TUSC will be holding a protest outside Brent council’s budget setting meeting on Monday 3rd March at 6pm to vote on the 2014-15 Budget which incorporates £17.8m reduction in services on top of the £100 million it has already pushed through over the last four years. TUSC says councils should not meekly accept the cuts made by the Con-Dem government. Councils should use their reserves and borrowing powers to avoid cuts in their 2014/15 budgets. This would buy time to build a campaign to force the government to properly fund local government. They should set a ‘needs’ budget that actually provides what is needed in the borough. We say no all cuts!

TUSC is planning to stand a range of candidates including trade unionists, students and community campaigners in Brent in the May 2014 council elections to challenge those councillors who are not prepared to oppose these council cuts. Our candidates will be standing on a programme of opposition to all cuts. Our lead prospective candidate is Isabel Counihan, the well-known housing campaigner in Brent.