WHAT a sad position Okehampton was in at the end of the millennium year. We have seen Devon County Council remove funding from our Family Centre, West Devon impose business rates on village halls, and now I read that Age Concern are going to have to close two day centres.
Volunteers, who give their time and expertise on a regular basis to help those who need assistance, run some of these organisations. Even those who are in paid employment give much more time than they are paid for. But what support do they get from the statutary bodies in this area? The answer appears to be 'nil'.
At the end of the day balancing the budget is obviously an important issue, but to the councils 'balancing' means 'cut'. Cutting services that are already overstretched puts even more pressure on the voluntary sector and ultimately leads to greater taxpayer expense picking up the pieces. The council then blame other factors for the council's own shortcomings when things go wrong.
The closure of Age Concern and the Family Centre will lead to more people in nursing homes and more family difficulties for Social Services to sort out; prevention is cheaper, and more socially responsible, than cure.
But should we just blame the local government officers as, after all, the running of the councils is the responsibility of those we elect. Surely they are the ones who are supposed to represent us and are in a position to stop the rot.
When councillors tout for your vote, ask them what they have done for your community, how they voted on these issues. Are they prepared to cut their own expenses, to improve life for others? Do not just accept the usual rubbish they churn out every four years.
Jim Goodwin