I now have the response from council; of which I will relay here further down. But, firstly I will give you an insight into the following:
ByoU
Homophobia is something that is faced by many young people every day and is something the 15 - 24 year olds in the B.yoU youth project in Wigan are very familiar with. To raise awareness about homophobia and lesbian, gay and bi-sexual (LGB) issues, they adapted the play Romeo & Juliet, to artistically express to people what it means to be LGB. The group has performed at hate crime conferences, local council conferences in Wigan, pride parades and local schools. At the end of each performance the group facilitates discussion with the audience getting feedback and answering questions. They've had a tremendous impact in Wigan, though many LGB youth still face harassment and bullying. To keep their campaign going, the group is now working on an adaptation of the classic, Oliver Twist, which they hope to begin performing in October 2008. The above extract was taken from the 'charity' Common Purpose website, after B.yoU had just won an award for their rather queer adaption of Romeo and Juliet, Rosemary and Julian?
http://www.commonpurpose.org.uk/home/resources/changeitawards/performancewinners.aspx
And the group get more high praise here from the indigenous British, hetrosexual hating Wigantoday online newspaper.
http://www.wigantoday.net/wigannews/Youth-scheme-honoured.4109866.jp
And here we have the group on the Wigan Council website:
http://www.wigan.gov.uk/Services/EducationLearning/Youth/ByoULesbianGayBisexualYouthWorkProject.htm
And here is the other:
Rafiki/Motswako Project
This is an extract that was taken from the Wigan Council website; note; how in the above description the use the word safe and seperate?
Rafiki/Motswako Project aims to:-
1)Provide a safe and separate space for bme young people (Refugees, asylum seekers, Black young people, European young people, etc.)
2)Provide new and challenging experiences
3)Develop programmes of work in response to young peoples needs and requests
4)Look at cultural identity and provide a safe environment where young people can learn about other cultures and religions
5)Address issues relating to education, training and employment
6)Enhance language skills where appropriate
7)Identify and address the needs of individual young people
http://www.wigan.gov.uk/Services/EducationLearning/Youth/RafikiMotswakoProject.htm
And here is the criteria in which you need to have in order to join the group:
Eligibility Criteria (Who is this service for?)
Rafiki Motswako is for all young people 13 to 19 years from diverse ethnic backgrounds, cultures and religions who live, work or study in the Wigan or Leigh areas. Including black & minority ethnic young people, refugees, asylum seekers, black young people & european young people.
And here is their own meaning of Rafiki and Motswako:
"Rafiki means fiend in Swahili and Motswako means good stuff in Sotho South African!"
Rafiki means FIEND !!!!!
See here: http://www.help4me.info/service.aspx?serviceid=%7B4731A287-797D-4F95-AF9C-C11B85C6B4EC%7D
So there you have a little insight into these groups and you may want to look further into the sinister dealings regarding the 'Common Purpose, charity! if you get the chance.
So, do we, the beleaguered council taxpayers of Wigan and Leigh contribute to any of the above? Please read the following reply to my Freedom of Information 2000 Act request here from Mr Tim Turner representing the council!
"I am emailing to respond to your FOI request to Wigan Council about funding of groups, projects, conferences and special commemorative days."
