REDBRIDGE: Cuts amended after public consultation (From East London and West Essex Guardian Series)

REDBRIDGE: Cuts amended after public consultation

6:05pm Tuesday 7th February 2012 in Redbridge News By Joe Curtis

A VITAL service helping vulnerable people will not be cut after hundreds of residents called for it to be saved.

Redbridge Council was set to axe some transport for children and young adults with learning difficulties.

But more than 200 people registered their opposition to the proposal as part of the Redbridge Conversation, an annual public consultation on the authority’s spending plans – the highest number of objections to any proposal.

David Lee, 45, of Wavertree Road in South Woodford, who has two autistic children, welcomed the move.

He said: “This is obviously welcome news and it highlights that it was a wholly flawed idea in the first place.

“It’s produced unnecessary levels of anxiety among families like ours across the borough. Councillors need to think about the impact of cuts on the most vulnerable members of the community.”

A £1 million cut to children’s services, which involved a reduction in youth and drug service staff, will be scaled back in response to residents’ concerns. The exact budget change is yet to be announced.

A £267,000 cut to funding for the Redbridge Drama Centre planned for 2014/15 will now be spread over three years under revised budget plans published this week.

That equates to £89,000 each year which, on top of the £25,000 cut already made last year, adds up to the centre's total funding of £292,000.

Pankaj Pathak, of the Friends of Redbridge Drama Centre, said he was cautiously optimistic.

He added: “This has the makings of good news but it’s not yet clear what’s happening with the funding.

“You can increase something by an extra year but you don’t want it to lie terminally ill for an extra year. I’m viewing it all with a little uncertainty.”

"But I know we've had cross-party support from a number of councillors to whom I'm very grateful."

Redbridge Music Service will also have an extra 12 months to find alternative funding streams. The budget amendments will be considered by councillors on February 14.

Click here to follow the Wanstead and Woodford Guardian on Twitter