Lobby your councillor in January against the cuts

If you live or work or study in Newcastle upon Tyne then you should make sure you lobby your councillor in January to oppose the cuts.

More information on the cuts can be found on this blog (scroll down)

But to find out which local ward you live, study or work in click here and simply fill in your postcode and it will take you to the ward information page

THey dont always make it easy so if it doesnt list your January ward committee and local ward surgeries here, then click here and type in your ward. Then select on any of the three councillors and it will tell you when there surgeries are.

(PS if you have councillors of different parties i.e. two lib dem and one labour) then they might have surgeries at different times. In which case you can go to both or either!

Some tips:
- go with other people (a protest, larger lobby will have more impact, you can let press know why you are there as well)
- if a local service is closing, pool, library, play centre. Contact other users or workers and let them know you are going and invite them to come too.
- get some facts (from this blog) or by talking to others users. i.e. whats closing in your ward, will the consultation period mean that they will consider not closing the service etc. 
- don't forget you can lobby about all services not just those in your ward. Most wards will be affected, libraries, youth, play, sure start, social care, street cleaning, environment etc. will effect every ward, but you also use services in the ward next door, in the city centre, across the city. If day centre you use is closing and its across the city still talk about this.
- think about what your asking them to do? Vote against cuts; not carry out the coalition governments cuts; link up with local residents / campaigners to oppose the budget; link up with councillors nationwide who are willing to make a stand; set a needs budget.

We'll post more this week on:
- needs budgets
- summary of the cuts
- strategies to defend local services (occupations; demonstrations; marches; pickets; read-ins etc)

Also why not let us know if you plan to lobby / protest and we will try and link up people in the same ward. Either email: anticutsnetwork@gmail.com or leave a comment here or contact us via facebook