Covid: English councils at risk from budget 'scarring,' watchdog warns
10/03/2021
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English councils will take a long time to recover without more help, a spending watchdog warns.
Come on be fair, very few people can find anything good to say about the clowns in power.
All councils should be independently audited and action taken against the most wasteful staff executives
They could start with government who gave £37 billion to one of their mates for a useless track and trace no one system . Along with some dodgy PPE gear that was another £12 billion. Makes most councils look really great.
Track and Trace employs 2,500 consultants on an average of £1,100 a day each , some of whom have been paid more than £6,600 a day.
How many council staff - or nurses - get anywhere near that? Shameful!
How many council staff - or nurses - get anywhere near that? Shameful!
Could start with a full of staff on 6 figure salaries. Too many chiefs and not enough injuns. ??
Look at the salaries in private companies!
Track and Trace employs 2,500 consultants at an average of £1,100 a day each, some of whom have been paid more than £6,600 a day.
No wonder Boris says 1% is all he can afford for nurses. Shameful!
Track and Trace employs 2,500 consultants at an average of £1,100 a day each, some of whom have been paid more than £6,600 a day.
No wonder Boris says 1% is all he can afford for nurses. Shameful!
I'd take more notice of what the National Audit Office says if for once it said something positive about the government but as it doesn't I don't.
Nice click bait though.
Nice click bait though.
Nottingham City Council (Labour controlled) made a multimillion pound loss on a failed energy supply project and are now putting up council tax and making hard working loyal employees redundant. You couldn't make it up. These amateurs should be made more accountable.
Nothing like a loony £37 billion from a hair combing with a balloon clown is it. These amateurs should be made more accountable.
Nottingham City Council (Labour controlled) made a multimillion pound loss on a failed energy supply project and are now putting up council tax and making hard working loyal employees redundant. You couldn't make it up. These amateurs should be made more accountable.
Nothing like a loony £37 billion from a hair combing with a balloon clown is it. These amateurs should be made more accountable.
My Council Tax has gone up by more than 5% to over £2,500. Electricity to £2,700pa. Yet my State pension has gone up by £14 every four weeks. And Sunak has not given even 1p in extra help to OAPs. The government can stop financing spending that it deems 'unaffordable', but I cannot.
Nottingham City Council (Labour controlled) made a multimillion pound loss on a failed energy supply project and are now putting up council tax and making hard working loyal employees redundant. You couldn't make it up. These amateurs should be made more accountable.
Maybe stop paying chief executives more then the PM. Might be time to focus on the core roles social care, housing roads etc. Stop employing people to pander to the alphabet soup crowd. Everybody is equal under the law. Look at any council job page and see the number of roles that seem to have no real purpose other than to give guardian readers employment
Councils like Swindon BC are, I'm learning, awful. They have no accountability, and the local press with an election coming up run photo op stories (literally an article about nothing other than a local politician getting a cat) instead of anything about what they're supposed to be doing.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
Let's get the record straight, the lack of accountability has gone on for too long, with everyone having a constant focus towards the continent for the last three decades.
The penny has dropped, the focus is now on the state of the UK. Now we need to start asking the question of how we can change it to be better again.
Australia's small towns thrive, ours have fallen into states of severe decay.
The penny has dropped, the focus is now on the state of the UK. Now we need to start asking the question of how we can change it to be better again.
Australia's small towns thrive, ours have fallen into states of severe decay.
I view local councils as mini 'North Koreas'. Small dictatorships. The cat however is a plus point.
Councils like Swindon BC are, I'm learning, awful. They have no accountability, and the local press with an election coming up run photo op stories (literally an article about nothing other than a local politician getting a cat) instead of anything about what they're supposed to be doing.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
Let's get the record straight, the lack of accountability has gone on for too long, with everyone having a constant focus towards the continent for the last three decades.
The penny has dropped, the focus is now on the state of the UK. Now we need to start asking the question of how we can change it to be better again.
Australia's small towns thrive, ours have fallen into states of severe decay.
The penny has dropped, the focus is now on the state of the UK. Now we need to start asking the question of how we can change it to be better again.
Australia's small towns thrive, ours have fallen into states of severe decay.
Councils like Swindon BC are, I'm learning, awful. They have no accountability, and the local press with an election coming up run photo op stories (literally an article about nothing other than a local politician getting a cat) instead of anything about what they're supposed to be doing.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
That's a good way to put it.
