40,000 protest council cutbacks

CITY bosses have been given 40,000 reasons to think again over major planned cuts.

Thousands of people have signed a raft of petitions against moves to close facilities and withdraw grants as Aberdeen City Council tries to plug a £27 million budget black hole.

The cutbacks, which will mostly come into force on the first day of the new financial year on Tuesday , include shutting the historic Bon Accord Baths and the withdrawal of grants from services for disabled and older people.

A total of 12,700 people have signed a paper petition to save the Bon Accord Baths in Justice Mill Lane, with another 2,222 in an online poll.

A total of 18,500 have signed a petition to stop funding being withdrawn from Glencraft, a centre which employs blind and disabled people.

Doonies Farm – has gained 2,399 names in an online petition and 3,624 by hand calling for it to be saved.

Linx Ice Arena closed a week early after a plant fault, but 6,351 signed a petition against its doors shutting.

And hundreds more people have signed petitions against potential school closures across the city.

The pool of the Bon Accord Baths has been closed for months due to refurbishment, but now the whole building, including the gym, will be shut down.

George Pettifer of Spey Road, Mastrick, who visited the baths three times a week, launched the petition to try to force the council to abandon the closure.

The 79-year-old is now a familiar sight in Aberdeen, collecting signatures, while wearing a sandwich board with the message “Save Bon Accord Baths.”

He said: “I started the petition because I thought about how I’d be shattered if the baths closed permanently.

“There are a lot of people out there, who feel the same and with their support we have got a hope of saving the pool.

“If we had time I’m sure we could get five times the amount of people who’ve signed the petition to support it,” he added. “There’s no need for the council to close the pool. They should keep it open.

“I’ve got signatures outside the baths, in the city centre and I’ve left petition for people to sign in pubs and at takeaways.

“Lots of people have helped out and some have gone door-to-door to get signatures.”

Glencraft is seeing the withdrawal of its £650,000 grant from the council, and it is feared it may have to shut, putting blind and disabled employees out of work.

The protesters hope to hand a petition with more than 20,000 signatures to depute council leader Kevin Stewart at Aberdeen’s Town House on Wednesday.

Glencraft worker and campaigner Andrew Laing said: “We have had tremendous support from the public.

“We collected more than 4,000 signatures in the space of four hours on the streets, and a lot more people have been coming into the showroom than is normal for this time of year.

“When the workers first heard the news there was a feeling of desperation but we have all rallied together and there are signs all over the shop floor saying business as usual.

“Staff morale has been tremendous considering what we are currently faced with.”

Council leader Cllr Kate Dean said the council had been forced to take difficult decisions in the face of financial constraints.

She said: “We’re working with different groups to mitigate the effects of these cuts.

“We’re committed to helping people involved and in the area of social care, for example, we’ll make sure there is a level of service to those who need it.”

City councillor Neil Fletcher, former council finance convener and Lib Dem group deputy leader, said: “I’m pleased that so many people care about services in Aberdeen.

“I hope the campaigners direct the petition at Westminster and the Scottish Parliament to try to get a better financial settlement for Aberdeen.”

Cllr Stewart said: “Quite frankly the decision about the Bon Accord Baths was the easiest, as there was no way the city could continue to subsidise each entry at £11.04.

“It’s up to people whether they decide to sign petitions. Some folk sign petitions with more force than others.”