A) B.YoU Project
B) Rafiki/Motswako Project
A) B.yoU Project:
Year 1999-2000: funding from Core (Council) Budget = £5,000, Coalfield Challenge = £31,000 Total = £36,000
Year 2000-2001: Core Budget = £24,000, Health Promotion = £6,000 and Social Services £5,000 Total = £35,000
Year 2001-2002: Core Budget = £13,000, Social Services =£5,000 and Coalfield Challenge = £18,000 Total= £36,000
Year 2002-2003: Core Budget = £9,600 and Social Services = £5,000
Total = £14,600
Year 2003-2004: Core Budget = £26,943 and Social Services = £5,000
Total = £31,943
Year 2004-2005: Core Budget = £45,852 and Social Services = £5,000
Total = £50,852
Year 2005-2006: Core Budget = £43,290 and Social Services = £5,000 and PAYP (Positive Activities for Young People) = £7,200
Total = £55, 490
Year 2006-2007: Core Budget = £51,709, Social servics £5,000 and Leisure and Culture Trust-Witness This = £2,000
Total = £58,709
Year 2007-2008: Core Budget = £60,487, Social Services = £5,000 and PAYP (Positive Activities for Young People) =£2000
Total = £67,487
Year 2008-2009: Core Budget = £40,407, Social Services = £5,000 and PAYP (Positive Activities for Young People) = £1,000
Total = £46,407
A GRAND TOTAL OF £ 432,488
B) Rafiki/Motswako Project
Year 1998-1999: Core (Council) Budget = £5,000 and SRB-Investing in Tomorrow's Citizens = £14,500
Total = £19,500
Year 1999-2000: Core Budget = £6,000 and SRB-Investing in tomorrow's Citizens = £14,600
Total = £20,600
Year 2000-2001: Core Budget = £12,000 and SRB- Investing in Tomrrow's Citizens = £14,900
Total = £26,900
Year 2001-20002: Core Budget = £12,000 and SRB-Investing in Tommorrow's Citizens = £15,200
Total = £27,200
Year 2002- 2003: Core Budget = £7,500
Total = £7,500
Year 2003-2004: Core Budget = £12,869
Total = £12,869
Year 2004-2005: Core Budget = £33,532
Total = £33,532
Year 2005-2006: Core Budget = £42,792
Total = £42,792
Year 2006-2007: Core Budget = £36,058 and PAYP (Positive Activities for Young People) = £1,450
Total = £37,508
Year 2007-2008: Core Budget = £47,866 and PAYP (Positive Activities for Young People) = £5,800
Total = £53,666
Year 2008- 2009: Core Budget = £43,901 and PAYP (Positive Activities for Young People) = £1,000
Total = £44,901
A GRAND TOTAL OF £326,968
Collectively, this amounts to a sum of £759,456 over a ten year period that neither me or you gave the go-ahead to fund!
Do you have a comment? Is this beneficial to YOU and ME? Is this the way to reward the good men and women; the indigenous people of Wigan and Leigh ? Don' t forget; that this is just two projects that we knew nothing about until I intervened, that is being funded by you and me!
A more disturbing angle to my request for information is this response:
C) Wigan Hate Crime Conference
"The Conference is organised and funded by Wigan Community Safety Partnership - the Council provides funds to the Partnership for its work overall, so we do not have separate figures for this event."
D) Wigan and Leigh United against Racism
"The Council has not funded this organisation."
E) Wigan Remembrance Sunday Parade
F) Wigan Walking Day Parade
G) Leigh Remembrance Sunday Parade
H) Leigh Walking Day Parade
I) Wigan St. George's Day Parade
J) Leigh St.George's Day Parade
"I have not been able to identify any funding for these events." Well would you believe that?!
K) Black and Minority Ethnic Children and Young People Wellbeing Group
"This is not a community group that receives funding - it is a work meeting of officers from different organisations."
Please digest, and forward your response !
3 comments:
leigh,
excellent research, good article,
so many are ignorent of what is happening - Wigan Council - law to themselves,
I will print this post and distribute to people who have not got internet - well done
keep posting,
Take Care.
Well done for rooting out some of the ways our money is wasted without our consent.
There's a lot more hidden in the other departments such as the Community Safety Partnership which is difficult to identify. Also the fact that there is a "work meeting of officers from various departments" is very suspicious.
How much time is allocated to these meetings?
There is no doubt that the vast amounts of money is being spent on these dubious politically correct activities is being hidden from the council taxpayers who were never consulted about it.
And we are supposed to live in a democracy!
Could we not ask for a rough breakdown of time spent and money allocated for these activities?
Why don't the councillors ask these questions or are they in it together.
Whatever, Wigan Metro know we are watching them.
There are many, many unanswered questions that we need to root out the answers to of this corrupt organisation, Lanky!
As you say; Wigan Metro know we are watching them."
I do have another FoI request pending! And Wigan Council have been stalling in their response? Passing it from pillar to post! Or, department to department.
I wonder if they're struggling to find some legal loophole in order to stop the information being released?
I will let you know in due course.
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