We need a system that actively encourages good decision making and incentivises good work, and I don't mean privatisation of council assets because that's usually a disaster too with the private company creaming what they can, reinvesting little to nothing and the council having to pick up the pieces anyway and it costing the public and taxpayer more in every sense.
We need a system that actively encourages good decision making and incentivises good work, and I don't mean privatisation of council assets because that's usually a disaster too with the private company creaming what they can, reinvesting little to nothing and the council having to pick up the pieces anyway and it costing the public and taxpayer more in every sense.
That's a good way to put it.
We need a system that actively encourages good decision making and incentivises good work, and I don't mean privatisation of council assets because that's usually a disaster too with the private company creaming what they can, reinvesting little to nothing and the council having to pick up the pieces anyway and it costing the public and taxpayer more in every sense.
We need a system that actively encourages good decision making and incentivises good work, and I don't mean privatisation of council assets because that's usually a disaster too with the private company creaming what they can, reinvesting little to nothing and the council having to pick up the pieces anyway and it costing the public and taxpayer more in every sense.
That's a good way to put it.
We need a system that actively encourages good decision making and incentivises good work, and I don't mean privatisation of council assets because that's usually a disaster too with the private company creaming what they can, reinvesting little to nothing and the council having to pick up the pieces anyway and it costing the public and taxpayer more in every sense.
We need a system that actively encourages good decision making and incentivises good work, and I don't mean privatisation of council assets because that's usually a disaster too with the private company creaming what they can, reinvesting little to nothing and the council having to pick up the pieces anyway and it costing the public and taxpayer more in every sense.
My Council Tax has gone up by more than 5% to over £2,500. Electricity to £2,700pa. Yet my State pension has gone up by £14 every four weeks. And Sunak has not given even 1p in extra help to OAPs. The government can stop financing spending that it deems 'unaffordable', but I cannot.
I don't think this government has quite understood the resentment that will follow on from hikes in Council Tax.
They are well aware that personal incomes have declined as a consequence of both austerity and the pandemic.
The taxpayer is about to be swindled all over again in the name of fiscal responsibility.
Mr Johnson: it is not just the government that has run out of money!
They are well aware that personal incomes have declined as a consequence of both austerity and the pandemic.
The taxpayer is about to be swindled all over again in the name of fiscal responsibility.
Mr Johnson: it is not just the government that has run out of money!
They don't give a fig .. yet still get voted in.
Come to Cambridgeshire and see the state of the roads after 11 years of Tory austerity, they wouldn’t look out of place in Syria
A 40% cut in central government funding to councils over 10 years. How is that poor financial management by the councils?
And King Austerity looks set to reign for several more years.
Absolutely right. In 2010 the Tories decided to keep the Rate Support Grant (collected from local businesses as Business Rates) for central government, and froze Council Tax from 2010/11 until 2017/18.
A couple of Tory councils went bankrupt a few years ago. Add on the cost of CV19, and it's easy to see why councils are going bust.
Won't stop the Tory Bot Propaganda Machine from truth twisting!
A couple of Tory councils went bankrupt a few years ago. Add on the cost of CV19, and it's easy to see why councils are going bust.
Won't stop the Tory Bot Propaganda Machine from truth twisting!
National Cuts over ten years will cause problems ?
The answer as always will be to increase council tax in the areas less able to pay by the maximum, while those paying will not be seeing pay increases to meet those demands.
Same old failed system...
The answer as always will be to increase council tax in the areas less able to pay by the maximum, while those paying will not be seeing pay increases to meet those demands.
Same old failed system...
I don't think this government has quite understood the resentment that will follow on from hikes in Council Tax.
They are well aware that personal incomes have declined as a consequence of both austerity and the pandemic.
The taxpayer is about to be swindled all over again in the name of fiscal responsibility.
Mr Johnson: it is not just the government that has run out of money!
They are well aware that personal incomes have declined as a consequence of both austerity and the pandemic.
The taxpayer is about to be swindled all over again in the name of fiscal responsibility.
Mr Johnson: it is not just the government that has run out of money!
Yet there will still be people chucking out the old mantra............" of course the UK is the 5th richest country in the world"
...everytime the nurses want a bigger rise or to extend the universal £20 credit further or when it comes to cutting foreign aid.
