Information about my work as a Labour Councillor for East Finchley in the London Borough of Barnet

Sunday 8 July 2012

Meritage & Anne Owens day centres “likely to close”

Meritage & Anne Owens day centres “likely to close”

I am gobsmacked and absolutely furious with this news.

I know both centres well. The Meritage is right behind St. Mary's C of E High School in Hendon, where I attended from 11-16. It is an old building in need of repair, but serves the community extremely well.

I am furous though about the potential closure of Ann Owens. It is a brilliant centre which does a huge amount of work, very well indeed. Hugely popular and well attended, closing it would be a hammer blow to it's users. I have said before that each administration has a choice to make when it comes to cuts. This Tory administration picks on the old, the young, the poor and the vulnerable.

They cut the budget at the Newstead, they got rid of the advice service, hey aren't supporting the mencap juice bar and they are doing nothing on the Old Barn. You have to ask why are all these cuts happening to East Finchley? Might it have something to do with the overwhelming rejection of the Tory Party twice this year? I hope not, that would be vindictive.

I hope the council reconsiders these options.