Disabled and elderly people will be out in the cold this evening serenading Merton councillors with a protest song over "life-changing" cuts to adult social care.
Disabled musician John Kelly, of Wimbledon, has adapted the campaign song ‘Which Side Are You On’ for campaigners to sing outside council offices tonight.
Referencing former Merton resident and disabled war hero Lord Admiral Nelson, the Nelson Says campaign is battling against council cuts proposing £5.4m of cuts to adult social care.
Lord Nelson lived in an area which is now the High Path estate in south Wimbledon.
Protesters will be taking #NelsonSays selfies with a giant cut out, giving passers-by Admiral hats and asking them to join the "growing army" against the proposed cuts before the council meeting at 7.15pm.
Which Side are You On was first sung by miners locked in a bitter battle with mine owners in Kentucky in the 1930s.
Campaigners will be outside Merton Civic Centre from 5pm to 7pm tonight, as councillors arrive at the London Road council offices in Morden to debate the proposed cuts.
A Nelson Says spokesman said: "It takes us a bit more to be able to do this, particularly in the cold weather but we are passionate, resilient and recognise there are many disabled and older people who would want to be there but can’t because they lack the basic support needed to be able to live full lives.
"These proposals erode further those basic rights and choices."
A business plan earmarking £5.4m of cuts to adult social care has been drawn up by council officers as Labour-run Merton struggles to find £32m in savings over the next four years.
Campaigners fear the total cuts to adult social care will reach £14m by 2019 because the plan only shows just over half of the £32m savings the council needs to make.
A motion put forward by opposition Conservative councillors calling for further scrutiny of the proposed cuts to adult social care will be debated at tonight's meeting.
Protest singer John Kelly has penned his own version of the protest song
Well the government had an idea, and parliament made it law
They say disabled people can't live independently any more
Which side are you on my boy? Which side are you on?
Which side are you on my boy? Which side are you on?
They say that we're a burden, they say we're on the scrounge
Say our lives're not worth living
Then they stick us in heaven's waiting lounge....
The motion also calls on the council to reject £200,000 a year cuts to day centres in Merton and asks officers to find alternative savings which do not affect frontline services.
Merton Liberal Democrats have submitted an ammendent to the motion, calling on the council to commit to preserving the Independent Living Fund - a further grant which supports disabled people.
Disabled musician 'gutted' after failed bid to stop closure of Independent Living Fund
Councillor Oonagh Moulton, leader of Merton Conservatives, said: "Conservative councillors have campaigned with residents and Stephen Hammond MP against Labour cuts to adult education and social care.
"We have shown that these cuts are unnecessary. The Labour administration have ignored the facts. They claim they have no choice - that is just not true.
"Now Labour councillors can show they do have a choice by supporting our motion to protect these services for the vulnerable."
More than 500 people have signed a petition calling on the leader of the council and its chief executive to reject the proposed cuts.
Speaking earlier this month, Councillor Stephen Alambritis, leader of Merton Council said: "We don’t want to make cuts but we have no choice.
"The level of government cuts means we need to make savings across all areas and it so happens that 45 per cent of the council’s spend goes on adult social care."
He added: "We have always maintained that the cuts to adult social care as a percentage is always less than other departments and unlike other councils all our day centres are open."
More on this story: 'Life-changing' cuts across public services in Merton approved last night
Campaigners call on Merton Council leader to reject proposed cuts to adult social care
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