Living off the fat of the land.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by BERNADETTE

I don't normally get involved in debates like this but seems to me that nobody is prepared to answer Gayles question. You all seem to just want to say how much the Tory side are raising the council tax but seem unable to tell us how Labour can manage to keep the costs so low. Easy peasy really seeing as you have the figures or do politicians never answer a question directly?

If Labour come up with a figure much lower than 7% for Hyndburns part of the tax, I do hope it is fully costed. Unlike last years where they said you'd pay much less if you vote for them, and had a chance of becoming the controlling group but had a load of uncosted items.

[Gayle]

I'm rotten with maths so I need someone to work all this out for me yet i don't see either Andrew or Graham stepping up to the mark to give the correct figures here.

If LCC are putting up their bit by 2.9% (which according to an earlier post is about 72% of the overall bill - i.e. a huge portion of it, and the Police are putting their's up by x amount (sorry don't know that figure but presumably someone does), surely someone can work out how much the overall increase to Hyndburn's council tax payers will be if Labour's budget was accepted.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I'm rotten with maths so I need someone to work all this out for me yet i don't see either Andrew or Graham stepping up to the mark to give the correct figures here.

If LCC are putting up their bit by 2.9% (which according to an earlier post is about 72% of the overall bill - i.e. a huge portion of it, and the Police are putting their's up by x amount (sorry don't know that figure but presumably someone does), surely someone can work out how much the overall increase to Hyndburn's council tax payers will be if Labour's budget was accepted.

I've hit a blockade. Have labour announced their budget? (for Hyndburn)

[garinda]

Originally Posted by andrewb

I've hit a blockade.

There's probably an allowance you can claim for that.

[andrewb]

Originally Posted by garinda

There's probably an allowance you can claim for that.

Haha, no really, am I just missing it or what? Have Labour been having a go at council tax all this time without having one of their own? Maybe someone can point it out to me..

[Gayle]

It would appear that Labour's budget isn't ratified yet so they can't announce it at the moment.

I'm expecting great things when it is

[jaysay]

Originally Posted by Gayle

It would appear that Labour's budget isn't ratified yet so they can't announce it at the moment.

I'm expecting great things when it is

I wouldn't hold your breathe

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Gayle

I maintain my point that no one cares about the HBC portion, all they care about is the overall increase that will affect their pocket.

I would take that a little further and say that many people don't understand the difference between HBC and LCC and just see it all as 'The Council'. Many don't understand who does what never mind how the money is split.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by Robert Owen

But people are also want to know what they going to get for their money in terms of services provided

That is true but many people do not know who provides what services. Maybe HBC should promote themselves a little and explain to us what we get from HBC for our money and what we get from LCC for our money.

[Gayle]

Originally Posted by Neil

I would take that a little further and say that many people don't understand the difference between HBC and LCC and just see it all as 'The Council'. Many don't understand who does what never mind how the money is split.

I agree with you.

And if LCC are taking 72% of the Council tax then one would presume that they provide 72% of the services - however, if you were to ask the average person who their council was they would say Hyndburn Borough Council and not LCC.

[Neil]

Originally Posted by shillelagh

Oh and i've managed to find the expenses for county councillors on the lancashire county council website.........

Such reimbursement will be subject to a maximum allowance per night of £129 for London and £113 elsewhere in the UK.

I have just stayed near Glasgow with work, we were in a hotel near to nowhere as it is on the industrial estate near our plant. The cost was £95 per night plus and extra £9.95 for breakfast. An evening meal in the hotel with 2 or 3 three drinks cost about £25. That was picking one of the lower cost meals as well without a starter or desert. A little more extravagant and the meal could have easily cost £15 or £20 more.

We had little choice but to eat in the hotel. We have never been up to that plant before and even the lads on site were saying there was nowhere to eat for miles.

So we were over priced for LCC outside London allowance.
LCC's subsistence does not appear to have a limit. It looks like you can claim £33.75 without receipts. That means you could spend £10 on a meal and still claim the full £33.75. If they need to claim over £33.75 they just have to produce receipts. I did not notice a maximum claim allowance.