Wake up this country is skint
...everytime the nurses want a bigger rise or to extend the universal £20 credit further or when it comes to cutting foreign aid.
Wake up this country is skint
Having just received my Council Tax bill, showing that I will have to find £79 more this year, I am also going to be scarred.
Bang goes my pension increase!
Bang goes my pension increase!
I'm still working age, pay freeze. Council tax bill up.
Suspect the majority of the population have a council tax bill rise which is more than any increase in income they are likely to get this year.
Suspect the majority of the population have a council tax bill rise which is more than any increase in income they are likely to get this year.
Great of Sadiq to put up his charges by 10%. All that PR ahead of an election must cost a fortune.
Councils like Swindon BC are, I'm learning, awful. They have no accountability, and the local press with an election coming up run photo op stories (literally an article about nothing other than a local politician getting a cat) instead of anything about what they're supposed to be doing.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
They've run the place into the ground and don't give a damn for anything other than their pay. It's serious.
If they stopped building stupid cycle schemes that nobody wants there might be more money to go elsewhere.
Totally agree. I was told the following by an insider...
- A few short years ago, the Welsh Governments offices Aberystwyth offered incentives for employees to cycle in. What happened was many drove in, parked at the big free Morrisons carpark , not far away... took a bike out the back... and cycled in!! - poorly thought out local government idea.. but I guess it ticked boxes.
- A few short years ago, the Welsh Governments offices Aberystwyth offered incentives for employees to cycle in. What happened was many drove in, parked at the big free Morrisons carpark , not far away... took a bike out the back... and cycled in!! - poorly thought out local government idea.. but I guess it ticked boxes.
Absolutely, our council just put up half a dozen cycle crossings, lights, generators, signs, road markings, road works at what cost. Never seen them used, now all gone, even the road markings have been removed, again at what cost.
The potholes are still there, and another 5% thankyou, no increases for the reast of us to pay for these increases...........?
The potholes are still there, and another 5% thankyou, no increases for the reast of us to pay for these increases...........?
ipsa scientia potestas est
11:02
I'd take more notice of what the National Audit Office says if for once it said something positive about the government but as it doesn't I don't.
====
If you want the NAO to say something positive about the govt, then the govt has to do something positive for the NAO to put in its findings and reports. They are not always negative, just the vast majority are.
11:02
I'd take more notice of what the National Audit Office says if for once it said something positive about the government but as it doesn't I don't.
====
If you want the NAO to say something positive about the govt, then the govt has to do something positive for the NAO to put in its findings and reports. They are not always negative, just the vast majority are.
A 40% cut in central government funding to councils over 10 years. How is that poor financial management by the councils?
Our broken Council could easily blow its budget on just repairing the cart track roads, the markings washed away years ago while the potholes are craters. Never mind as long as Westminster's Council Tax stays capped that's all that matters....
Here in Wales - any paperwork sent by council is duplicated (once in Welsh, once in English). How hard would it be to select your language of choice and receive only half the paperwork... And on the same lines why not just email their gumf by default with the option to receive snail-mail for anyone living in the dark ages.
All Boris and his gov council funding statements are smoke and mirrors or lies. Central gov have reduced council funding and their only other source of revenue is council tax. Funny how he can attack spending at all when you look at all the vanity projects and home decorating he has on the go.
If they stopped building stupid cycle schemes that nobody wants there might be more money to go elsewhere.
Totally agree. I was told the following by an insider...
- A few short years ago, the Welsh Governments offices Aberystwyth offered incentives for employees to cycle in. What happened was many drove in, parked at the big free Morrisons carpark , not far away... took a bike out the back... and cycled in!! - poorly thought out local government idea.. but I guess it ticked boxes.
- A few short years ago, the Welsh Governments offices Aberystwyth offered incentives for employees to cycle in. What happened was many drove in, parked at the big free Morrisons carpark , not far away... took a bike out the back... and cycled in!! - poorly thought out local government idea.. but I guess it ticked boxes.
Having just received my Council Tax bill, showing that I will have to find £79 more this year, I am also going to be scarred.
Bang goes my pension increase!
Bang goes my pension increase!
A 40% cut in central government funding to councils over 10 years. How is that poor financial management by the councils?
