Tory leader urges fight over adult education cuts
BRISTOL'S Tory leader Peter Abraham is calling on supporters of adult education to back his e-petition which opposes a proposed £200,000 cut in funding.
Councillors will be asked at the city council's budget meeting on Tuesday to vote on a Green Party amendment which would switch funding from the Adult Learning Service based at Stoke Lodge to help the homeless.
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Peter Abraham
Mr Abraham believes that if the amendment is passed, the community learning centre in Shirehampton Road would have to close.
He has set up a petition on the council's website to gather support for the service.
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In order for the amendment to be passed, there would have to be a two-thirds majority in favour.
Mr Abraham said: "I cannot stress enough the importance of people registering their own feelings and opposition to this Green Party proposal. It is vital to make councillors aware in time of the damage this loss of funding will cause to Adult Learning in Bristol, and the shutting of the doors on an important local education venue.
"Time is really of the essence here, with only a very short window of opportunity to organise and oppose this move.
"I urge everyone to sign my online petition and, if possible, submit public forum statements to the next Full Council meeting later this month."
The petition can be seen at http://epetitions.bristol.gov.uk/epetition_core/community/petition/2180.
It reads: "We, the undersigned, call on all Members of Bristol City Council to support adult education in this city.
"The cut in funding to the Adult Leisure Learning Service, proposed by the Green Party at February's annual Budget-fixing meeting, must be rejected. If not, this amendment would lead to the permanent closure of a well-used community facility based at Stoke Lodge adult leisure learning centre."
The budget meeting will decide how to make £35 million cuts.
3 Comments
by ChazzaB
Saturday, February 23 2013, 5:13PM
“I was told that one of the courses Cllr Abrahams and the Tory ally in the LibDems Cllr Rogers want to save is a Mexican Cookery course. Is this true?
Mexican cookery courses more important than preventing homelessness?
How could anyone support such a thing?”
by stockwoodpete
Friday, February 22 2013, 7:05PM
“This really is the Nasty Party. Mr Abraham's Tories don't seem interested in protecting even this small part of the budget to relieve homelessness in the city against the ravages of their own government that's forcing all these cuts.
Not too many homeless in Stoke Bishop, I suppose.... and perhaps too many voters taking advantage of the £200 a head council subsidy that goes toward Adult Leisure Learning?
Lets see how the Tory group votes on Tuesday when it comes to protecting the Prevention of Homelessness Fund.”
by charliecycle
Friday, February 22 2013, 10:09AM
“So doesn't Mr Abrahams want to help the homeless?”