Family protests day center closures, creating a “wall of shame” at Birmingham Council House during budget meetings.
Jean and James Cross led the protest against closing Harborne Day Centre, which helps disabled adults. They posted names of Labour leaders who voted to close the center.
The council plans to close four day centers as a result of cuts. Jean’s brother, Robert, uses the Harborne center, which has aided the family for 43 years, providing care five days a week.
Without the center, providing 24/7 care could be hard and cause large money problems. Jean and James wore Save Harborne shirts and covered the entrance with faces of cabinet members.
Council leaders who voted for the budget cuts were named, including John Cotton, Sharon Thompson, Rob Pocock, Nicky Brennan, and Majid Mahmood. Karen McCarthy, Jayne Francis, Saima Suleman, Mariam Khan and Mick Brown were also included on the “wall of shame.”
The family carried a protest poster showing past mistakes under these leaders, noting equal pay issues, IT failures, and Perry Barr housing scheme problems. Cotton, Thompson, Francis, Khan, and Mahmood were named again on the poster.
Jean said they will keep fighting until the center closes. James said they protect vulnerable people and that the council wasted money, arguing the family should not pay for it. The center is set to close on March 31.