture Rescue Package' to save Glasbury House for one more year, help the Drama Centre weather deep cuts in future years with a Business Development post and a fundraising consultant and provide a staff post for one year to help the Kenneth More Theatre.

• Put a leisure centre in the south of the borough on the Council's capital programme for 2014-15.

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