PUBLIC SERVICES IN NEATH PORT TALBOT COUNCIL AT BREAKING POINT

PUBLIC SERVICES IN NEATH PORT TALBOT COUNCIL AT BREAKING POINT

Neath Port Talbot politicians will gather at the Council’s Offices Civic Centre Port Talbot for a ‘Question Time’-style event with employees of the local authority.  UNISON’s Neath Port Talbot Local Government branch has organised the session to highlight the damage being wrought by severe UK government spending cuts on local services.

The trade union will press local politicians to demand fair funding for Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.

Labour’s Shadow Secretary of State for Wales Christina Rees MP, Stephen Kinnock MP Counsel General Jeremy Miles AM, David Rees AM, Bethan Sayed AM and local councillors will attend the ‘Stop Taking our Public Services’ event at 1pm on Friday 21st September 2018.

Mark Fisher, UNISON Branch Chair said

“Budgets are now being cut so deeply that provision of quality services is being put at risk. Today’s event is an opportunity for those on the front line – carers, cleaners, school support staff, refuse workers, highway repair workers, and others – to give firsthand accounts of the effects these huge budget cuts are having on their day to day roles.

“Further drastic cuts in funding, projected to be over £100 million by 2020. The council is the biggest employer in the local community and therefore any cuts in funding will have a huge knock-on effect on the quality and frequency of services that the local communities rely on.

“Due to UK Conservative Austerity, our council services are at breaking point. We are calling on our local politicians to protect the communities they serve and join us in fighting for fair funding from Welsh Government for Neath Port Talbot County Borough Council.”

Notes for editors

  • The ‘Question Time’ in Port Talbot Civic Council Chamber on Friday 21st September 2018 will begin at 1pm and finish at 2pm.
  • Social media hashtags for this campaign – #fairfundingNPT #extinctNPT

Contact

Alex Sims, UNISON Cymru/Wales Policy & Campaigns Officer a.sims@unison.co.uk 02920 729421/07976 701906

Mark Fisher UNISON Branch Chair on 07971 255130

Photo credit: Natasha Hirst