It is customary in government, when spending priorities are being decided, for each departmental minister to make the case for his or her department to the Treasury and to the Cabinet. Their effectiveness can be gauged by their success,
Transferring that to Brent Council level it was clear at tonight's Cabinet meeting that Ruth Moher, lead member for children and families appeared to have been particularly ineffective. Putting aside Children's Centres, which are Michael Pavey's passion, the main losers were children and young people.
Petitions were presented to Keep Stonebridge Adventure Playground, Keep the Welsh harp Environmental Study Centre, Save the Youth Service, Save School Crossing patrols and Keep Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre.
Doug Lee made a passionate speech about Stonebridge Adventure Playground and finished by accusing Cllr Muhammed Butt, in whithering tones, of lying to the children when he visited the playground and insisted that he would listen to their views.
Asked to respond to the petition and presentation on Stonebridge Adventure Playground, Ruth Moher instead spoke about the Youth Service cuts and seemed to imply (she was often inaudible) that Stonebridge had to close to save the Youth Service,
Even worse was Cllr George Crane who argued that because the one child fatality and a serious accident involving a child in Brent, had not happened near schools that the cuts in school crossing patrols was tolerable. He did not seem to consider that there were few accidents near schools because of the existence of school crossing patrols...
He said that funding to the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre would end in July but the search for alternative funding was continuing. Veolia had said that they could not help but Careys would consider it at their next board meeting.
It was evident that Cllr Krupesh Hirani had been most successful in marshaling the arguments and the support to fight off some of the proposed cuts in Adult Social Care, although it was not clear how safe the Millennium Day Centre was in the long-term.
Michael Pavey made a set piece speech extolling the Council's consultation exercise, admitting to the pain of the cuts (bit asked those who suffer the pain to acknowledge its source), refusing a Council Tax rise (the poor would suffer), and denouncing a 'No Cuts' position as 'No Cuts this year means barbaric cuts next year' (Pickles would send people in who would take the easiest path in reducing the budget and make ruthless cuts).
The budget recommendations went through although it was hard to see whether there was an actual vote or just a collective 'mumble for Mo'.
Transferring that to Brent Council level it was clear at tonight's Cabinet meeting that Ruth Moher, lead member for children and families appeared to have been particularly ineffective. Putting aside Children's Centres, which are Michael Pavey's passion, the main losers were children and young people.
Petitions were presented to Keep Stonebridge Adventure Playground, Keep the Welsh harp Environmental Study Centre, Save the Youth Service, Save School Crossing patrols and Keep Bridge Park Community Leisure Centre.
Doug Lee made a passionate speech about Stonebridge Adventure Playground and finished by accusing Cllr Muhammed Butt, in whithering tones, of lying to the children when he visited the playground and insisted that he would listen to their views.
Asked to respond to the petition and presentation on Stonebridge Adventure Playground, Ruth Moher instead spoke about the Youth Service cuts and seemed to imply (she was often inaudible) that Stonebridge had to close to save the Youth Service,
Even worse was Cllr George Crane who argued that because the one child fatality and a serious accident involving a child in Brent, had not happened near schools that the cuts in school crossing patrols was tolerable. He did not seem to consider that there were few accidents near schools because of the existence of school crossing patrols...
He said that funding to the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre would end in July but the search for alternative funding was continuing. Veolia had said that they could not help but Careys would consider it at their next board meeting.
It was evident that Cllr Krupesh Hirani had been most successful in marshaling the arguments and the support to fight off some of the proposed cuts in Adult Social Care, although it was not clear how safe the Millennium Day Centre was in the long-term.
Michael Pavey made a set piece speech extolling the Council's consultation exercise, admitting to the pain of the cuts (bit asked those who suffer the pain to acknowledge its source), refusing a Council Tax rise (the poor would suffer), and denouncing a 'No Cuts' position as 'No Cuts this year means barbaric cuts next year' (Pickles would send people in who would take the easiest path in reducing the budget and make ruthless cuts).
The budget recommendations went through although it was hard to see whether there was an actual vote or just a collective 'mumble for Mo'.