From April 2011 the £170,000 which the council contributes to the maintenace and support of the Camden Online centres has been removed. If this money is not restored courses, even some centres will close. This funding was first cut in March 2010 by the then Lib Dem/Conservative coalition but in the local elections that followed Labour campaigned to restore these funds and included a commitment to this in their election manifesto. After Labour took control of the Council in May 2010 they were good to their word and restored the funding. When campaigning on this issue Labour quite rightly pointed to the value these centres have for Camden residents. They argued that it was crazy to remove support from facilities which offer access to online services, the basic computer training needed to use them and help with employment and basic skills. These arguments are more powerful than ever now when front-line services are being cut back everywhere and services being transferred online. Centres and their users across Camden are campaigning for this Labour council to be true to its promise and restore this funding. Join this campaign and sign our petition.

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