I have worked for and with Wiltshire Council for many years, as long as I have lived in Wiltshire.

Over that time I have watched and experienced the reduction of staffing of critical community services.

This has both increased the stress levels on remaining staff and also had serious impact upon the most vulnerable in our communities.

Wiltshire Council Youth Services are now completely absent. Children & Families are limited to Court Actions and family breakups.

Benefit Services have become abrasive with the assumption that everyone seeking Housing Benefit are dishonest.

Many claims are rejected because the claimant does not have the skills to complete the complex application process.

Wiltshire Benefits Services (partly because if low staffing levels) provides little support to these people.

Advisors and Community Advocates (like myself) help who we can for reconsideration, but most cases are won in court, on Appeal.

The situation with Community Support Services is also challenging, with staffing levels reduced and those left frying to cover the shortfalls.

Then we come to the services allegedly provided by Safeguarding of you and vulnerable people.

This barely more than a desk job, dealing with claims by phone & email and the collection of evidence via Private Contractors.

The process in place allows one person to act as Judge & Jury. The Service is so incompetent that the Police have a better record.

Of course, Staff are not allowed to discuss these problems that result for the failing services, instead managers seek to blame others.

The result is that good staff leave and the Jobsworths are allowed to move into management roles and the services deteriorate further.

I have watched this deterioration now for over 15 years and as a Community Worker, experienced the consequences (an abuse).

Please sign the Petition and protect the wellbeing of hard working Staff and their most vulnerable clients in the community.