
Harry Fone: If Slough Council wants action on the cost of living, it should start by raising its game
Plus: Welsh council reserves increase during the pandemic. The complex Council Tax rebate is an utter shambles, with widespread delays.
Harry Fone is grassroots campaign manager for the TaxPayers’ Alliance.
Plus: Welsh council reserves increase during the pandemic. The complex Council Tax rebate is an utter shambles, with widespread delays.
Plus: Pet projects in Durham, with a £50 million new HQ. Councillors in Wolverhampton increase their allowances by 17 per cent.
Shetland, Wandsworth, Southampton, and Harlow are among the few local authorities bucking the trend.
Through its “efficiency dividend” residents will receive a reduction of up to £50 this year, without any cuts to frontline services.
How can it be fair that local residents are hit financially, yet councillors’ allowances and executive remuneration have both increased?
It is more sensible for local authorities to pursue the commercialisation of existing services over commercial property investments.
Plus: Gwynedd Council should not take the day off for St David’s Day. In Warrington, the nightmare that is council energy companies returns.
From failing energy companies, to white elephant projects, many local authorities have continued to pour public money down the drain.
It may be the season of goodwill but many councils deserve a lump of coal after their misuse of public money.
We have Rugby’s Lego Trail, a pop-up beach in Stoke, and Wigan splashing out £125,000 on social media campaigning.
Plus: Winchester’s woeful welcome. Test Valley Borough Council in Hampshire has managed to cut its stationery costs by £55,000.
Plus: Mismanagement continues in Slough. Bassetlaw Council spends £320,000 to improve the energy efficiency of a golf club it owns.
In Bristol, Nottingham, and Portsmouth the result has been that Council Taxpayers’ money has gone up in smoke.
Council staff and administrators are often handling the financial transactions via the payroll. It gives a motive to push spending up.
Local residents need to know what their council is up to and how well portfolios are performing. Proper oversight is lacking.