Absolutely right. In 2010 the Tories decided to keep the Rate Support Grant (collected from local businesses as Business Rates) for central government, and froze Council Tax from 2010/11 until 2017/18.
A couple of Tory councils went bankrupt a few years ago. Add on the cost of CV19, and it's easy to see why councils are going bust.
Won't stop the Tory Bot Propaganda Machine from truth twisting!
A couple of Tory councils went bankrupt a few years ago. Add on the cost of CV19, and it's easy to see why councils are going bust.
Won't stop the Tory Bot Propaganda Machine from truth twisting!
In 2010 the Tories decided to keep the Rate Support Grant (collected from local businesses as Business Rates) for central government, and froze Council Tax from 2010/11 until 2017/18.
A couple of Tory councils went bankrupt a few years ago. Add on the cost of CV19, and it's easy to see why councils are going bust.
Won't stop the Tory Bot Propaganda Machine from truth twisting!
A couple of Tory councils went bankrupt a few years ago. Add on the cost of CV19, and it's easy to see why councils are going bust.
Won't stop the Tory Bot Propaganda Machine from truth twisting!
Problem is that councils are there to apply HMG policy, not all of which has any point.
Good time for councils and charge-payers to have a sensible discussion about the non statutory spending.
Good time for councils and charge-payers to have a sensible discussion about the non statutory spending.
Could do with a sensible discussion about reforming council tax altogether, since it is based on the notional value of a dwelling in 1991. And it still continues with not taking into account the ability to pay it, hitting the least well off most.
Yet there will still be people chucking out the old mantra............" of course the UK is the 5th richest country in the world"
...everytime the nurses want a bigger rise or to extend the universal £20 credit further or when it comes to cutting foreign aid.
Wake up this country is skint
...everytime the nurses want a bigger rise or to extend the universal £20 credit further or when it comes to cutting foreign aid.
Wake up this country is skint
Maybe stop paying chief executives more then the PM. Might be time to focus on the core roles social care, housing roads etc. Stop employing people to pander to the alphabet soup crowd. Everybody is equal under the law. Look at any council job page and see the number of roles that seem to have no real purpose other than to give guardian readers employment
ipsa scientia potestas est
11:02
I'd take more notice of what the National Audit Office says if for once it said something positive about the government but as it doesn't I don't.
====
If you want the NAO to say something positive about the govt, then the govt has to do something positive for the NAO to put in its findings and reports. They are not always negative, just the vast majority are.
11:02
I'd take more notice of what the National Audit Office says if for once it said something positive about the government but as it doesn't I don't.
====
If you want the NAO to say something positive about the govt, then the govt has to do something positive for the NAO to put in its findings and reports. They are not always negative, just the vast majority are.
If they stopped building stupid cycle schemes that nobody wants there might be more money to go elsewhere.
Absolutely, our council just put up half a dozen cycle crossings, lights, generators, signs, road markings, road works at what cost. Never seen them used, now all gone, even the road markings have been removed, again at what cost.
The potholes are still there, and another 5% thankyou, no increases for the reast of us to pay for these increases...........?
The potholes are still there, and another 5% thankyou, no increases for the reast of us to pay for these increases...........?
I'm still working age, pay freeze. Council tax bill up.
Suspect the majority of the population have a council tax bill rise which is more than any increase in income they are likely to get this year.
Suspect the majority of the population have a council tax bill rise which is more than any increase in income they are likely to get this year.
Here in Wales - any paperwork sent by council is duplicated (once in Welsh, once in English). How hard would it be to select your language of choice and receive only half the paperwork... And on the same lines why not just email their gumf by default with the option to receive snail-mail for anyone living in the dark ages.
I certainly support reform, but council tax is basically a charge for services, with a bit of democratic process too. Those who can't pay should get help and single occupants get a discount.
Outdated yes, but I would not support making it a wealth tax as advocated by some.
Some of us are still paying for past profligate council spending, its obvious the lesson still hasn't been learned by all.
Outdated yes, but I would not support making it a wealth tax as advocated by some.
Some of us are still paying for past profligate council spending, its obvious the lesson still hasn't been learned by all.
Yes council tax should be scrapped.
Taxes replaced from a range of the normal taxes like income and spending. They alone relate to ability to pay and have safeguards in place, high starting points etc.
