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Penny

Oswestry Equality Group

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New Equality Group for Oswestry

 

A new non-party political group has been formed in Oswestry to campaign for action to reduce the large inequalities in our society. Nationally, both the PM and leader of the opposition have urged action to tackle inequality, and we have support from all of the local political parties. At our launch meeting the consensus was that we should concentrate on issues local to Oswestry and the surrounding area.

 

 

The next public meeting is on Thursday September 19th at 7.30 p.m., in Hermon Chapel, Chapel Street, Oswestry. SY11 1LF. Given the concerns expressed in local papers about the closure of local day centres, the group decided to make this the focus of this meeting.The group will invite senior councillors from Shropshire, together with both users and staff associated with the day care services, to come and have a balanced discussion about the fairness and effects of this proposed action, and hence increase understanding of it.

Thereafter, meetings will be on the third Thursday of each month.

 

Further details of the group can be found by e-mailing oswestryequalitygroup@gmail.com

 

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We would ;like to invite everybody interested to our big meeting about Day Centre Closures on September 19th. We hope to have a representative of Shropshire Council who will explain the council's plans for the closures of Lorne Street and The Avalon Day Centres. if you belong to any specific group who would like to attend, please let us know.

oswestryequalitygroup@gmail.com

Our next big public meeting is on Thursday November 21st when we will be discussing the  'Welfare reforms and the bedroom tax'

Edited by Penny

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Are you aware that it is not just the elderly who will be affected by these changes?

There are a number of adults with learing difficulties who will also be profoundly affected.

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Surely the closure of 2 day cnetres in Oswestry isn't that important!

 

We have a deficit of £85 million to clear so there have got to be cuts somewhere. I'm sure that there are centres in and around Oswestry (such as the community centre in St. Martins) that would welcome greater use of the facilities they have to offer.

 

We can't go on living beyond our means.

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I agree that we have a big deficit.

 

I agree that there have to be cuts somewhere.

 

However I don't think that the people who use the Day Centres would think them unimportant

 

What I would really like is some clarity as to what exactly is happening. Which is why we have organised this meeting.

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I'm sure that there will be reductions in the services Shropshire Council offers in other areas and that it's not a case of targeting one particular group.

 

You've got to remember our rates have been frozen for another year, and that has got to be good news as it stimulates local business.

 

The big question is, if you were in charge, what would you cut back on?

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If I was in charge, I would look at the layers of bureaucracy that I suspect exist, and perhaps try to make some savings there.

 

I certainly would avoid affecting adults with severe learning dfficulties, who are some of the most vulnerable in our society, and need the specialised, often one-to-one care. that they currently receive in our Day Centres.

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If you want to find out anything more about our Equality Group, I seem to have found myself on Breakfast Time on Shropshire Radio this Thursday. (19th)........

It would be great to have a big crowd at Hermon on Thursday evening. Even if I am losing sleep about it already!

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Our next meeting is on Thursday October 17th, again at 7.30, again at Hermon Chapel, Oswestry.

We will be showing the film 'Ghosts', which is based on the 2004 Morecambe Bay cockling disaster, and shows the appalling living and pay conditions of immigrant workers. One hopes that this kind of thing doesn't happen around this area....

 

November we are planning a big public discussion of the welfare reforms and 'bedroom tax'. We are trying to find somebody who will talk authoratatively FOR the reforms and then somebody who will talk against.

Edited by Penny

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I am really struggling to find somebody who will come along and talk FOR welfare reforms and the bedroom tax. I have written to Owen Paterson and am waiting a reply. I am going to see Cllr Chris Schofield on Thursday in his role of Chairman of North Shropshire Conservatives Association.

Does anybody have any ideas as to who else I can approach?

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'Ghosts' was grim. Not only does it show the ghastly treatment that illegal immigrants receive, but it also makes you question every single piece of fruit and veg, plus meat, that you might buy in a supermarket.Who picked it? Who packed it?

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The Oswestry Equality Group are having a meeting about welfare reforms and the 'bedroom tax' on Thursday November 21st at 7.30 at Eastern Oswestry Community Centre, Cabin Lane, Oswestry, SY11 2LQ
Mrs Steph Jackson who is Head of Customer Support and Assets at Shirehall will be describing Shropshire's response to the welfare reforms, and Cllr Duncan Kerr will be describing the people's response.
This should be a lively, informative and equal debate.
If you want to find out more, please come along, or e-mail oswestryequalitygroup@gmail.com
£1 to cover hall and refreshments please.

