Question …. What is Wrexham Council doing to alleviate poverty?
-
Posts
-
[quote quote=165948]Back to the original question.What is WCBC doing about homelessness. Answer: Nothing. Homelessness comes hand in hand with drug abuse. The majority of these people are well grounded citizens experiencing hard times. Since working in the town for seven years alongside many of these people I have known of eight homeless or borderline homeless people who have lost their lives to drugs.
The problem won’t go away. It’s socio-economic. The Council need to take the problem off the streets. Convert the old Grove School into a safe haven offering short and longer term boarding. Dedicated and monitored substance imbibing areas. Needle exchange. Relocate help organisations such as CAIS and soup kitchens all under one roof.
It won’t solve the problem but it will offer a means to change lives and make the streets safer and more attractive.[/quote]If I can play Advocatus Diaboli here, would having all of these great facilities for the homeless not draw more people from all over the country?
Yesterday’s news that the number of children living in absolute poverty has gone up reveals that Government statements about how poverty is being reduced are just more Tory lies.
The Tory mantra “Work is the best way out of poverty” is correct, but only providing that work is well paid, secure and sustainable.
The recent exhibition at Ty Pawb about Celanese showed that there were 2000 employees at its height. Add to that the steelworks, the mines, Fibreglass, Firestone and more, and we can see that employment in Wrexham has diminished, both in numbers and in pay over the last 30 years, with high volume, high pay jobs gone.I’m afraid that some people, though not all, are unemployable. Who in their right minds would employ someone who isn’t prepared to work?
Shouldn’t there be some more help to get people into the right frame of mind to work- we have more jobs available in Wrexham than people who are looking (emplyable)- if we don’t get more people into work some businesses will move away and reverse the current high emplyment levels.
[quote quote=165926]There is, of course, poverty in Gresford and in all Wrexham wards. But I agree that Atkinson isn’t showing a particular interest even though he is the councillor who is supposed to be leading the strategy.
Research undertaken last year and reported in the Wrexham Leader stated that 1 in 4 children in Wrexham were living in poverty. I fear that ratio will have increased.[/quote]
What do you Suggest Barb? Are you really bothered about anti poverty or, did you just set up your profile to attack Atkinson?
What would you suggest would get someone into the right frame of mind to work Derek? When they have as much money by not working as they do if they do actually work there is no incentive. Small business cannot afford to carry dead weight.
.[quote quote=166008]
There is, of course, poverty in Gresford and in all Wrexham wards. But I agree that Atkinson isn’t showing a particular interest even though he is the councillor who is supposed to be leading the strategy.
Research undertaken last year and reported in the Wrexham Leader stated that 1 in 4 children in Wrexham were living in poverty. I fear that ratio will have increased.
What do you Suggest Barb? Are you really bothered about anti poverty or, did you just set up your profile to attack Atkinson?[/quote]
I wasn’t aware that I was attacking anyone. But I am concerned that our council isn’t doing a good enough job. And I would also expect anyone who takes a lead would’ve interested enough to move it forward. And I wasn’t the one who first mentioned Councillor Atkinson in relation to anti poverty.
And as for what I would do … and I’m sure you’ll think this is s cop out, I can’t possibly begin to say. Which is why I started by looking at the Anti Poverty Strategy which is full of holes and, in my opinion, looks like a cut and paste job. I want to know how this plan has been implemented and what progress has been made. I would also like to know how the impact of this plan is being measured. So I assume that is Atkinson’s job.Unfortunately we know what the government is doing, or not doing. The Welsh Assembly is managing to counter some of the austerity cuts, as can be seen when we compare services in Wales with the massive run down of services in England. Wrexham council need to do the same. It’s too easy to throw up your hands and make excuses! Councillors need to work, admittedly within constraints, to do their best for everyone in Wrexham.
Work has got to pay at all times (if it doesn’t then they system needs to change). I cannot see how a single person getting £250 a month from Universal Credit could possibly think that was better than working for more money, better mental health, and money to spend (on things other than substances).
If you do find yourself out of work you find that all the different jib agencies, recruiters etc are all trying to get you to sign on their books – as a client/customer you are worth money to all of these organisations just for your signature even if they don’t contact you again – payment by results starts with an engagement signature, payment for getting you onto training and payment for getting a job outcome. Unemployed people forget that they are a ‘commodity that these agencies are desperate to get your signature to draw down funding to keep going.
You must be logged in to reply to this topic.
