A decade or so back the (dare I say Tory?) Government wanted to slash, burn and end services at the within budget Lewisham health trust, to pay for losses in the health establishments in Tory Bexley and Bromley. We had a massive march and demo and resistance to it. When I read Bexley use a phrase like value for money it makes me laugh. The culture of the Tories is to rob non Tory Peter to pay Tory Paul. A kind of reverse Robin Hood approach where the less well off are lectured to survive on water filled sandwiches, so their money pays for the comfortable to have smoked salmon baguettes. Then even the water is siphoned off.
Lewisham should increase my council tax. If we want it, we ought to pay for it....all of us according to our means.
they are, 6% subject to GLA approval I think. So band D up around £100.
Greenwich where I am is similar, about 5% proposed.
EDIT. Part of the issue with Council Tax and rises is it's assumed your ability to pay is based on the size/value of your house. I know many people in say Band D/E who a large % rise will be very uncomfortable and others in B who wouldn't even notice.
The local MP Abena Opponson-Asare brought this up on PMQs recently.
As MP for Thamesmead and Erith she serves constituents in Tory Bexley and Labour Greenwich. Both have major problems. Her question can be heard here as can the usual Boris contempt in his reply.
Maybe the top brass there will take a pay cut......
Amongst other things, I was in charge of Remuneration at Bexley from 2003-2011. The salaries were well over the top with 5% and 10% annual bonuses potentially awarded to the top 80 staff and the ability to pay 110% of management scales. Mad. Both of these had gone by the time I left as I delivered Single Status (one pay scale, hours of work, overtime rates etc) across the Council.
Spent my life working in local government but I absoloutely hated it there. With regards to why Bexley is in financial trouble, it has no Council stock to sell and low increases in Council Tax, certainly in the noughties, were funded by reducing what reserves it had in order to keep the Tories in power.
Are the other three councils in a better state, financially, than Tory run Bexley? The other three seem to have escaped the wrath of everyone.
don't ruin the narrative BBW
Genuinely interested. Not suggesting there's a narrative at play but does seem somewhat odd that 75% of the miscreants have been completely ignored. I also get the soon to be mooted 'locality' argument, but that still doesn't mean you ignore 75% of the issue......also the other 150 or so councils that say they are massively under threat as well.
The original post mentioned Bexley which is nearer to Charlton than any other troubled councils. Hence interest was aroused here on Charlton life. This is not the BBC where 'balance' is a demand, but local comparisons and experience is something not unexpected given the thread title. People are at liberty to start threads about other local authorities and see what response it gets on Charlton Life if they wish.
Are the other three councils in a better state, financially, than Tory run Bexley? The other three seem to have escaped the wrath of everyone.
"Why are you all talking about a London council, you should be talking about Peterborough"
Said nobody, ever!!
This isn't the first time you've quoted something that I haven't said or inferred. Care to expand on this one? You disappeared after I pointed this out to you last time.
Are the other three councils in a better state, financially, than Tory run Bexley? The other three seem to have escaped the wrath of everyone.
"Why are you all talking about a London council, you should be talking about Peterborough"
Said nobody, ever!!
This isn't the first time you've quoted something that I haven't said or inferred. Care to expand on this one? You disappeared after I pointed this out to you last time.
"The other three seem to have escaped the wrath of everyone."
1. I don't see much wrath on the page. 2. Maybe a London council is somewhere where people on here actually have a stake in and care about. 3. THE TITLE IS LITERALLY BAIL OUT FOR BEXLEY. 4. If you want to talk about councils being run generally, is it not better to go on the house of commons page and slag off labour run councils there?
Are the other three councils in a better state, financially, than Tory run Bexley? The other three seem to have escaped the wrath of everyone.
"Why are you all talking about a London council, you should be talking about Peterborough"
Said nobody, ever!!
This isn't the first time you've quoted something that I haven't said or inferred. Care to expand on this one? You disappeared after I pointed this out to you last time.
"The other three seem to have escaped the wrath of everyone."
1. I don't see much wrath on the page. 2. Maybe a London council is somewhere where people on here actually have a stake in and care about. 3. If you want to talk about councils being run generally, is it not better to go on the house of commons page and slag off labour run councils there?
1. You wouldn't. 2. See the highlighted bit in the post you have taken a weird opposition to. 3. I try and stay away from that place, but thanks all the same. Also wasn't looking to slag of any political party. Just asked why one council was being singled out but may have answered that myself when I mentioned locality.
Feel free to get back to only posting really depressing stuff.
Comments
The mismanagement there must be off the scale considering the levels of cuts and closures they were prepared to do in the last 10 years.
When I read Bexley use a phrase like value for money it makes me laugh.
The culture of the Tories is to rob non Tory Peter to pay Tory Paul. A kind of reverse Robin Hood approach where the less well off are lectured to survive on water filled sandwiches, so their money pays for the comfortable to have smoked salmon baguettes. Then even the water is siphoned off.
Hard to fathom how Bexley got it so wrong, not exactly a poor area.
Lewisham are looking at how to make 40m of cuts.
If we want it, we ought to pay for it....all of us according to our means.
Greenwich where I am is similar, about 5% proposed.
EDIT. Part of the issue with Council Tax and rises is it's assumed your ability to pay is based on the size/value of your house. I know many people in say Band D/E who a large % rise will be very uncomfortable and others in B who wouldn't even notice.
As MP for Thamesmead and Erith she serves constituents in Tory Bexley and Labour Greenwich. Both have major problems. Her question can be heard here as can the usual Boris contempt in his reply.
https://www.express.co.uk/videos/6224457111001/PMQs-Boris-Johnson-responds-to-council-tax-criticism
Spent my life working in local government but I absoloutely hated it there. With regards to why Bexley is in financial trouble, it has no Council stock to sell and low increases in Council Tax, certainly in the noughties, were funded by reducing what reserves it had in order to keep the Tories in power.
This is not the BBC where 'balance' is a demand, but local comparisons and experience is something not unexpected given the thread title.
People are at liberty to start threads about other local authorities and see what response it gets on Charlton Life if they wish.
This isn't the first time you've quoted something that I haven't said or inferred. Care to expand on this one? You disappeared after I pointed this out to you last time.
1. I don't see much wrath on the page.
2. Maybe a London council is somewhere where people on here actually have a stake in and care about.
3. THE TITLE IS LITERALLY BAIL OUT FOR BEXLEY.
4. If you want to talk about councils being run generally, is it not better to go on the house of commons page and slag off labour run councils there?
2. See the highlighted bit in the post you have taken a weird opposition to.
3. I try and stay away from that place, but thanks all the same. Also wasn't looking to slag of any political party. Just asked why one council was being singled out but may have answered that myself when I mentioned locality.
Feel free to get back to only posting really depressing stuff.