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> Would you pay a few pounds a month to keep our community services?, West Berkshire Council unveils budget cuts
Adrian Hollister
post Jan 31 2012, 12:40 PM
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In reference to West Berkshire Council unveils budget plans would you prefer to pay a couple of pounds more per month to keep community services such as the Active Leisure Schemes, Domestic Abuse Service, Therapy Group's, Mencap and other youth and community services and events?
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Dodgys smarter b...
post Jan 31 2012, 12:54 PM
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Yes.
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Exhausted
post Jan 31 2012, 12:58 PM
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In principle yes but I am not sure that the council have looked everywhere for suitable cutbacks. The library trundles on like a huge dinosaur and from what I see of it is mainy serving as an internet cafe with bored people communicating with relatives in some far away place. All for free to them but not free for me as I have to fork out for the privelidge of keeping it going. The S106 library payments they keep asking for from developers could and should be spent on more needy causes.
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Blake
post Jan 31 2012, 02:52 PM
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NO.

If one person asks for a few more pounds, so will many more.

The problem is, the state has grown far too big. The state needs to be rolled back. Doing so will also help pay down the deficit so it is a win-win.

I think we actually need much greater cuts if we have any hope of saving our economy from meltdown.
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Bloggo
post Jan 31 2012, 03:26 PM
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No. Far too much of the money I have to pay in tax is wasted.


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On the edge
post Jan 31 2012, 04:11 PM
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No. The groups mentioned are all far better off being wholly away from Local Goivernment.


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Andy Capp
post Jan 31 2012, 04:22 PM
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And the same 'faces' will soon be moaning when they start to see the results of such austerity. At least these 'minor deities' will be nice warm and cosy in their homes. wink.gif Still we could always bring back the birch and hanging, it worked well in the past; crime free back then. tongue.gif
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Turin Machine
post Jan 31 2012, 04:45 PM
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Yes.


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On the edge
post Jan 31 2012, 04:49 PM
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QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 31 2012, 04:22 PM) *
And the same 'faces' will soon be moaning when they start to see the results of such austerity. At least these 'minor deities' will be nice warm and cosy in their homes. wink.gif Still we could always bring back the birch and hanging, it worked well in the past; crime free back then. tongue.gif


I promise you I won't be and I've always practiced 'austerity' - commercial and domestic. The idea that the 'Good Samaritan' acutally had money is often scoffed at but true none the less.

He also spent it on someone less fortunate. Another reason why we should throttle back on those extracting huge sums in bogus bonus payments, because in the UK at least philanthropy is a dying art.

However, that does NOT mean the public sector have some responsibility to step in and take over. There is a dependancy culture in UK which we've only now started to address.

Its rather ironic that if we can get to a position whereby most can look after themselves - the 'minor deities' will have to look elsewhere for their own satisfaction. They, of course, have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.


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Simon Kirby
post Jan 31 2012, 05:21 PM
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QUOTE (On the edge @ Jan 31 2012, 04:49 PM) *
Its rather ironic that if we can get to a position whereby most can look after themselves - the 'minor deities' will have to look elsewhere for their own satisfaction. They, of course, have a vested interest in maintaining the status quo.

Absolutely.

If WBC is providing essential and obligatory services by grant-funding the suppliers then this is completely wrong. The tax-payer needs to see that the market for service provision is fair and that they are getting value for money, and this can only happen if the service providers tender for WBC contracts. A service contract is also essential for the supplier to be able to make meaningful financial plans, and grant-funding, which can be reduced at the whim of the council, is completely unacceptable.

Alternatively, service users could be given personal budgets so that they can contract for their service directly in an open market, and suppliers can compete on price and quality.

However, if WBC are grant-funding local companies when they aren't statutorily obliged to, then WTF? That's my tax, and I'm paying far too much already, so too right I want their grants cut. I don't have to justify to anyone what causes I personally support, and I don't want local government deciding what causes to support on my behalf.

So no Adrian, I want to pay less tax, not more.


