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Elderly and disabled protestors storm Bristol Labour HQ

Day Care Campaigner | 06.04.2005 15:59 | Health | Social Struggles

Elderly and disabled protestors have stormed Bristol Labour Party HQ...

Elderly and disabled protestors - some in wheelchairs and many over 65 - have stormed the Labour Party HQ in Bristol.

The campaigners - from Save Bristol Day Care Campaign - are protesting at brutal cuts to their day care services implemented after Bristol City Council overspent their social services budget by £17m.

The protestors say they will be staying in the HQ overnight.

One said, "We are determined to get our services restored. They've been cut because of mismanagement and money wasting by Bristol City Council and we are being forced to pay the price. It's not good enough. We want our services back.

"This is our second occupation. There will be more. We said we were not going away and we are back. We will not be ignored. We will continue our protests against the Labour Group and Bristol City Council throughout the election campaign and beyond until we get justice."

The day care users' services were cut earlier this year after Bristol City Council "discovered" an overspend of £17m in the social services budget in the autumn.

Bristol's Director of Social Services and his assistant John Merriman, Divisional Director for Elderly and Disabled People, both subsequently went off sick and took early retirement in February.

The independent "Haddock" report commissioned by Bristol City into the fiasco clearly identified and blamed a lack of any financial controls and mismanagement in Bristol's social services for the situation.

Daycare campaigner Stephen Norman says, "We totally support Bristol's most vulnerable people in this audacious action. These people have been abandoned by the city and its Councillors, MP's and candidates of all parties. Protest is their only choice now."

Campaigner Andrew Richardson adds, "We will continue
to support the day care users in this increasingly bitter and costly battle for justice, fairness and commomsense. And we will win."

GO LIVE WIH THE PROTESTORS NOW!

Call: 07818 677188 or 07989 382994

How to find Bristol Labour HQ:
The HQ is situated on the corner of Newfoundland Street (head towards the M32 from Broadmead) and St Pauls Street (which runs from Portland Square to Newfoundland Street)

NOTES FOR EDITORS:
Further information on Save Bristol Day Care's Campaign: