Pen Green call for change in London
P
en Green campaigners have suffered months of pain, after being refused the right to hear a decision made on funding cuts to the centre.
A decision was set to have been made on the 15th March in Northampton, by the School Forum, however they held back the decision, after being advised by the County Council. Families from the Pen Green Centre travelled down to Northampton from Corby to hear the decision, although were disappointed to have it delayed. The decision on whether to cut 55% of their funding is now going to take place in July. The Pen Green campaigners then took part in the TUC March for action in London, on March 26th, in a bid to voice their thoughts on the funding being cut. One mother fighting for Pen Green said: “We came down to London to show that we really care about the children’s future. Clearly our demonstration in Northampton had no impact with the School’s Forum, so this might help!“
“I think that the delay in the decision was a very bad decision to have made. It has given me some sleepless nights, and I’m sure wit has some of the other mothers and workers at the centre“ “County said that we did not supply enough information about how the cuts would affect the centre. “Although we felt that we had supplied more than enough information to the schools forum to make their decision on, we happily supplied even more” All of the information will now be once again reviewed, before the County’s School Forum comes to a decision in July. A spokes person for Pen Green said: “On Tuesday 15th March the Northamptonshire Schools’ Forum voted to delay the decision about our funding until July 2011. Our campaign continues and we are meeting with Council officers to discuss what further information needs to be included in a report to the Schools’ Forum.“
Above: A group of protesters in London on the TUC March for action. “Staff and parents from the Centre joined ‘March for the Alternative’ in London on Saturday 26th March and felt great solidarity with colleagues from other public sector services. “We would like to say a huge thank you to all those people who have supported us in our campaign so far.”
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