Council tax

[rudd]

Just been announced, Suffolk Coastal council tax to rise by 4% and this will only cover current debt IE no benefits for tax payers ?
I hope they freeze their salaries next year.

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

I have given up with local councils and will probably never vote in a local election again. It seems that the people elected lose all common sense and certainly have no idea how to spend money wisely. How they run their own finances I hate to think. But then if you have the rewards of being on a council committee perhaps you don't have to be careful with money.

 

[gingert76]

are you surprised??? just keep going up each year with zero benefits for for tax payer

 

[dry nets]

I have given up with local councils and will probably never vote in a local election again. It seems that the people elected lose all common sense and certainly have no idea how to spend money wisely. How they run their own finances I hate to think. But then if you have the rewards of being on a council committee perhaps you don't have to be careful with money.

They’ve got common sense, they give contracts at over the odds prices to companies they’ve set up themselves. Then they sub contract it. Bleeding us dry day by day. All bent the lot of them.

 

[Somersetlad]

It's more because the block grant from central government has been reduced,so the Tories can cut taxes (for their well off city friends), and an aging population whose care is funded locally, so Council tax rises to compensate. And you've just voted the selfish lieing ***** back into power, no point complaining now, just hope you're never sick.

 

[gingert76]

lmao wondered how long that would take though i will not reply to that comment as no need to. The rise will happen regardless as the local goverments are allowed to raise the tax by 4.99% regardless of what the government does anyway, nothing to do with if its a red, blue, green, pink, flouro orange government for god sake!!!!

 

[Neil ofthe nene]

It's more because the block grant from central government has been reduced,so the Tories can cut taxes (for their well off city friends), and an aging population whose care is funded locally, so Council tax rises to compensate. And you've just voted the selfish lieing ***** back into power, no point complaining now, just hope you're never sick.

Given that we are in/have been through a period of austerity I would expect councils to spend their money wisely. However I witness money spent for no good reason. Like moving a 30MPH sign 20 yards. If I don't have the money I don't spend it. My example is a very small one. But if the tip of the iceberg....

I am absolutely convinced that if I were to review council spending I could find millions being wasted. Perhaps that is because I worked for a profit making organisation that was constantly seeking savings, not just spending money like water because they could. When I took over my team in Northampton I was given half the number of staff that had done the same job in London. By changing the workflow, making better use of the computer system not only did we do the same work but actually took on more. And once all changes were in place we saved £250,000 a year in write-offs.

 

[dry nets]

Don’t councils have to spend their budget or the following year it gets reduced?

 

[Geoff P]

In Barnsley some people are investigating some Labour councillors who are believed to have set up companies in their or their families name to gain contracts. If the councils feel the funding is not enough they could always cut down on their allowances which they all claim to the full extent. Councillors in Barnsley claimed over £1 million in salary and expenses for 2018/2019. I cannot see the reason for having so many councillors (63) in the town, which is 3 from every ward.

 

[tonerain]

Those paperclips don't count themselves, you know.

 

[mickthechippy]

Councils ran considerably cheaper when they had the majority of thier workers as In-House employed staff

rather than being forced to offer services out to private tender

much the same as most governmental services, someones gotta pay those shareholder bonuses

 

[Zerkalo]

Have a mate who's a project manager for a London council responsible for cutting a lot of spending so he tells me, apparently the cushiest job going with a fat cat salary, so he wants to work for councils for the rest of his life.