A ‘DAD’S Army’ of volunteers today helped launch a petition aimed at saving South Tyneside Council almost £300,000.
Community groups were approached as part of a public consultation process aimed at identifying potential savings.
Among those consulted was Forum 50 – the borough’s Older People’s Parliament.
And the group came up with a series of recommendations, central to which was reducing the number of borough councillors by one third and cutting elected members’ allowances.
But neither of the proposals formed part of a £20m budget-savings package rubber-stamped by the full council last week.
Members of Forum 50 feel their views have been ‘ignored’ and are now launching a petition in support of their plans.
They are launching it today at Ocean Road Community Centre in South Shields.
Over the coming months an army of volunteers will be hitting the streets of South Tyneside to sign people up to the cause.
The petition will ask the public to support cutting councillors from 53 to 36, and a 50 per cent reduction in allowances.
The forum, which represents people aged 50 upwards, has had the savings fully costed.
And they have been told their plans would net a £292,000 saving – without the loss of a single job.
Greenwell Jewitt, chairman of Forum 50, said: “We feel that our views have been ignored.
“Our target is to collect 2,000 to 3,000 signatures, and present them to the council’s chief executive next month.”
Twitter: @shieldsgazpaul
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