Campaigners and users were dismayed at news that Camden Council Executive voted to plough ahead with cuts to UK online centres across the Borough.

Protestors outside Camden Town Hall

Labour councillors had urged the Lib Dems and Tories to not to proceed with a staggering 83% cut to the funding the council gives the centres, suggesting that they use the councils recession fund to at least guarantee fundingfor the coming year.

Phil Oman, who uses the South Hampstead Education and Lifelong Learning (SHELL) centre, led a deputation to the council meeting.  He movingly spoke of the importance of the centres for the whole community and pointed out the sums involved were “pitiful” compared with the millions of pounds Camden spends overall.  He said that the councillors voting for the cut should “be ashamed of themselves”.

These vital centres help people use computers and get online – essential as more and more everyday activity relies on accessing the internet, from applying for housing to filling in tax forms and applying for jobs and benefits.

Labour councillors also pushed to have a separate vote on the issue, before the budget-setting discussion later in the meeting, but the Lib Dem and Tory councillors voted against it.

Replying to the deputation, Lib Dem Kilburn councillor Janet Grauberg, who is the Executive member for Resources, refused to explain why the recession fund couldn’t be used to keep funding for the centres at their present level.

Mike Katz, Kilburn Labour candidate said: “This is a disgraceful decision by the Lib Dems and Tories, which really lets down people in Kilburn.  And as with other Lib Dem/Tory cuts, it will be the most disadvantaged, the elderly and poorer children who will be hit the worst, who either don’t have access at home or need help to get online.

“There are five centres in Kilburn, so it will hit our area particularly hard.  The council has really let down local people again.”