A False Economy.

 

Luton is often in the national Spotlight, and the stories are often negative. Personally I think the representation of Luton in the national media is underserved and in my opinion lazy journalism.

Whilst there is no doubting that certain areas of Luton do have their problems, there are other areas of Luton that stand out as a beacon of what our town and the communities within the town can achieve when we all work together.

Once Such area is the area where I live, Bushmead. I first came to Bushmead in 1993 and returned again in 2010. I can honestly say I would not want to live anywhere else.

The area has affordable housing, is surrounded by beautiful country side and has a great community feel to it. Last year myself and several other residents formed a Facebook group called ‘Everything Bushmead’. This has been a tremendous success and as a result of this I have formed several new personal friendships.

The group has highlighted the great community spirit that exists amongst our diverse community and what we can achieve when we help each other and work together.

With this in mind the proposed decision to shut the Community Centre which really is the hub of our community looks like a serious error of judgment.

The NHS have had a drive to push community services, like nurses and Physio services out into the wider community to free up space in our overcrowded hospitals. Bushmead is one such place where this has been achieved and the new physio facility that opened in the Community Centre is of great benefit to many residents. If the Centre was to shut, where would this facility go? Back to the hospital? Or would it shut altogether? Either way this is a retrograde step.

The Centre also has a thriving pre-school, with the school providing an essential step up for local children into full time education. Again shutting this down would only put pressure on other pre – schools in the surrounding area.

The Centre also runs several successful sports clubs for all ages and helps keep our community fit.

I have only mentioned a few of the services the Centre provides, I’m told it has the second largest footfall of all the community Centre’s in Luton.

Bushmead has also lost the John Dony Field Centre and its local library service. If the Centre shuts that will be 3 out of 3 services cut by the council.

I fully understand the financial pressure that the local council finds itself under, but give the long term health and educational benefits of the services the community Centre offers, surely the proposed shutting of the Centre is a case of false economy?

Ward Forums and Area Board Meeting - 18:30 to 21:30 , 14 March 2016

Closure of 5 community centres

Luton Council closed Wigmore Library on 31.1.14 despite a petition of 10,000 and 72,000 visits a year, which they described as just signatures. This in a town with one of the lowest literacy rates in England. Strangely they closed no libraries in labour areas of town and opened two extra access libraries in labour areas, inc the constituency of the Deputy Labour leader, Sian Timoney.

 

At a meeting this week Hazel Simmons, leader of the council said how sad she was that Luton Culture were ceasing to operate 5 community centres and that the council had no money. Therefore she said that they were going to hold a consultation - another phony waste of time and money and an insult to the residents' intelligence.

 

What she failed to say was that the Council had instructed the Airport, which it owns, to reduce its funding to the Trust. This is another example of discrimination against Wigmore, which has no buses to the interchange or recycling.

 

PLEASE TRY TO ATTEND THE MEETING OF THE EAST LUTON AREAS BOARD on Monday 14th March 2016 at Someries Junior School, Wigmore Lane, Luton, LU2 8AH . Ward Forums 6.30pm to 7.30pm Area Board starts at 7.30pm Please see librariesoflutonarise.com for films and history of the lack of democracy by Luton Council.

Packed protest meeting hears Luton Council were “unaware there was a NHS facility at Bushmead.”

120 protestors packed into Bushmead Community Centre on Wednesday night to show their opposition to Council plans for closure by the end of July.

Organised by community group “Everything Bushmead,” the meeting heard Councillor Rachel Hopkins put forward the Town Hall position that four out of the town’s community centres had to close to save money in a complex financial arrangement involving the Luton Culture and London Luton Airport Ltd.

Local residents lined up to express their dismay that the Centre should be mothballed given its thriving nursery, new £40,000 NHS Physiotherapy Unit and popular recreational programme enjoyed by 48,000 people last year.  

That dismay turned to anger when it was revealed that during negotiations with Luton Culture to identify the centres for closure, the Council were unaware that the NHS facility existed.

Organiser for Everything Bushmead Kathryn Knights commented “as the Council didn’t do its homework and failed to get an up-to-date appraisal of the extensive facilities at the Centre, it was in no position to offer them up for closure.”

“We feel that community centres provide exceptional value-for-money in in providing valuable services to meet the needs of vulnerable groups such as children, the elderly and those seeking NHS advice and mobility therapies on their doorstep.”

The meeting voted unanimously to set up their own Commission of Enquiry into the closures, working together with groups fighting similar closures in Limbury, Marsh Farm, Raynham Way and Park Town. Drawing on professional expertise and help from across the community, their independent action plan will give Centre users a voice, look at alternative management models and identify ways of making the facility run with increased income and efficiency.

Says Kathryn: “If difficult financial decisions have to be made, then it is important that the criteria for such decisions is made clear. In the coming consultation period, both the Council and Luton Culture need to be completely open and transparent in their dealings with community groups.”

“We think the solution offered to Farley Community Centre – a stay of execution for two years as future options are examined – should be offered to all four threatened centres. The Town Hall are showing signs of looking for a more flexible solution and besides – no Labour Council surely wants to give up a new £40,000 NHS facility, now it knows it exists …..”