Stabbed in the back Options

[user23]

This seems to be proposal up for consultation.

http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8993

[Richard Garvie]

This seems to be proposal up for consultation.

http://www.westberks.gov.uk/index.aspx?articleid=8993

That's one of the items up for consultation. You need to click "consultation finder" to find the budget documents which are pretty much hidden away from view!!! Talk about making it difficult.

[Cognosco]

That's one of the items up for consultation. You need to click "consultation finder" to find the budget documents which are pretty much hidden away from view!!! Talk about making it difficult.

If they made it too easy to find then everyone would know what was going on - it would only lead to more trouble for the council so.........

[NWNREADER]

That's one of the items up for consultation. You need to click "consultation finder" to find the budget documents which are pretty much hidden away from view!!! Talk about making it difficult.

How does putting a consultation document on the website under 'Consultation Finder' make it hard to find? I've also had my invitation to view it from the 'get involved' team. Perhaps more need to sign up to that?

Hello

You may remember in completing one of our surveys you indicated that you would be interested in taking part in further consultations being run through West Berkshire Council.

This email is to let you know that we have just launched a consultation on our draft Council Strategy (2012-16). In this strategy we have set out our medium term plan for how we will need to review and reshape the services we provide across the Council and across west Berkshire.

This is the toughest economic climate for many years and along with the rest of the country, local councils are operating within significant financial constraints. Despite these difficulties, we are determined that we will live within our means and continue to provide value for money for local people.

This is a significant challenge. Demand for our services and support for people, particularly those in need, is high. At the same time, there is less income from government grants, council tax and service charges. So we are having to make hard choices about how our resources are allocated.

You may remember me writing to you inviting you to take part in our Budget Simulator exercise last year. This asked local people what was important to them and where they thought our resource needed to be focused - allowing us to make sure we could define local people’s priorities. We then used your feedback to develop our overarching objectives - making sure they are relevant and appropriate.

We recognise that our ambitions can only be achieved in partnership with the people of West Berkshire, other public service providers, the voluntary and community sector and parish councils. We want to hear your views on the general principles and objectives which we have set out in this overarching document.

You can view the draft strategy at westberks.gov.uk/councilstrategy where you can also find a form for responding against each of the key points covered in the strategy. Individual service areas will develop more fully and consult directly on specific proposals relating to individual functions. You can find more information about these in the normal way through our Consultation Finder database linked from the same page.

Please note, the closing date for all contributions is Friday 6th January 2012. Your feedback will be used to inform the full council strategy which will come into effect from April 2012 which will guide the priorities and objectives for the Council for the next 4 years. A summary of the feedback will be published on our Consultation Finder database, available at westberks.gov.uk/research.

I hope you will find the strategy of interest and value.

If you need help in completing the form, or require the information in an alternative format, please either email me back or give me a call.

With thanks
--------------------------------------------------------
Jason Teal
Research I Consultation I Performance
West Berkshire Council

01635 519102
westberks.gov.uk/research
westberks.gov.uk/consultation
westberks.gov.uk/performance

[user23]

That's one of the items up for consultation. You need to click "consultation finder" to find the budget documents which are pretty much hidden away from view!!! Talk about making it difficult.

You need to click a link titled "consultation finder" to find consultations you say?

Yeah, talk about making it difficult.

[Cognosco]

You need to click on "consultation finder" to find a consultation and you think that makes consultations hard to find?

It is if the consultation finder is like the small print on an insurance policy?

[Richard Garvie]

How does putting a consultation document on the website under 'Consultation Finder' make it hard to find? I've also had my invitation to view it from the 'get involved' team. Perhaps more need to sign up to that?

Hello

You may remember in completing one of our surveys you indicated that you would be interested in taking part in further consultations being run through West Berkshire Council.

This email is to let you know that we have just launched a consultation on our draft Council Strategy (2012-16). In this strategy we have set out our medium term plan for how we will need to review and reshape the services we provide across the Council and across west Berkshire.

This is the toughest economic climate for many years and along with the rest of the country, local councils are operating within significant financial constraints. Despite these difficulties, we are determined that we will live within our means and continue to provide value for money for local people.

