SHIRE MADNESS

As the sun rose over Cambridgeshire on Tuesday (15th), the councillors travelling to the Council Chamber in Shire Hall for a day of public service devastation probably expected a degree of disruption. As it happened, they had to dodge two cuts protesters’ blockades to enter the budget-setting meeting, who also formed a picket line with ‘Resign before you sign’ banners.

Once the supposedly public meeting was under way (with plenty of heckling and shouts of ‘Judas!’), police hovered in the wings. The officers pounced to arrest three protesters for ‘breach of the peace’ after they shouted from the gallery. All three were let go as soon as the threat of them speaking their mind at a public meeting was over.

Wednesday (16th) was Southampton City Council’s turn. After a well-attended rally outside, a group of protesters, thought to be council workers, evaded security and got into the building.

Despite causing a commotion, the programme of a massive £25 million worth of cuts including 290 job losses was passed.