Taxes replaced from a range of the normal taxes like income and spending. They alone relate to ability to pay and have safeguards in place, high starting points etc.
Eh??? So if you choose to live in a mansion you shouldn't pay more than someone who lives in a one-bed flat?
Could do with a sensible discussion about reforming council tax altogether, since it is based on the notional value of a dwelling in 1991. And it still continues with not taking into account the ability to pay it, hitting the least well off most.
I certainly support reform, but council tax is basically a charge for services, with a bit of democratic process too. Those who can't pay should get help and single occupants get a discount.
Outdated yes, but I would not support making it a wealth tax as advocated by some.
Some of us are still paying for past profligate council spending, its obvious the lesson still hasn't been learned by all.
Outdated yes, but I would not support making it a wealth tax as advocated by some.
Some of us are still paying for past profligate council spending, its obvious the lesson still hasn't been learned by all.
Cut spending. Cut pay. Cut ps pensions.
Stop taking the easy way out of grasping ever more money from the public, by the most unfair of taxes.
Stop taking the easy way out of grasping ever more money from the public, by the most unfair of taxes.
Could do with a sensible discussion about reforming council tax altogether, since it is based on the notional value of a dwelling in 1991. And it still continues with not taking into account the ability to pay it, hitting the least well off most.
Love the bit about Communities Secretary Robert Jenrick blaming Councils' for "poor management". As Oracle says, that's after Gov't has taken councils' business rate income, frozen CT, then capped CT below inflation and now also reducing Central Govt funding - all while finding the magic money forest for their PPE and T&T spending spree - not to mention all the Covid support related fraud.
Dog Whistle Politics, time for a change of whistle after 11 years..
If they stopped building stupid cycle schemes that nobody wants there might be more money to go elsewhere.
Could do with a sensible discussion about reforming council tax altogether, since it is based on the notional value of a dwelling in 1991. And it still continues with not taking into account the ability to pay it, hitting the least well off most.
Implement the findings of the report from early 2020 - rationalising local authorities to 1 unitary authority per county could save £3Bn a year
Then introduce modern business practice - eg scrap final salary pensions!
Review, rationalise & introduce national uniformity to services (I.e waste collection)
Then stop subsidies on council tax - it just cost everyone else more.
Then introduce modern business practice - eg scrap final salary pensions!
Review, rationalise & introduce national uniformity to services (I.e waste collection)
Then stop subsidies on council tax - it just cost everyone else more.
I live in Spain. My council tax for a 4 bedroom Ed villa with a pool and 3 acres is 230 Euros, per year!
Sometimes is seriously wrong with the UK when after being taxed nationally, local councils then charge thousands of pounds per household for local services.
What are you paying national taxes for if not local services?
Sometimes is seriously wrong with the UK when after being taxed nationally, local councils then charge thousands of pounds per household for local services.
What are you paying national taxes for if not local services?
The masses in the UK are taxed again and again, despite the fact that it is us that produces virtually all the wealth (don't believe me then prove me wrong, you won't be able to!).
Based on wealth distribution the very rich in reality only pay around 1% tax, whereas the rest of us pay 20-60%. The Tories love to point to who pays the most income tax, but it is a deliberate red-herring.
Based on wealth distribution the very rich in reality only pay around 1% tax, whereas the rest of us pay 20-60%. The Tories love to point to who pays the most income tax, but it is a deliberate red-herring.
I live in Spain. My council tax for a 4 bedroom Ed villa with a pool and 3 acres is 230 Euros, per year!
Sometimes is seriously wrong with the UK when after being taxed nationally, local councils then charge thousands of pounds per household for local services.
What are you paying national taxes for if not local services?
Sometimes is seriously wrong with the UK when after being taxed nationally, local councils then charge thousands of pounds per household for local services.
What are you paying national taxes for if not local services?
The masses in the UK are taxed again and again, despite the fact that it is us that produces virtually all the wealth (don't believe me then prove me wrong, you won't be able to!).
Based on wealth distribution the very rich in reality only pay around 1% tax, whereas the rest of us pay 20-60%. The Tories love to point to who pays the most income tax, but it is a deliberate red-herring.
Based on wealth distribution the very rich in reality only pay around 1% tax, whereas the rest of us pay 20-60%. The Tories love to point to who pays the most income tax, but it is a deliberate red-herring.
Nice click bait though.