Council Cuts

[gynn]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

My understanding is that it will be 18% reduction on the grant, not on the total spend.

So a reduction in spending of 1.8 million pounds. I don't envy the politicians' decision making over the next couple of months.

[steeljack]

What percentage of the local "Council" tax goes to HBC and what percentage goes to LCC , I'm thinking 75% + goes to Preston so why do we never hear from those elected folks, they should be the ones explaning why there are no police on the beat and other stuff , seems to me the Hyndburn(Greater Accrington) members of LCC are getting a free ride on Accy web and the local Councillors get all the crap

[gynn]

Originally Posted by steeljack

What percentage of the local "Council" tax goes to HBC and what percentage goes to LCC , I'm thinking 75% + goes to Preston so why do we never hear from those elected folks, they should be the ones explaning why there are no police on the beat and other stuff , seems to me the Hyndburn(Greater Accrington) members of LCC are getting a free ride on Accy web and the local Councillors get all the crap

The Band "A" Council Tax in 2010/11 is £1,032.49.

Hyndburn gets £153.68 (14.9%)
Lancashire County Council gets £738.87 (71.6%)
Lancashire Police Authority gets £97.51 (9.4%)
Lancashire Fire Authority gets £42.43 (4.1%)

So the local Council gets about one seventh of the overall Council Tax, but is faced with 100% of the hassle in trying to collect it.

The County in its various forms takes the other six sevenths of the Council Tax, and sits back laughing at the efforts of the poor local Council in trying to collect it.

If I submitted that arrangement in a novel to a publisher, it would be rejected for being too ridiculous. But that is local government 2010 style!

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by gynn

The Band "A" Council Tax in 2010/11 is £1,032.49.

Hyndburn gets £153.68 (14.9%)
Lancashire County Council gets £738.87 (71.6%)
Lancashire Police Authority gets £97.51 (9.4%)
Lancashire Fire Authority gets £42.43 (4.1%)

So the local Council gets about one seventh of the overall Council Tax, but is faced with 100% of the hassle in trying to collect it.

The County in its various forms takes the other six sevenths of the Council Tax, and sits back laughing at the efforts of the poor local Council in trying to collect it.

If I submitted that arrangement in a novel to a publisher, it would be rejected for being too ridiculous. But that is local government 2010 style!

Plus County Council have increased their share of the taxes by more than Hyndburn Council over the last 10 years, yet Hyndburn Councillors will get all the blame for higher council tax.

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by gynn

The Band "A" Council Tax in 2010/11 is £1,032.49.

Hyndburn gets £153.68 (14.9%)
Lancashire County Council gets £738.87 (71.6%)
Lancashire Police Authority gets £97.51 (9.4%)
Lancashire Fire Authority gets £42.43 (4.1%)

So the local Council gets about one seventh of the overall Council Tax, but is faced with 100% of the hassle in trying to collect it.

The County in its various forms takes the other six sevenths of the Council Tax, and sits back laughing at the efforts of the poor local Council in trying to collect it.

If I submitted that arrangement in a novel to a publisher, it would be rejected for being too ridiculous. But that is local government 2010 style!

One of the better reasons for getting rid of LCC. I've spent years on the doorstep trying to justify spending that we as a local authority have no control over.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by cashman

as yer good self is one of the few i trust, i find it very odd yer laughing at yerself.

Was thinking more in the line of the shah of Rishton

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

One of the better reasons for getting rid of LCC. I've spent years on the doorstep trying to justify spending that we as a local authority have no control over.

For once I totally agree with you on this one Bernard, county take approx 83p in every pound raised in Hyndburn, I would rather see 100% spent in Hyndburn not waiting in a queue to see what we get

[cashman]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Was thinking more in the line of the shah of Rishton

ah but i dont actually know him.

[JCB]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Saint Ken of Rishton

That's a new one on me .

Martin Dowd , parish priest of St Charles , Rishton , has never heard of him .

Any connection to St Jude , patron of hopeless cases ?

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by JCB

That's a new one on me .

Martin Dowd , parish priest of St Charles , Rishton , has never heard of him .

Any connection to St Jude , patron of hopeless cases ?

His long lost brother

[gynn]

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

I'm on a committee known as Overview and Scrutiny: Resources which looks at how the council spends its money and in six months I am appalled and the vast swathes of waste I see everywhere in the name of ticking the right boxes.

There is a very detailed list of the spending from each department, something which is about the size of five phone books and used to get sent out to councillors as a matter of course in years gone by. I have requested a copy, I feel fairly confident I could whittle out 18%.

Whether anyone listens at Britcliffe HQ is another matter, it'll all probably be due to 13 years of Labour rule when the chips are down.

It looks as though the savings required will be 8.9% on spending, or about 1.4 million pounds.

Time to get whittling, although to save that sort of money, some very hard decisions will have to be made. Good luck!

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by gynn

It looks as though the savings required will be 8.9% on spending, or about 1.4 million pounds.

Time to get whittling, although to save that sort of money, some very hard decisions will have to be made. Good luck!

It's a frightening figure. Where can a Council the size of Hyndburn find those sorts of savings. It's bound to impact on frontline services.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Bernard Dawson

It's a frightening figure. Where can a Council the size of Hyndburn find those sorts of savings. It's bound to impact on frontline services.

This made me laugh - you are part of the Council, you should be telling us how those savings can be made

[Bernard Dawson]

Originally Posted by Neil

This made me laugh - you are part of the Council, you should be telling us how those savings can be made

I honestly don't know how you would make those sort of cuts. Well not without jobs going.And if that happens it's bound to effect services. Where not just talking Hyndburn Council, but also Lancashire County Council.

[MargaretR]

I hear that some councils are turning off street lighting for a few hours during the night.
I know that street lighting is light sensor controlled so the cost of implementing a timer system may reduce or eliminate any potential savings.

I have doubts whether some areas would find it desirable due the potential for a crime increase, but it would be nice to see a starry sky again.

PS - I was only a child so was in bed during the wartime 'blackouts'. Maybe older members can recall their experience of it.