PROTESTERS converged on Taunton yesterday (Wednesday) to campaign against proposed multimillion pound cuts at Somerset County Council.

Members of Taunton and West Somerset Trades Council met up outside Shire Hall before the start of the morning county council meeting.

One protester, Wes Hinckes, 42, who works as a community volunteer in Taunton, said cuts could ‘decimate’ public services.

“We’ve all seen over the past few years quite a dramatic cut in services everywhere and what I find particularly offensive is the fact that it has been vulnerable and the poor who have basically taken it all,” he told the County Gazette.

“They’ve cut youth services, they’re cutting health services, they’re cutting community services and it’s pretty much decimated all of it.

“It’s relied on the voluntary sector to come and rescue the day, but that’s actually not going to help – people in deprived areas don’t necessarily have those volunteers available.

“It’s not simple enough to cut it and not look at the causes of it, what we should be doing is looking at what we can do to help people, how we can efficiently use money, because we can, and really try to find a different route forward.”

At the beginning of February, Somerset County Council leader John Osman said difficult decisions would have to be made as part of the financial challenge facing the council.

The Gazette also reported how the council faces a loss of £20million of Government funding to this year’s budget – meaning around 100 jobs could go, and training and support in areas such as nursery and school improvement could reduce.

The plans also detailed more than £300million of spending, a council tax freeze for a sixth year running, and efficiency savings.

Cllr Osman, said: “As a council we have a considerable challenge ahead of us to continue delivering the services we have an irrefutable legal duty to provide for the people of Somerset against the backdrop of a stark drop in support from central Government – a loss of £20million in one year.

“This puts pressure particularly on adult social care and children’s services, which alone represent £126million of our council budget, and this continues to rise.

“In light of this raw deal it’s inevitable that we’ll have to make and consider some very difficult decisions because ensuring the budget balances is our legal duty.”

Green Party prospective parliamentary candidate, Clive Martin was also at the protest on Wednesday.

He said: “These cuts fall on old people, disabled people, on children – the people who are most in need of services across society and that has knock-on effects elsewhere.”