Council Tax

[g jones]

Originally Posted by Cyfr

Thank-you for the apology but I doubt it really has anything to do with your calculator. Much more to do with the numbers you put in and how you put them in, because using your 'method' of percentages I also got your incorrect 68% figure using a working calculator.

Band A has a lot to do with it. If average earnings are £17k you can't compare that with band D property which is only 7.5% of Hyndburn. You have to compare it with what's happening in reality, in that most people will be paying band A and B rates not band D.

Well you can carry on the insults... I apologise... I don't know how I ended up there because in 2006 I had the figure down as 34% from 2000.

The point remains, Council Tax is way in excess of inflation as ordinary people know inflation. Wages. Your 50% wage rise figure is wrong. The use of RPI not right.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Cyfr

"Here are the accurate figures" Give me a break!

£3,489,000 to £5,315,000 is an increase of 52.34% not 68% like you claim.

Band D 1999: £151.53
Band D 2008: £219.65 (as noted by your correction)
This is a 45% increase not 68%

As a matter of fact it DOES matter which band you use to compare with salaries.

In Hyndburn 73.45% of people live in Band A(59.66%) and B(13.79%) compared with just 7.51% who live in band D. How is it fair to compare an average wage with a band that is out of the pay grade of most in the borough?

You are completely incompetent when it comes to monetary figures, no wonder you won't publish your budget. You are no way fit to run the council.

I'd advise you to get some new batteries for your calculator.

well i have digested this lot n all you have acheived for me,is to demonstrate that this is a personal crusade/ego trip, i dont think you are remotely interested in Hyndburn.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by g jones

It took a lot to pull this figures together as records are scattered all over. As you found when you pulled some dodgy figures out.

I appreciate you pointing out I had miscalculated the %. There was a couple more errors as well. Band C is 8/9th not 6/9ths as as correctly stated lower. Don't give me maths lessons when you state 6/9s is different to 9/9ths in % increase terms. Well the Council adds 4.95% it does so across the board.

You can see how much is being wasted. It is the most expensive Council in Britain & probably the worst given it is so well funded...

Which of my figures are incorrect? I never stated that any band was different to another in terms of % increase. I always said every band has gone up 45%, which is the correct figure.

It is not the most expensive council in Britain when you actually look at the figure you quote (the 8.1%). If everyone was in a Band D and had a house over £300k and Hyndburn still had an average income of £17k then I would accept you were right, but you know that in reality this is not the case, most people live in band A and B.

My 50% figure is correct at a national level. I am not going to go into a debate about RPIvsCPI in this thread.

[cashman]

on here i have disagreed with GJ and PB on various things,but i know this, both are damned hardworking councillors, and you have shown your true colours.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by cashman

well i have digested this lot n all you have acheived for me,is to demonstrate that this is a personal crusade/ego trip, i dont think you are remotely interested in Hyndburn.

I'm sorry if you feel that way. I simply took offence to Councillor Jones saying my post was "crap. Sloppy research" and accusing me of incorrect, inaccurate figures. When I had spent a lot of time trying to create an unbiased post and making sure my council figures were correct, which they were.

[cashman]

Originally Posted by Cyfr

I'm sorry if you feel that way. I simply took offence to Councillor Jones saying my post was "crap. Sloppy research" and accusing me of incorrect, inaccurate figures. When I had spent a lot of time trying to create an unbiased post and making sure my council figures were correct, which they were.

yes but i loathe what conservative stand for as you know, but much as i call P.B. i would never doubt how hard he works for Hyndburn, n i respect him fer that,even when disagreeing.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by cashman

yes but i loathe what conservative stand for as you know, but much as i call P.B. i would never doubt how hard he works for Hyndburn, n i respect him fer that,even when disagreeing.

I didn't say Graham doesn't work hard, you can see me here: http://www.accringtonweb.com/forum/551786-post202.html admitting he had managed to get lots done in his ward, and he responded by thanking me for the post I made.

I've pm'ed you because I don't want this to go off topic.