This is a significant challenge. Demand for our services and support for people, particularly those in need, is high. At the same time, there is less income from government grants, council tax and service charges. So we are having to make hard choices about how our resources are allocated.

You may remember me writing to you inviting you to take part in our Budget Simulator exercise last year. This asked local people what was important to them and where they thought our resource needed to be focused - allowing us to make sure we could define local people’s priorities. We then used your feedback to develop our overarching objectives - making sure they are relevant and appropriate.

We recognise that our ambitions can only be achieved in partnership with the people of West Berkshire, other public service providers, the voluntary and community sector and parish councils. We want to hear your views on the general principles and objectives which we have set out in this overarching document.

You can view the draft strategy at westberks.gov.uk/councilstrategy where you can also find a form for responding against each of the key points covered in the strategy. Individual service areas will develop more fully and consult directly on specific proposals relating to individual functions. You can find more information about these in the normal way through our Consultation Finder database linked from the same page.

Please note, the closing date for all contributions is Friday 6th January 2012. Your feedback will be used to inform the full council strategy which will come into effect from April 2012 which will guide the priorities and objectives for the Council for the next 4 years. A summary of the feedback will be published on our Consultation Finder database, available at westberks.gov.uk/research.

I hope you will find the strategy of interest and value.

If you need help in completing the form, or require the information in an alternative format, please either email me back or give me a call.

With thanks
--------------------------------------------------------
Jason Teal
Research I Consultation I Performance
West Berkshire Council

01635 519102
westberks.gov.uk/research
westberks.gov.uk/consultation
westberks.gov.uk/performance

I'm sure the people who are affected by funding cuts would rather respond to the consultation about their service rather than the draft four year council plan which Newbury Sound, the paper and the council press release all link to.

[Cognosco]

I'm sure the people who are affected by funding cuts would rather respond to the consultation about their service rather than the draft four year council plan which Newbury Sound, the paper and the council press release all link to.

User what's gone wrong???

[Turin Machine]

It amazes me that in an age when we are supposed to be caring and compassionate and dare I say it "civilized" and when a government states categorically that the vulnerable will be protected that a council can make cuts that will affect the MOST vulnerable in our society, the old, the sick and the terminally befuddled.

Drastic cuts to meals on wheels, Mencap, Mobility, even for Gods sake when Dave bleats on about the big society and volunteering, the Volunteer office gets a funding cut ! Ironic ? only if you're a politition I guess.

And what response do we get ? bleating about paying a quid to park on a sunday ! I just hope that those among you who will be striking next week in defence of your pensions can tell me how to explain to, lets call her Gladys, who will need to sit on her own in her own filth for eight hours a day because her carer has been withdrawn for "efficiency" reasons how its worth it "c'os you don't matter but my long haul holiday does" ! Please tell me how, if you can.

[Simon Kirby]

Drastic cuts to meals on wheels, Mencap, Mobility, even for Gods sake when Dave bleats on about the big society and volunteering, the Volunteer office gets a funding cut ! Ironic ? only if you're a politition I guess.

The so-called "volunteer sector" has ridden the state gravy train way too long. That's my tax the state is giving those executives of all those charities, and I can't afford it any more. The Big Society is about people taking responsibility for themselves, not depending on the tax-payer for support.

I've made a very public demand for Newbury Town Council to devolve the management of its allotment services onto the allotmenteers. I want this because it's good for the allotmenteers - people enjoy taking responsibility for themselves - this is what the Big Society is actually about. It turns out that by devolving the allotments service allotmenteers get a better service for less rent, but it also turns out that NTC can save the £90k each year that they currently spend in providing the service. That's £90k a year saving, and I'm offering to volunteer my time and effort to make that work. Forgive me if I show little sympathy for your bleating when you do nothing but mock my effort.

And that's just the allotment service, it's pretty straight forward to find over £300k of Big Society savings that actually improve the Town Council's services. That would go some way to filling the funding gap.

