The Strathmartine Ward needs a fighting socialist councillor.

Full statement

Over £100 million has been cut from council services in Dundee over the last 12 years. The communities that make up the Strathmartine Ward of Ardler, St. Marys, Brackens, Kirkton, Trottick, The Dales and Downfield have all seen cuts to local facilities and services.

Not one of the councillors representing Strathmartine voted against the cuts. The SNP, Labour and Lib Dems have supported the cuts then hypocritically complained when those cuts have impacted on this area.

The bus services serving these areas have become unreliable and more expensive. The privately run bus company are now threatening to take away a number of bus stops making it harder for people to get a bus nearer their homes. Essential services such as buses should not be run for private profit. The Scottish Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition are the only ones standing in this election calling for the democratic public ownership of the buses, making them accountable to local communities rather than wealthy shareholders who never use a bus.

Over a quarter of children live in poverty. We need a socialist councillor prepared to stand up for the community and putting forward socialist measures to address the chronic poverty that exists. A councillor who would work with the local trade unions and community groups to fight for the resources needed.

The council have temporarily paused plans to close the community centre and library in Kirkton but there is no doubt as they consider further budget cuts it will be back on the agenda soon enough. The threat to close community facilities such as community centres and libraries will need a councillor prepared to fight with local communities in action not just words.

All the schools and nurseries in Strathmartine are understaffed and under resourced. Vital care services are struggling to meet the growing need for vulnerable people. Council workers along with other public sector workers have not had a decent pay rise in years. At the same time the wealthy in society are getting even richer. Big business organisations such as the power companies and supermarkets are making massive profits blowing the idea out the water that there is no money.

Cuts to the NHS impact harder in working class communities and again our elected politicians are silent. As an NHS worker i know all too well that our health service requires real investment and NHS workers need a proper pay rise. Cuts to the Health & Social Care Partnership budgets can only make things worse.

This council prioritises the waterfront while ignoring the real issues of poverty and inequality in Strathmartine. We need real jobs with decent terms and conditions. £15 an hour would be a good starting point but we need to go much further. For too long this area has been ignored by local councillors while they championed multi million pounds developments elsewhere.

TUSC says loudly and clearly that working class communities across Dundee can’t take another penny of cuts, and will fight cuts to all services. I stand for no cuts/needs budgets that utilise all financial mechanisms to stop cuts and mobilise a mass campaign for the funding we need. But for years MSP’s and councillors just pass on Tory cuts.

I’m standing in this election to offer an alternative. One that demands the rich and big business pay, not working-class people.

The money is there, but it is in the wrong hands. It’s long passed time we had a political party prepared to fight for the working class. Scottish TUSC calls on the trade unions to build a new workers’ party. Until then Scottish TUSC will stand to offer a fighting socialist alternative.