Nerve Magazine letter to 'Uncle Joe' Anderson

Mayor Anderson, you warned that the severity of the cuts to Council services could mean that “people will die – end of!”(1) So, with this in mind, can you answer the following?

1. As a Labour Party member you will surely be trying to get a Labour Government elected next year and hoping that they will alleviate some of the suffering. Why then have you set a three year budget up to 2017, instead of a budget for one year?
2. Surely if you believe that “people will die” then this is an emergency. Why then don't you use some of the £64.8m(2) Emergency Fund that the city has in reserve to offset cuts?
3. Joe, £130m in 'City Deal' money was received when you became Mayor. This payment is in return for Liverpool becoming “one of the first places to work with government to pilot the new Universal Credit scheme”, for "creating jobs” and providing “support to help people off benefits and into work”.(3) Why then can't you use some of this money to offset cuts?

Don't you think that closing libraries, which provide IT support to those who will be claiming the new benefit or looking for work, and sacking council staff who help people with claims is contradictory to the aims of the 'City Deal'?

Yours sincerely,
Nerve Magazine

Notes:

1. Liverpool Echo, 25 Oct 2012
2. On 23 March 2012 the City Council had risk earmarked reserves totalling £64.8m. (Freedom of Information Request 192258)
3. liverpool.gov.uk/council/performance-and-spending/budgets-and-finance/city-deal/

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Comment left by Paul Pastor on 9th October, 2014 at 10:58
Wonderful open letter which perfectly expresses my thoughts. Well done.