[Cognosco]

The so-called "volunteer sector" has ridden the state gravy train way too long. That's my tax the state is giving those executives of all those charities, and I can't afford it any more. The Big Society is about people taking responsibility for themselves, not depending on the tax-payer for support.

I've made a very public demand for Newbury Town Council to devolve the management of its allotment services onto the allotmenteers. I want this because it's good for the allotmenteers - people enjoy taking responsibility for themselves - this is what the Big Society is actually about. It turns out that by devolving the allotments service allotmenteers get a better service for less rent, but it also turns out that NTC can save the £90k each year that they currently spend in providing the service. That's £90k a year saving, and I'm offering to volunteer my time and effort to make that work. Forgive me if I show little sympathy for your bleating when you do nothing but mock my effort.

And that's just the allotment service, it's pretty straight forward to find over £300k of Big Society savings that actually improve the Town Council's services. That would go some way to filling the funding gap.

Yes but the rub is, it would take power away from certain people who like to have that power!

[Simon Kirby]

Yes but the rub is, it would take power away from certain people who like to have that power!

Yup, that's the top and bottom of it.

[Bofem]

And what response do we get ? bleating about paying a quid to park on a sunday ! I just hope that those among you who will be striking next week in defence of your pensions can tell me how to explain to, lets call her Gladys, who will need to sit on her own in her own filth for eight hours a day because her carer has been withdrawn for "efficiency" reasons how its worth it "c'os you don't matter but my long haul holiday does" ! Please tell me how, if you can.

I would say to Gladys "the state can't afford to look after you any more. From now on, looking after you is going to be your family's responsibility, not the state's.

[user23]

It amazes me that in an age when we are supposed to be caring and compassionate and dare I say it "civilized" and when a government states categorically that the vulnerable will be protected that a council can make cuts that will affect the MOST vulnerable in our society, the old, the sick and the terminally befuddled.

Drastic cuts to meals on wheels, Mencap, Mobility, even for Gods sake when Dave bleats on about the big society and volunteering, the Volunteer office gets a funding cut ! Ironic ? only if you're a politition I guess.

And what response do we get ? bleating about paying a quid to park on a sunday ! I just hope that those among you who will be striking next week in defence of your pensions can tell me how to explain to, lets call her Gladys, who will need to sit on her own in her own filth for eight hours a day because her carer has been withdrawn for "efficiency" reasons how its worth it "c'os you don't matter but my long haul holiday does" ! Please tell me how, if you can.

What happened to Gladys' family in this scenario?

[Squelchy]

What happened to Gladys' family in this scenario?

Many do not have a family. What then?

[Cognosco]

Many do not have a family. What then?

Stop trying to make User's life difficult.

They may have family but the family for whatever reason are unable, or indeed be able to afford, to look after Gladys?

[user23]

Many do not have a family. What then?

To say many people of this age don't have brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, children, grand children, great grandchildren, cousins or friends they consider family would be untrue.

[Bartholomew]

To say many people of this age don't have brothers, sisters, wives, husbands, children, grand children, great grandchildren, cousins or friends they consider family would be untrue.

I suppose that the use of the word "many" may be your diverting argument but it doesn't alter the fact that there are people in this situation that require support.

[user23]

I suppose that the use of the word "many" may be your diverting argument but it doesn't alter the fact that there are people in this situation that require support.

You're not wrong there certainly are, however there are many who could be looked after by their family.

We have an aging population and if people don't want to pay more tax for someone else to look after their elderly relatives, they're going to have to look after them, themselves.

This way those who really have no one to care for them will be able to receive help whilst those for whom it was convenient to be looked after by the state can be cared for by their relatives.

[Ron]

You're not wrong there certainly are, however there are many who could be looked after by their family.

We have an aging population and if people don't want to pay more tax for someone else to look after their elderly relatives, they're going to have to look after them, themselves.

This way those who really have no one to care for them will be able to receive help whilst those for whom it was convenient to be looked after by the state can be cared for by their relatives.

So what you are saying is that I should look after two lotsof people? My relations, which I done until she died 8 weeks ago, and potentially someone elses?