Southwark propose ecology and environment cuts of 78% but are consulting until Tues , have your say

[LWT]

Dear Resident,

Help stop massive cuts to Southwark services

Southwark Council are proposing cuts of 78% to their Ecology and Environment Programme over the next two years. This will reduce front-line services to local people yet only deliver a 0.002% saving for the Environment, Community Safety and Culture budget.

London Wildlife Trust receives funding from Southwark Council to run the Centre for Wildlife Gardening and Sydenham Hill Wood, both long-established, successful, and popular sites. We need your help to change Southwark?s plans and help us deliver our crucial work in the years to come.

How can you help?

Southwark Council are currently consulting on their proposed budget and your views could change their mind.

They are asking for responses by Tuesday February 8th and any comments received by Friday (today!) will influence the report to Councillors and have even more influence.

If you have internet access it just takes 5 minutes and is very easy ? just fill in your name, email address and add your comments in one text box. We?ve suggested text to include at the bottom of this email or add your own. www.southwark.gov.uk/forms/form/25/have_your_say_on_the_budget

If you would like to review the background information you can access it here:

www.southwark.gov.uk/news/article/250/leader_of_the_council_invites_comments_on_draft_budget

LWT receives ?46,000 from this programme, and a further ?30,000 from Parks to manage land for wildlife, run educational events for children and adults, provide training and involve regular volunteers and local communities in practical conservation work. Each year we quadruple the grant from Southwark through additional projects, but the extra funding we raise is also at risk without this grant.

If you live in Southwark please help us tell Southwark Council the environment matters ? we know that cuts have to be made, but massive cuts to the environment sector at such short notice must be stopped. Please respond to the consultation or write to your Councillor now before it?s too late (please only respond or write if you are a Southwark resident)

We apologise for the short notice but have only just been made party to this information ourselves.

Yours,

Ashley White

Suggested text for a response to Southwark Council below. Please add any testimonials:

I am writing to express my dismay at the disproportionate cut being proposed to the Ecology and Environment programme.

As a Southwark resident [insert address or postcode], I request that proposed cuts to this programme budget are reduced in line with other cuts to the budget. The proposal is to reduce the Ecology and Environment programme from just over ?300,000 to around ?120,000 in 2011-12 and then to ?60,000 in 2012-13. This is a 78% cut over two years. This will reduce front-line services to local people yet only deliver a 0.002% saving for the Environment, Community Safety and Culture budget.

Whilst I recognise the pressures on the Council, I am concerned that the long-established community assets of the Centre for Wildlife Gardening and Sydenham Hill Wood, managed by London Wildlife Trust, are at risk. Restoring the programme to a reasonable level will have a minor impact on the Council?s budget and will allow the seven community organisations funded by the programme to continue to bring in extra resources for Southwark residents.

Please don?t stop funding services which build social cohesion, pride in the local area and protect Southwark?s biodiversity.

[Alec John Moore]

Just did it. There's no room for short sightedness when it comes to our natural environment.