The demonstrations/protests have had an IMPACT.

The demonstrations/protests have had an IMPACT.

I reached city chambers at 435 and found it already buzzing with protesters shouting and demonstrating in front of the main entrance. Their synchronous slogan chanting was probably reverberating throughout the entire building as I would later find out to be true while inside the lecture hall.

By the end of all the questions that were put across to Peter Gilroy, Peter Gabbitas and Paul Edie; Edie was clearly rattled and all shaken up. He was twitching, fidgeting, head lowered refusing to meet anyone's gaze and drinking like a fish, really glass after glass of water, I wonder how he managed to keep all the liquid in, and not to mention the dagger looks he was getting from Gabbitas. I could observe all of this because I was on the front row, just 6 feet right in front of Edie.

Gabbitas took the reins at the end and mentioned how passionate they are about direct payments and how important it is that people have a choice in choosing the kind of service they get. To this many asked in unison, 'then why freeze Direct Payments', at this point Edie looked sheepishly at Gabitas and said they are going to process the 87 frozen DP applications before any of the tender contracts are handed over. At this point I must mention the way Edie introduced the lecture. He stressed that it is so important to him that people have a choice in shaping their own care and how very important it is that services get individualised and cater directly to needs of every individual.

The first question of the night was about DP and it was neatly dodged and to which a concerned parent Mrs. C tried to add something, she was then promptly shushed by Edie, he waved his hand like a school prefect and said she should put her hand up and wait in line if she wants to ask a question, shushed her again and again when she tried to protest and Edie then asked a helper to hand over the mike to someone at the back who had put her hand up (in the meantime getting killer looks from Gabitas).

When Mrs. C finally got her chance to ask a question because she had raised her hand, she mentioned how deeply concerned she is for her son and that this entire process seems like a bunch of cattle meat sold in sections to the lowest bidder. She also stressed that there was a complete lack of debate on this issue.

Another question was how could people realistically have a chance in choosing a provider of their choice when there would only be 4 to choose from and the 18 others would be obliterated.

And finally for me the question of the day was the last one, it summed up everything the council is doing wrong. I'll put this in my own words because I don't remember verbatim.

The lady thanked Peter Gilroy for an excellent lecture and then asked him if he had seen evidence of competitive tendering actually working. She had done a lot of research and had found only negative reviews and studies. She also mentioned that there were probably other means of saving money, like going to each individual service and giving them a decent rate they need to work with instead of finding out what the lowest bid could be in a blind auction. She also mentioned how important quality is and that it wasn't being mentioned anywhere, just the amount of money that was being saved, reflecting that money saving was the primary objective. In my view Peter Gilroy answered by subtly disassociating himself from Edinburgh's policies by saying, in Kent we do not tender all services, only the ones that where competitive tendering is justified. He also din't actually answer any of the lady's questions, only pleaded that we are all patient over the next 5-10 years of change.


Edinburgh council should according to Edie process the 87 frozen applications but I hope they will also accept other new applications.

I hope this puts hope in all our hearts and that this could be seen as the first step. The next one to fight and demonstrate for would be to keep the DP rate at a good level where the choice individuals make can actually be realised.