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I've just heard on Radio 4 this morning that MPs will be awarding themselves a 11% pay increase in 2015. Some people are arguing that paying them an inflation busting wage increase will help attract the best talent to positions of power and influence, a bit like people who run banks and premiership football players.

 

The 4 main party leaders all disagree with the increase, but I'm guessing they'll accept it when it's given to them.

 

So...

 

...we have a local MP who has form at not responding to his constituants. What if your group asks local organisations who have recently had their budgets slashed to suggest better ways that 11% can be used than supporting a man confused by badgers moving goal posts?

 

You can make a list and make it public.

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Next big meeting

The Oswestry Equality Group are having a meeting on Thursday January 23rd, at which students from Derwen College will be helping us address our perception of disabilities. The meeting is at 7.30pm at The Eastern Oswestry Community Centre, Cabin Lane, Oswestry, SY11 2LQ.

Admission will be £1 to cover hall hire and coffee/tea and cake. Students free.

Please come along and find out more. The evening promises to be educational, interactive and fun.

 

More details from oswestryequalitygroup@gmail.com, or 01691 680382
 

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The Derwen meeting was brilliant.  After being challenged on our perception of learning disabilities, the students then talked openly about their own disabilities and how they coped.

 

And on to our next meeting......

 

We are concerned to read that a number of youth club sessions currently held at The Centre in Oswestry seem to be facing closure due to budget cuts. This could obviously have a detrimental effect on so many local young people. It does seem such a waste to have built a state of the art building (only opened a mere 14 months ago) and then not use it to its full capacity.

To enable people to have a voice on this issue, we have arranged a public meeting at Hermon Chapel, Chapel Street, Oswestry at 7.30 on Wednesday March 26th. We would very much like to invite you to attend.

Similar to our meeting last September about the closure and relocation of the day centres, we hope that this will be an opportunity for everybody to find out the facts.

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Change of venue

 

The meeting about the proposed cuts to youth services will now be held at Eastern Oswestry Community Centre, Cabin Lane, Oswestry, SY11 2LQ.

Same time - 7.30

Same date - March 26th

 

Come and find out the facts behind the headlines.

 

oswestryequalitygroup@gmail.com

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The meeting about cuts in youth services was excellent.

Cllr Gwilym Butler, Portfolio Holder for Leisure, Libraries and Culture spoke about how Shropshire is trying to deal with the cuts that have been imposed on them by central government. Having explained the financial aspects of the decision to cut so many youth services,

Richard Parkes, Head of Positive Activities for Shropshire then spoke about what is actually happening on the ground. He explained which youth sessions would be cut and why. He also stressed that contrary to some reports, The Centre on Oak Street would NOT be closing. The hope is that on evenings when Shropshire supported youth sessions have been cut, other organisations would come in to offer alternatives.

Jay Moore from Fusion Arts then spoke and reiterated what Richard had said about The Centre.

The final speaker was Ian Wilson from Oswestry Youth Café who gave a graphic account of what happens to some of the youth of Oswestry at night. He called passionately for more youth workers, not less.

A lot of the new proposals call for more volunteers, but it was suggested that volunteers may not be willing to commit to giving up a lot of time on a regular basis, and could also lack the confidence, experience and training to deal with some of the problems that young people in a deprived town such as Oswestry can face.

 

It would be really good if more people reading this could get involved. We are a fruendly group who are always keen to meet new people. And there is always coffee / tea and cake!

Edited by Penny

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I attended this meeting and would like to make a few comments in retrospect, and I apologise for perhaps being wise after the event:

 

The Shropshire Council employees stated a number of times that if the cuts weren't made, Westminster would take control. Surely that's a watertight argument for all the cuts they are making. So, no matter what subject you decide to cover regarding the "cuts", they will always use that excuse.

 

No reference was made to getting private investment into youth services. Although I wouldn't advocate it, perhaps the new retailers coming to our town would like to give something to the community (I'm thinking about McDonalds, KFC and Starbucks).

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Sadly, I suspect that Gardner is correct in her assessment of what is going on. We have had three meetings about cuts now - and it does seem to be the same old story.

 

Our next few meetings won't be about cuts. We have Jackie Jeffrey from Citizens Advice Shropshire coming over in May to talk about inequalities in Shropshire. And in June we are having some training to become Dementia Friends - to tie in with Oswestry now being a Dementia Friendly Town.

If anybody is interested, please contact me.

oswestryequalitygroup@gmail.com

 

Out of sheer interest, does anybody know if the new retailers are going to be doing anything for the community?

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