Local authority cuts: one year on
I was going to appologise for being introspective in terms of this article – but on reflection I will not!
I know comfortably over 50 people formerly in Local Government who have lost their jobs just in my field of economic development. A number approach me every month with thoughts on the scope for collaboration. Last year’s cuts are now starting to bite and it is really sad to see once proud, well qualified and hard working people trying to keep their pecker up in the face of dwindling redundancy reserves and little prospect of a job in the short term. I warned last year that significant job losses in places dependent on public sector employment would have a major and long term withering effect on communities. I was doubly concerned from an RSN perspective that a disproportionate number of these places are rural.
This article which concerns County Durham albeit profiling an urban settlement there – Consett – is redolent with many features that would apply to dozens of rural service centres. It tells us:
Some of the consequences of the era of austerity are instantly visible. The county court closed its doors this year, and the building has an optimistic sign fastened to its brick wall, declaring “redevelopment opportunity”. Connexions, the government-funded careers advice service for young people, shut in August (and now has an Offices To Let board hanging from it). Its departure is particularly lamented by local people in the light of last week’s unemployment figures which revealed that unemployment among 18-24-year-olds in the area has risen by 13% in the space of a year and now stands at 35%.”
I feel a bit like a rabbit in the headlights bereft of any straightforward solution to this problem which is global and viral – but we need to get our heads together somewhere to think about how best to deal with it. In the meantime more well qualified, hardworking people with families to support from the public sector are finding themselves on the employment scapheap. Anyone up for helping me form a virtual local authority made up of the best people now out of work which could provide coordinated interim support for the other 300 or so councils, covering the work of key departments where they discover they have cut too deep?