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GMR
post Jan 31 2012, 05:26 PM
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The trouble is that that few pounds a week will not go directly to our community services, but put into a pot and distributed across other areas. And where will it stop? Other services could have a legitimate claim in asking for a few extra pounds. Why don't we all just pay an extra £100 a month so every worthwhile organisation is covered? And while we are at it maybe we shouldn't forget those poor politicians and councillors who have struggle on their pittance? Duck moats anybody?
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Strafin
post Jan 31 2012, 05:49 PM
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I pay out 10% of my salary on council tax already. I work full time, live in a crummy flat with only stand alone heaters, and only the bare essentials. I drive a 12 year old Rover and don't have Sky TV. I have had some nice holidays but only forked out for the flights as I am lucky enough to friends abroad. Everyone I know who are on benefits seem to do better than me financially and unless this issue gets addressed; I am happy to see every last member of the council or it's staff lose their jobs before I willingly put more money in. The Chief Exec is on way over £100k, our politicians both locally and nationally are creaming off obscene amounts of money, we chuck BILLIONS into the EU for little or no benefit and the bankers are still taking whatever they can.
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Andy Capp
post Jan 31 2012, 06:33 PM
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QUOTE (Simon Kirby @ Jan 31 2012, 05:21 PM) *
Alternatively, service users could be given personal budgets so that they can contract for their service directly in an open market, and suppliers can compete on price and quality.

I see little proof that social services are more effectively provided by tendering the private sector. Cheaper yes, but often a drop in quality follows as well.
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Simon Kirby
post Jan 31 2012, 06:46 PM
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QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 31 2012, 06:33 PM) *
I see little proof that social services are more effectively provided by tendering the private sector. Cheaper yes, but often a drop in quality follows as well.

That's a somewhat broader issue. The issue at hand is where private companies are being grant-aided: if the company is providing an essential public service, is it better that it receives a discretionary grant or contractual payment, and if the latter is it better that it tenders for the contract or not. And if private companies that aren't providing essential public services are being grant-aided, how so?


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Andy Capp
post Jan 31 2012, 06:53 PM
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QUOTE (Simon Kirby @ Jan 31 2012, 06:46 PM) *
That's a somewhat broader issue. The issue at hand is where private companies are being grant-aided: if the company is providing an essential public service, is it better that it receives a discretionary grant or contractual payment, and if the latter is it better that it tenders for the contract or not. And if private companies that aren't providing essential public services are being grant-aided, how so?

Agreed.
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post Jan 31 2012, 08:37 PM
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QUOTE (Strafin @ Jan 31 2012, 05:49 PM) *
I pay out 10% of my salary on council tax already. I work full time, live in a crummy flat with only stand alone heaters, and only the bare essentials. I drive a 12 year old Rover and don't have Sky TV. I have had some nice holidays but only forked out for the flights as I am lucky enough to friends abroad. Everyone I know who are on benefits seem to do better than me financially and unless this issue gets addressed; I am happy to see every last member of the council or it's staff lose their jobs before I willingly put more money in. The Chief Exec is on way over £100k, our politicians both locally and nationally are creaming off obscene amounts of money, we chuck BILLIONS into the EU for little or no benefit and the bankers are still taking whatever they can.


Here here. (except the Rover part)
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Andy Capp
post Jan 31 2012, 08:45 PM
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QUOTE (xjay1337 @ Jan 31 2012, 08:37 PM) *
Here here.

Top tip: It's 'Hear, hear'! wink.gif
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Bloggo
post Feb 1 2012, 08:42 AM
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QUOTE (Strafin @ Jan 31 2012, 05:49 PM) *
I pay out 10% of my salary on council tax already. I work full time, live in a crummy flat with only stand alone heaters, and only the bare essentials. I drive a 12 year old Rover and don't have Sky TV. I have had some nice holidays but only forked out for the flights as I am lucky enough to friends abroad. Everyone I know who are on benefits seem to do better than me financially and unless this issue gets addressed; I am happy to see every last member of the council or it's staff lose their jobs before I willingly put more money in. The Chief Exec is on way over £100k, our politicians both locally and nationally are creaming off obscene amounts of money, we chuck BILLIONS into the EU for little or no benefit and the bankers are still taking whatever they can.

Not surprisingly I agree with the broad thrust of your post.
There are too many people with their nose in the trough and until that is addressed I will resist any attempt to squeeze anymore tax from me.


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Guest_xjay1337_*
post Feb 1 2012, 09:35 AM
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QUOTE (Andy Capp @ Jan 31 2012, 08:45 PM) *
Top tip: It's 'Hear, hear'! wink.gif


But I didn't hear it as it was written word. Technically I should have wrote READ, READ.

Did I get out of that one? You can tell I never go to those big rallies...
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Simon Kirby
post Feb 1 2012, 09:39 AM
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QUOTE (xjay1337 @ Feb 1 2012, 09:35 AM) *
But I didn't hear it as it was written word. Technically I should have wrote READ, READ.

Technically, you should have written.


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