Comments on: Frugal times ahead for local authorities

By: Thomas

Thomas — Tue, 25 May 2010 22:27:44 +0000

@ Kehaar: Cutting a popular, big ticket item in response to the pressure to make cuts in order to generate public opposition to them is an old established tactic. See HMS Endeavour in the defence review just prior to the Falklands conflict.

By: Kehaar

Kehaar — Tue, 25 May 2010 19:34:35 +0000

Heresy being another word for free thought, I do think some form of poll tax is called for. I have benefited from lighter council tax through multiple occupancy so I’m aware of the accusation of pulling up the ladder behind me, but a significant bugbear about t’other one (accepting its kak-handed implementation) was that it made people pay as *individuals*.

Anywhere, I have doubts about regionalization, but it’s especially troublesome in my region (Highland) due to its scatteredness. One broo-haha just now is the idiotic, imho, plans to close Nairn Public Baths – real old-style baths, and not those things called “swimming pools” – which already has brought down the belly-dancing Provost of Nairn.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Tue, 25 May 2010 18:15:32 +0000

@Iain Roberts: That’s what’s most galling to me. It’s not Maybach’s and Porsche’s that are being damaged here, these roads are in some of the poorest areas of the town. These are people paying road tax, fuel duty, and council tax on transport they struggle to afford in the first place, which is then being destroyed by the council’s inability to provide a basic service.

By: Andrea Gill

Andrea Gill — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:56:37 +0000

Our council announced 25% spending cuts several months ago anyway…

By: Niklas Smith

Niklas Smith — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:29:58 +0000

I thought that the Tory plan was to reward councils that froze council tax with extra grant money? Oh well…

The good side of this news is the reduction of ringfencing. Hopefully the bill on local government reform expected in the Queen’s Speech will get rid of ringfencing entirely. There is actually real potential to save money or use it more efficiently here. (Not to mention the return of long-lost local democratic control over council budgets!)

By: Walter West

Walter West — Tue, 25 May 2010 08:16:54 +0000

One of the problems for local authorities is that whilst we all use roads and all have our bins emptied, a fortune has to be spent on social care and schooling, and whilst I can understand people being annoyed about potholes they would surely be more annoyed if there were not enough school places or cuts were being made to much needed social care simply to fix b-roads.

Now i’m a driver, and I wish that my local roads were in a better state, but I understand that there are more important priorities (and I speak as someone who has needed a new tyre due to a pothole quite recently).

By: Chris

Chris — Tue, 25 May 2010 07:02:15 +0000

I’m with Thomas. Our local council pretty well gave up on core services – mending roads and emptying bins – years ago. They’re busy with the “invisible to most” so-called services that benefit a group so small it really is invisible and consists primarily of people with jobs at the local council. I’d just love to see a massive cut it in its budget. And there would be no justification whatsoever for not having a massive improvement in services at the same time.

By: Iain Roberts

Iain Roberts — Tue, 25 May 2010 06:19:06 +0000

Thomas – you may be right, but it’s worth checking before jumping to assumptions. Councils provide hundreds of services, many of them very important to the lives of the most vulnerable in our society and many of them invisible to most.

By: AJ

AJ — Tue, 25 May 2010 03:05:19 +0000

I’m enjoying the spectacle of David Laws being pushed in front of the cameras to give the bad news. Clever people these Tories.

By: Thomas

Thomas — Tue, 25 May 2010 01:00:02 +0000

One sometimes wonders what exactly the money was being spent on in the first place. As part of my council tax bill I received a self congratulatory leaflet letting me know how many millions of efficiency savings had been made. This is despite Coventry having probably the most poorly maintained road system I have ever seen, to the point that people are now suing the local authority for damage to their vehicles. Now this money wasn’t being spent on a visible and extensive problem before, so what on earth was it being wasted on?