Actual expenditure in excess of £33.75 may be reimbursed subject to the production of receipts.

[garinda]

Originally Posted by Neil

I would take that a little further and say that many people don't understand the difference between HBC and LCC and just see it all as 'The Council'. Many don't understand who does what never mind how the money is split.

Thankfully we aren't now going to have another tier of local government, in the form of town councils, to add to the confusion, and to the costs.

[g jones]

Originally Posted by andrewb

I've hit a blockade. Have labour announced their budget? (for Hyndburn)

Part of it (there is much more to come - there will be a big announcement next week);

1. To remove £650,000 Council tax relief private landlords (2.5% of Council Tax) get when they can't rent their houses. The discount is 50%. Part financially fair, part regeneration.

2. To introduce a Town and Site Planner so we don't have to stick with Government outline planning law but can make our own planning laws for neighbourhoods and towns. The Tories recently had to out source this for one small site at a cost of £20,000.

3. Railways - To persue with Burnley Borough Council the completition of the Holroyd Junction by 2014 so there is for the first time since Beeching in 1962, Accrington is connected directly to Manchester. Again Andrew I have been instrumental in leading this from the top in Hyndburn.

4. Look to extend rate relief to Working Mens Clubs, Cricket Clubs and Conservative Clubs. Currently at 50%, 80% and 0%. Cost implications are 75% from Government (100% =extra £18,000 for WM Clubs), 25% from Council (100%=extra £6,000 for WM clubs).

5. Work with PCT to provide free sports facilities for all across Hyndburn. In fact we have already achieved this, Blackburn have taken the plans I thought up and they start in April this year. Furthermore they have taken onboard a lot of work I did around who will benefit and will not benefit as much to try and tackle that issue.

[churchman phil]

Originally Posted by Neil

That is true but many people do not know who provides what services. Maybe HBC should promote themselves a little and explain to us what we get from HBC for our money and what we get from LCC for our money.

With the council tax bill you get every March there is a breakdown of who gets what. If people read the info given with the bill they would know where every penny goes and what it is used for. I certainly like to know where my money is going when I get such a huge bill every year and thus read every little bit (although it may not stay in the little grey cells ad verbatum! ).

[Neil]

Originally Posted by g jones

Part of it (there is much more to come - there will be a big announcement next week);

1. To remove £650,000 Council tax relief private landlords (2.5% of Council Tax) get when they can't rent their houses. The discount is 50%. Part financially fair, part regeneration.

2. To introduce a Town and Site Planner so we don't have to stick with Government outline planning law but can make our own planning laws for neighbourhoods and towns. The Tories recently had to out source this for one small site at a cost of £20,000.

3. Railways - To persue with Burnley Borough Council the completition of the Holroyd Junction by 2014 so there is for the first time since Beeching in 1962, Accrington is connected directly to Manchester. Again Andrew I have been instrumental in leading this from the top in Hyndburn.

4. Look to extend rate relief to Working Mens Clubs, Cricket Clubs and Conservative Clubs. Currently at 50%, 80% and 0%. Cost implications are 75% from Government (100% =extra £18,000 for WM Clubs), 25% from Council (100%=extra £6,000 for WM clubs).

5. Work with PCT to provide free sports facilities for all across Hyndburn. In fact we have already achieved this, Blackburn have taken the plans I thought up and they start in April this year. Furthermore they have taken onboard a lot of work I did around who will benefit and will not benefit as much to try and tackle that issue.

I think No 1 sounds good Graham.

No 2 depends on how much you would need the person compared to what the wage cost would be.

No 3. I would not have thought that was down to Local Councils. Why do the rail companies or LCC or even Govenment not pay for such things. After everyone wants to pretend to be 'green' these days. Even Tories want to be 'green'

No 4. Why should we be helping out the clubs? I am not saying we should not be just wondered what the justification is for doing it.