Bruce George MP who has been campaigning for more funding to be made available by Walsall Council for the Walsall Domestic Violence Forum (WDVF) responded angrily to press reports that the Council had not cut funding to this vital Borough wide organisation by the sum of £50,000.

Bruce George said “I have made enquiries regarding this issue from publicly available sources and reached the conclusion that the Council spokesperson has got the figures all wrong.

Walsall Domestic Violence Forum had originally been informed that they had been allocated £188,000. This was followed by a letter from the Safer Walsall Borough partnership rescinding this amount of money and stated that in actual fact there was to be no funding. After a great deal of protest they were awarded £165,000, though ultimately they were only allowed to claim £152,000.

Last year they were initially allocated £188,000 and this year this figure was reduced to £135,000. In my calculation, therefore, this represents a cut of £50,000 from what was originally going to be allocated.

I must stress that this is central government money allocated specifically for the use in combating domestic violence.
I also want to know where the £50,000 has actually gone, who else has got it? I think the District Auditor should investigate where the money that should have been allocated to the WDVF has been spent instead. I am embarrased to say but I fear the Walsall Safer Borough partnership is a dysfnunctional organisation.

Once again Walsall council is short-changing organisations that deserve much needed funds to carry out crucial, supportive work in the Borough.

I am so incensed that I shall be once again referring the matter to the Minister, Vernon Coaker, and the Chair of the Home Affairs Select Committee, Keith Vaz who recently visited the Forum having recently published a report on domestic violence.

If there is a dispute over the funding and the amounts allocated Walsall Council should ask the Home Office to send down a civil servant from London to observe how Government money is being spent on domestic violence, to interview all the relevant individuals and to determine whether the figures given by Vaz, George and Winnick of a £50,000 cut is right or wrong. I would like this person or persons to evaluate how well both the Walsall Domestic Violence Forum, the Cabinet and Safer Walsall Borough Partnership are discharging their financial and other responsibilities.”

Bruce George MP who has been most critical about the way in which Walsall Council have misused public money on programmes to deal with poverty, firing loyal staff who then took them to an Employment Tribunal which the Council lost. This cost the Walsall Council tax payer a great deal of money.

Bruce George said “The Council use every effort to prevent their failures from becoming public knowledge by hauling up the white flag of surrender just a few hours before a hearing at an Employment Tribunal.

I am not discussing the merits of the latest case of a former employee namely Mr Carl Teesdale. However, after each failed case the Council promised that they would learn their lesson on how to more sensitively deal with employees grievances. Regrettably, the same mistakes appear to recur indicating that lessons have not been learnt and the assurances given have not been met.

A number of different and separate Tribunal cases have been launched in response to Mr Teesdale’s allegations on grounds of disability discrimination, unfair dismissal, whistle blowing and non payment of holiday pay.

These cases promise to be lengthy and very costly to all concerned. I politely suggest to them that should they fail to win yet a further case in which enormous sums of public funding may have to be paid then I shall request an enquiry by suitably qualified and absolutely independent legal specialist to examine the decisions made by Walsall Council in challenging cases of David Parish, Peter Francis, Mark Kemp, Liz McDonald and now Carl Teesdale. There may well be more.

The Council appears to me to need to seek advice from other local authorities on how they respond to employees grievances.

Walsall Council must get its act together and stop wasting council tax payers money in this way and exposing itself to public ridicule.”

Bruce George MP is urging parents and members of the wider Darlaston community to attend the consultation that is taking place on Thursday 25 September 2008 at Darlaston Community Science College from 7.00 p.m. until 8.30 pm. The purpose of this consultation is to hear the proposals relating to the closure of Darlaston Community Science College from 31 August 2009 and to consider the proposal from Walsall Council to open an Academy to replace Darlaston Community Science College as from 1 September 2009.

Bruce George MP said “This is all being rushed through with inadequate consultation. I am not totally opposed to Academies. However, this should be as a last resort. There are many options the Council and SERCO could and should consider to improve standards at the school. In this consultation, I hope, but do not expect, those who are opposed to the Council’s proposals to be given equal time to the alternatives. I for oe would certainly be prepared to attend if invited.

The Government have awarded Walsall a vast amount of money to knock down old schools and rebuild. Darlaston should be on that list. There is no need to go begging to a wealthy businessman with such pronounced political and religious views. If the Government absolutely insist on Academy status they should look for other potential sponsors and give the school a choice.

I resent the accusations being made blaming the school Governors for the poor results. That’s total nonsense and an attempt to pin the blame where it doesn’t belong.”