http://www.2020publicservicestrust.org/publications/item.asp?d=3242
Not unsurprisingly the report chooses to avoid the real debate about whether cuts of the magnitude or depth proposed by the Con Dems is necessary but jumps to a conclusion that current public services are unsustainable. Really? The question is not one of unsustainable spending but a fiscal policy that has take an ideologically driven path to slash state spending despite the predictions that such an approach will lead to a double dip recession.
And whilst we have had the debate about the Easy Jet or John Lewis Council this ridiculous report goes one step further. We are treated to the vision of the Holland & Barrett version of public services. Let’s all eat yogurt coated raisins and run our local parks as ‘mutuals’. Such luminaries involved in this report suggest that ‘Rather than allow cash strapped public realm services such as libraries, parks and leisure centres to close, wherever possible these should be run as mutuals by local people’.
Now forgive me for asking the obvious but if the council doesn’t have the money and resources to run such services where do these people think Joe Public will find the money and resources? Shall we just have a few volunteers with no qualifications or police checks tipping up as lifeguards at the local swimming pool?
The biggest flaw of course is the concept that in a 24/7 society with many families needing to rely on two incomes through both parents working, elderly family to care for and the death of the extended family support networks, that Britain used to rely on, Joe Public will have the time or inclination to run local services. How many empty church hall have we, as campaigners, been to over the years. Ask any politician and the harsh reality is that ‘community’ is an abstract concept.
In the leafy suburbs, where many of the authors of this report clearly grew up, the Jam Making Mummy’s may well have had the time to plod along to the park and plant a few specifies of rare roses but the concept will be alien to most families in Britain. And most certainty to those living on the bread–line, still working the longest hours in Europe, in order to make ends meet.
The whole tenet of their proposals is that this is power to the people but real power lies with the wealthy. The state has a crucial role in redressing the balance. What this report is really saying is that if you are fortunate to live in a nice area, where people have the time and resources to get involved, you can enjoy ‘community services’ but not true public services. If you are poor and excluded and your local public services simply cease then so be it because the state will not step into help.
This is right-wing ideology – it is not about big society. It’s about an ‘I’m alright Jack’ culture that will leave the poorest worse off and without the public services that they need and deserve.
This nonsense should not be allowed to gain traction. It is for the trade union movement to defend the poor not pander to delusional concepts that beat up working people.
