Are local councils public enemy number one

I'd love for someone to do some actual investigation in to public spending, and where the money goes. I recko. no10 and the piggy trough that is the house of lords would be burned to the ground in minutes.

You've probably seen a bit with your work but some of what I:'ve encountered through mine is unreal. If your life every turns to pot and you want to hear a story I can tell you about the £100M plus wasted on a structure because they didn't listen to my colleagues and me.
 
See, your first mistake is assuming that the people doing the monitoring are competent.

You're Newcastle way I believe?

Trinity Square cost an absolute fortune over the river in Gateshead, a renovation project to "revitalise" the area. They spent an absolute ton of money on the central shopping district which opened around 2013? So going on 18 years later, there are still rental units for shops that have never had anyone in them, and a bunch of charity shops taking up what should be prominent store-fronts. I'd estimate a roughly 60-70% occupancy rate if being generous, which includes subsidised charity like the literal YMCA taking up one of the biggest stores on the main run.

Nobody goes there unless they're going to Tesco or Vue (cinema), and even Vue seems to be hurting because they've been running tickets for £5 since not long after they opened their doors.

All of this has been blatant from the get go as poor investment, it goes so far beyond incompetence it's not even funny.

They were talking about spending silly money on the nearby high street right up until the flyover was deemed dangerous, so now that needs to be knocked down despite recommendations for repairs due to known issues dating back decades.

The scary thing is the bloody Redheugh bridge that has similar problems, I flat out refuse to drive over the thing even if it costs more when I need to run into Newcastle. It's a crumbling wreck that hasn't had investment or repairs in decades, the swing and Tyne bridge struggle to get funding let alone that death trap. I know people who are in local councils that don't use the bridge themselves for the same concerns.
 
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I mean that comes across as they 'don't even pay council tax' as if it's some sort of grift. They have been taken to court over council tax arrears.

E: I'm not saying it's right, I'm saying they are being pursued for this.

As for not naming them, well, in today's climate I'm not surprised with twitter warriors.
someone who doesnt pay council tax should be stripped instantly, its a joke they are allowed to remain in the job.

some of them aren't/werent even small sums

near 40k....
I think there were 4-6 of them in my city it's a joke.

if I don't pay on time I literally get an automated phone call telling me I'm behind... and I;m talking just a few days

none of these people accidentally forgot to pay their council tax, it shows they are not fit for office


also how come some can be named like this Reform one... but others can;t? hmmm.....
 
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someone who doesnt pay council tax should be stripped instantly, its a joke they are allowed to remain in the job.
I don't disagree.

also how come some can be named like this Reform one... but others can;t? hmmm.....
Have they been to court yet? He has.

If they have and been found guilty then they should be named, if not, then that would be a reason.
 
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I don't disagree.


Have they been to court yet? He has.

If they have and been found guilty then they should be named, if not, then that would be a reason.

I personally know him and he was named before he went to court. Stuff hes pulled over the years im surprised hes never ended up in prison or a coffin.
 
were getting an extra bin included!

......for paper..... seperate to the normal recycling

But instead of waste/recycling bi weekly theyre gonna do Waste, recycling, paper bi weekly

So I see that as our recycling collections being reduced as the paper one will likely be mainly empty most weeks/months lol
This is going to sound silly, but how thick does paper get before it becomes card, and is cardboard any different from that?
I'm sure it is in the eyes of the council, but is it any different in actual recycling?
No clue on the answers, have they issued any guidance?.
 
Many many years ago I did work experience in the district council offices - nepotism and corruption was rife - eye watering amounts spent on jollies and vanity projects.
One of my first jobs was in a local council. It was the first and only time during my career anyone has ever told me to slow down doing a job. Flabbergasted by it then and still flabbergasted now!

Who the hell tells you to do something slower so it will take longer?! Pure madness. Only in a council...
 
I personally know him and he was named before he went to court. Stuff hes pulled over the years im surprised hes never ended up in prison or a coffin.
Well I think all should receive the same treatment if accused of the same offence. If they're naming, name all, if not then none of them.

But a councillor not paying council tax, I mean that's a one rule for them another for us that should result in immediate dismissal.
 
This is going to sound silly, but how thick does paper get before it becomes card, and is cardboard any different from that?
I'm sure it is in the eyes of the council, but is it any different in actual recycling?
No clue on the answers, have they issued any guidance?.
If you can't tell the difference between card and paper you may need some lessons;)
I think I learned the difference in primary school.

As for the difference, paper tends to be a higher grade of pulp and can be easily recycled into other paper products with the waste having a higher value than cardboard which is a rougher, lower quality.

And yes IIRC it does make a difference, as pre-sorting it at source saves several steps at the recycling facilities meaning it's more cost effective.

This is true for most recycling things, if you can separate it before it reaches the facilities it makes it significantly faster (and cheaper) to handle, it's why for example a scrap metal merchant will give significantly more for pure copper vs copper that's got any sort of insulation/covering, vs copper alloys.
 
If you can't tell the difference between card and paper you may need some lessons;)
I think I learned the difference in primary school.

As for the difference, paper tends to be a higher grade of pulp and can be easily recycled into other paper products with the waste having a higher value than cardboard which is a rougher, lower quality.

And yes IIRC it does make a difference, as pre-sorting it at source saves several steps at the recycling facilities meaning it's more cost effective.

This is true for most recycling things, if you can separate it before it reaches the facilities it makes it significantly faster (and cheaper) to handle, it's why for example a scrap metal merchant will give significantly more for pure copper vs copper that's got any sort of insulation/covering, vs copper alloys.

Being somewhat facetious in what I was saying, but there are many different types of paper.
In their bin, do they simply want paper, nice white a4 paper, will wrapping paper do, will coated paper do, tissue paper, newspaper?
All very much different products.
 
Even our potholes have potholes. Looking forwards to the next council tax bill though, I'm sure it will go up by the maximum amount.
I'm led to believe the council offices are very nice though, after their latest refurb.
You would like the public buildings around here. Heating on all the time even the weekends. And all over xmas period even though everythings closed. Full blast.
 
Not this year, but a recent council tax bill breakdown for Staffordshire Borough Council was as follows:

Staffordshire County Council - 73.9%
Stafford Borough Council - 9.7%
Police/crime - 11.7%
Fire/rescue - 4.7%

The 73.9% to the CC seems disproportionate to me. More should be going to the police and fire department imo.
 
One of my friends used to do work mapping out the geology of construction sites, and as he puts it "you never know what is under the topsoil", i

I imagine UXBs figure heavily too.

As for local council corruption, Private Eye reveals much.
 
Isn't it because of cuts from central Government which has been halved since 2010?

My council switched to Deform during the last elections. They promised DOGE style cuts to "DEI" hires and other "wastes of money" (in their words). Only they found out there wasn't any and have instead started closing care homes and adult learning centres instead. Awesome.

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But I do hate how everything about driving seems to be to try and trap you into getting a fine, either from poorly placed speed cameras, bus lanes that fine you if you cross them by 1mm or confusing parking regulations everywhere (and no I've never had one).
 
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