Are local councils public enemy number one

Pho said:
Isn't it because of cuts from central Government which has been halved since 2010?
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IIRC something like 25% cut in central funding, whilst also seeing a lot of stuff transferred over to them that used to be funded directly.

People also tend to see the headlines when somethng has gone wrong, not when it's gone right and forget that several things have really hammered long term projects started before about 2018, including covid, energy prices and so on, most of which are totally out of the control of the council.
They also forget that IIRC a lot of the materials needed for construction went up a lot more than anyone expected, far higher than any realistic project had allowed for in their contingency funding, which combined with the other factors tends to mean that there are a very large number of projects private and public that went well past their original budgies.

IIRC there was also at least one of the really big construction/project management companies that the councils used that went bust, just to add to the cost overruns and delays.
 
Werewolf said:
IIRC something like 25% cut in central funding, whilst also seeing a lot of stuff transferred over to them that used to be funded directly.

People also tend to see the headlines when somethng has gone wrong, not when it's gone right and forget that several things have really hammered long term projects started before about 2018, including covid, energy prices and so on, most of which are totally out of the control of the council.
They also forget that IIRC a lot of the materials needed for construction went up a lot more than anyone expected, far higher than any realistic project had allowed for in their contingency funding, which combined with the other factors tends to mean that there are a very large number of projects private and public that went well past their original budgies.

IIRC there was also at least one of the really big construction/project management companies that the councils used that went bust, just to add to the cost overruns and delays.
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Ahh true. I guess we can all complain but it's unlikely any of us would be able to easilly fix the problems and keep everyone happy.

Every time someone wants to install wind farms or a solar farm everyone comes out with pitchforks and blocks it because it ruins the view even if it's in the middle of nowhere though so what do you do.
 
Pho said:
Ahh true. I guess we can all complain but it's unlikely any of us would be able to easilly fix the problems and keep everyone happy.

Every time someone wants to install wind farms or a solar farm everyone comes out with pitchforks and blocks it because it ruins the view even if it's in the middle of nowhere though so what do you do.
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You investigate why we dont widely use tidal.
 
Our local council seems to be approving more and more new housing estates but without new infrastructure to support (GP’s, Supermarkets, parking etc), it just doesn’t make sense logistically. It may come in time but for now it’s a **** show.
 
Here's your regular reminder that the Conservatives gutted central government funding for councils....cut in half in most cases in real terms. This is why services have been cut and yet your council tax bill keeps rising.

This is what you get when you vote to cut funding to public services.
 
TommyV said:
Our local council seems to be approving more and more new housing estates but without new infrastructure to support (GP’s, Supermarkets, parking etc), it just doesn’t make sense logistically. It may come in time but for now it’s a **** show.
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They have targets from central government, they don't have a choice. Much of the problems with councils are down to choices made by central government, but most people.kept voting in the tories while they destroyed the country so only have themselves to blame.
 
200sols said:
They have targets from central government, they don't have a choice. Much of the problems with councils are down to choices made by central government, but most people.kept voting in the tories while they destroyed the country so only have themselves to blame.
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But labour are in charge. Why haven't they changed this if it was caused by Tory governments? They had 14 years to plan.
 
Dis86 said:
But labour are in charge. Why haven't they changed this if it was caused by Tory governments? They had 14 years to plan.
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Labour are desperate to build houses so on the planning side they are making some terrible decisions. However on the financial side it's not feasible for them to reverse 14 years of decline in 18 months. Whether they start making things better only time will tell. But given their start, I seriously doubt it.
 
Dis86 said:
But labour are in charge. Why haven't they changed this if it was caused by Tory governments? They had 14 years to plan.
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How exactly do you plan to undo 14 years of underfunding over a much shorter period? Are you proposing massive tax rises and a massive increase in borrowing?
 
Dis86 said:
Thats what they've done though?
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No, they really haven't. Just because the Daily Mail, Express etc. get hysterical about something does not make it true.

Sticking (say) 5p onto income tax would raise some proper money that could be used to boost council funding (amongst other things) and really start undoing the years of Tory damage. But how do you think that would be received?
 
Mr Badger said:
No, they really haven't. Just because the Daily Mail, Express etc. get hysterical about something does not make it true.

Sticking (say) 5p onto income tax would raise some proper money that could be used to boost council funding (amongst other things) and really start undoing the years of Tory damage. But how do you think that would be received?
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Come back once youve spoken to a publican.
 
Dis86 said:
No, but if you did you might have a clue on the changes to business rates (a tax, that has been significantly increased).
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Do you think that has raised enough money to make up for 14 years of Tory underfunding and the cuts to council budgets? If not, what is your point?
 
Mr Badger said:
Do you think that has raised enough money to make up for 14 years of Tory underfunding and the cuts to council budgets? If not, what is your point?
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My point is your initial statement is gash. They have raised taxes massively. They're just continuing to spaff it up the wall.
 
Inneresting thread.

Whenever anyone raises the issue of the dereliction of duty by local councils, they are normally shot down with the "lack of funding from central govt" argument. My ripost to that is not just to point out the grossly overinflated salaries of council execs but also the availablilty of cash to fund the various vanity projects that they all seem to love.

There was a bloke the other day on social media posting all the work he'd done in his local area cleaning street signs and other such things that should be in the remit of the local council.

Of course, it was all under the banner of "helping out the local council 'cos they're so strapped for cash" and he was being roundly applauded. I was somewhat more cynical because I can't help feeling that as soon as people start doing things that should be the responsibility of the council then the council are going to be quite happy to let them get on with it.

It brings to mind David Cameron's Big Society; anyone remember that?
 
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