Given more control and fairer settlements, councils could cut local taxes, back small businesses, and invest in preventative social services. Ultimately, power would rest with communities to kick out wasteful councillors and reward the prudent.
The Council received a Government grant of £12.2 million to refurbish the old Swimming Baths. Labour decided they would use the funding as a contribution towards building a new Leisure Centre which in addition would require borrowing of over £20 million.
In each Budget, significant savings have been included, then within a few weeks into the new financial year, they become impossible due to the lack of political will.
Those messages were short and punchy. A promise to ‘Freeze Council Tax’ was strongly pushed online and in leaflets – despite there being absolutely no chance of it happening.
Devolving more tax-raising powers offers a genuine opportunity to ignite healthy competition between the different parties involved in running councils.
After 13 years in power, Labour’s legacy is one of debt, lower quality services, and higher taxes. We need reforms to limit debt and encourage a sharper focus on efficient service delivery.
Labour councillors complain about the lack of Government funding whilst continuously wasting public money. Spending nearly five hours at the full council meeting debating the conflict in Gaza is not a good use of time.
We replaced all our inefficient halogen street lights with LED bulbs. That one change has saved taxpayers in maintenance costs but has also reduced carbon emissions by a staggering 84 per cent.
Obfuscation about realistic Children and Families Trust costings has merely put off the evil day about recognising that the Council is operationally bankrupt
One of the biggest myths propagated by public sector unions is that it’s cheaper to employ a council officer – complete with a gold-plated final salary pension and a hugely generous set of terms and conditions – than a fixed-term interim on a higher annual salary.
Secret documents have included termination arrangements with officers and reports from external solicitors into scandalous failings in the service provided to children with special needs.
One option would be to impose a lower cap, or even a freeze, on council tax rises for councils who haven’t published at least draft accounts. After all, should they be asking for yet more cash from hard-pressed households when they won’t even say how they’re spending it?
We have a growing reputation for doing the boring stuff well, such as emptying bins, filling potholes, grass cutting, and street lighting. This is coupled with a strong focus on sound financial management supported by good governance oversight.
The highest daily cost of home-to-school transport for any individual pupil was £969 a day for Camden. Lincolnshire £650. Redbridge £630. Gloucestershire £603.92. East Sussex £577.40. Brighton and Hove £500. Dorset £481.65. Buckinghamshire £480.
We also need to accept that boroughs have different needs. Outer London is poorly served by public transport.