Cuts watch

Almost three-quarters of councils are planning “disproportionate” cuts in services supporting vulnerable groups such as elderly, homeless and disabled, people, the National Housing Federation warns.

Chancellor George Osborne has claimed that money allocated nationally to Supporting People — the government programme for funding, planning and monitoring housing related support services — will be broadly maintained. But housing associations, charities and community groups fear town halls will raid these funds to protect other priorities.

So-called quangos, under fire from the Pubic Bodies Bill (see Labour Research, December 2010, pages 9-11), provide vital services — from protecting wages and promoting equality and human rights, to funding community arts projects, helping people get reconnected to their utilities, and regulating professionals.

A union lobby of MPs last month urged the government to press the “pause” button. Diana Holland, assistant general secretary for the Unite general union, said: “Scratching the surface of this Bill reveals a multitude of highly effective, highly valuable services, all of which are under threat.”

A report by the RMT transport union recently revealed that bus services face “cut after cut” due to a loss of revenue, with higher fares and reduced services a strong possibility.

It said that evening and weekend services could become “a thing of the past”, concessionary fares are in jeopardy and countryside services (more likely to be provided by rural councils) are particularly at risk.