Sutton Liberal Democrats declare Public Services Emergency

At Full Council (21 Nov) Lib Dem-run Sutton Council declared a "Public Services Emergency" following Chancellor Jeremy Hunt’s Autumn budget.

The motion stated that NHS, schools, police and local government are already at breaking point and further cuts over the next five years will be catastrophic.

It called on the Government to recognise “that inflicting further austerity on public service budgets is morally wrong and a false economy” and demanded action to ensure public services are not “ left out in the cold this winter”.

The motion was proposed by Councillor Bobby Dean, who is also running to be MP for Carshalton and Wallington, and seconded by Councillor Louise Phelan, who shared a powerful personal story in her maiden speech about her reliance on mental health services and Universal Credit.

Councillor Qasim Esak and Councillor Isabel Araújo also both made their maiden speeches on the night, in a debate that highlighted the strain on the NHS, schools, social care and police.

The Conservative party voted against the motion, claiming that there was no choice but to proceed with further cuts. But Councillor Dean hit back arguing that, despite the Conservative’s disastrous mini-budget, it is still vital to invest in public services or it could store up further problems and costs for the future.

Councillor Bobby Dean said:

“It is hard to think of a time when public services have ever come under such strain. Just ask any resident who has tried to get a GP appointment, needed an ambulance or reported a crime in recent months.

“After 12 years of underinvestment and mismanagement in our public services, it is disgraceful that Jeremy Hunt’s budget continues the Conservative Government policy of further cuts and managed decline.

“With public services already on the brink, this is nothing short of an emergency. We demand the Government thinks again and makes the investment our NHS, schools and police service needs.”