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by jaysay

Can't resist, would Sir Graham like to put foward his costed alternative budget for 2008/9 please

Hate to push old chap but you havn't answered his post yet Graham

[Eric]

A lot of figures are being tossed around amid a lot of confusion ... obviously the figures are a matter of public record. Are they published in the local media ... I would presume the Observer? Are members of the public allowed to sit in and listen while the budget is debated?

Just today in the local rag, they published the figures for the Ontario budget showing how the $96.9 billion in revenue is collected and how the $96.2 billion in expenses will be spent. For example, the govt. will collect $25.2 billion in personal income tax $17.2 billion in sales tax, and will spend $40.4 billion on health care (are you listening Barb?)

I can't understand the confusion over the figures ... is someone trying to hide something or am I just a confused colonial?

[panther]

Originally Posted by blazey

The Tories introduced it but Labour didn't take it away again did they?

I live in a reasonable sized 3 bedroom terraced house in a desirable location. From what I understand houses are banded depending on different criteria, I think my house was band D. It all seemed reasonable enough to me. Definitely not excessive anyway.

still the tories fault

is that the house ya in at lancaster or ya mothers?
and it wouldnt seem excessive to you, would it?...ya dont pay!

[Eric]

Originally Posted by panther

still the tories fault

is that the house ya in at lancaster or ya mothers?
and it wouldnt seem excessive to you, would it?...ya dont pay!

Yup, the only good tory is a suppository

[claytonender]

Originally Posted by Eric

A lot of figures are being tossed around amid a lot of confusion ... obviously the figures are a matter of public record. Are they published in the local media ... I would presume the Observer? Are members of the public allowed to sit in and listen while the budget is debated?

Just today in the local rag, they published the figures for the Ontario budget showing how the $96.9 billion in revenue is collected and how the $96.2 billion in expenses will be spent. For example, the govt. will collect $25.2 billion in personal income tax $17.2 billion in sales tax, and will spend $40.4 billion on health care (are you listening Barb?)

I can't understand the confusion over the figures ... is someone trying to hide something or am I just a confused colonial?

The budget for 2008-2009 financial year was debted and passed at the Council Meeting held on 28th February. This meeting was open to the public.
Council
Items 12 and 13 were the Budget proposals
The minutes of the Meeting held 28 February will be availabale to view oline, when the agenda etc for the Meeting on 22 April 2008 is avaialble online (link to this meeting is Council

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Eric

A lot of figures are being tossed around amid a lot of confusion ... obviously the figures are a matter of public record. Are they published in the local media ... I would presume the Observer? Are members of the public allowed to sit in and listen while the budget is debated?

I can't understand the confusion over the figures ... is someone trying to hide something or am I just a confused colonial?

All the minutes as far as 2004 are available on the council website: Council

The budget minutes are normally in Feb or March of each year. If you want to go back further the minutes are available at the Library.

All my figures are direct from council minutes which I took a long time to research, the percentages (in terms of how much tax has increased) have been worked out by me afterwards. All the confusion was because g jones was working the percentages out wrong so we had conflicting figures.

[Boeing Guy]

How the hell can it be the Tories fault!!!!!! They have not been in power for over eleven years!!!!

Oh I get it, the PFI fiasco that GB embraced with both hands and legs as well, the lack of policing in our town, a police station that is not open 24 hours a day, pcso's instead of proper bobbys on the beat, Burnley hospital closing it's A and E, the decline and loss of the Rover Group (I know it had it's start in the 70's with Red Robbo, but GB and King Tony did not do much to help), MRSA in hospitals (that's easy to sort out get rid of contract cleaners, get more nurses and a decent matron like in the good old days), the state of the NHS, Lancashire county council closing its care homes for the elderly, the Highway agency wombles, schools that are alowed to teach creationalism instead of evolution, the polictally correct brigade, gun crime on the increase, the Iraq war, the fact that our navy have aircraft carriers with no aircraft for them (the sea harriers have been retired), our army having a lack of equipment, david blunkett and his ID cards, the DNA database, the RAF having to fly dangerous nimrods, I am sure ther is more, but cannot think of any, it's all down to Thatcher, Major, etc......

[jaysay]

I hate to sound boring but Graham still hasn't answered my post on his alternative budget proposals for 2008/9