Street Lighting

[boris1066]

Can someone illuminate me as to why perfectly satisfactory street lights are being replaced in Callands and Old Hall ??

[Evil Sid]

Are you referring to the removal of the sodium type ones and replacement with the LED ones. It is a money saving idea as the LED ones will use less electricity and hopefully will not have to be maintained as much as the old ones.

[Freeborn John]

It's that time of year again, when councils balance their books by using up any cash they've been holding back for a rainy day.

Otherwise, central government might find it and reduce their budget for the upcoming year, they really don't want that.

[P J]

It's that time of year again, when councils balance their books by using up any cash they've been holding back for a rainy day.

Otherwise, central government might find it and reduce their budget for the upcoming year, they really don't want that.

 

The installation of new lights has been going on for ages though.

[Freeborn John]

The installation of new lights has been going on for ages though.

Quite so, some areas had their lights replaced two years ago, mine did. Before that we had a spring epidemic of those funny yellow lights on islands in the middle of the road, one year they suddenly did every bus stop in the town with red tarmac.

I suspect it depends on how much spare dosh they've got hanging around once winters over.

[P J]

So you kinda made it up then, as its an ongoing 12 months a year project?  Our lights were changed in November

[asperity]

It would appear to be an on-going project to change all the town's lighting to LED. They can't, obviously, do it overnight so now it's your turn to be enlightened. So enjoy your new, brighter, future

[Freeborn John]

So you kinda made it up then, as its an ongoing 12 months a year project?  Our lights were changed in November

Not at all, and as far as it being a 12 month a year project, it's actually phased, not least by the winter weather.

Maybe you work in a nice dry office where stuff like digging in flooding holes is less of an issue?

[P J]

Not at all, and as far as it being a 12 month a year project, it's actually phased, not least by the winter weather.

Maybe you work in a nice dry office where stuff like digging in flooding holes is less of an issue?

Oh ye of little knowledge, wrong again. So if it is phased and seasonal it has nothing whatsoever to do with your claim of left over budgets etc? The millions required for this project were confirmed years ago

[Freeborn John]

Oh ye of little knowledge, wrong again. So if it is phased and seasonal it has nothing whatsoever to do with your claim of left over budgets etc? The millions required for this project were confirmed years ago

Nay, oh yapping one, 'tis phased to ebb and flow with the fortunes of yonder counting house where the fine folk lurk.

[P J]

Nay, oh yapping one, 'tis phased to ebb and flow with the fortunes of yonder counting house where the fine folk lurk.

a rather moronic admission from you admitting being wrong but I suppose it's as much as I should expect

[Freeborn John]

Oh ye of little knowledge, wrong again. So if it is phased and seasonal it has nothing whatsoever to do with your claim of left over budgets etc? The millions required for this project were confirmed years ago

This is like pulling teeth but I'll try again.

Those millions of which you speak exist as part of a so called 'allocated reserve', that is, money (claimed to be) earmarked for a certain purpose.

However, there is also an 'unallocated reserve', a private stash which Eric Pickles describes as rainy day money, central government keeps a beady eye on this nest egg and points it out when local authorities go scrounging.

In the run up to budget time, many local authorities feel a sudden need to buy stuff, the unallocated cash is transferred to the allocated reserve and councils can legitimately turn their pockets inside out and cry poverty.

I do hope that wasn't too moronic for you.   

[P J]

It's that time of year again, when councils balance their books by using up any cash they've been holding back for a rainy day.

Otherwise, central government might find it and reduce their budget for the upcoming year, they really don't want that.

 

Its May, the lights are being installed as we type,  the financial year ended at the end of March, you are talking crap

[Freeborn John]

Its May, the lights are being installed as we type,  the financial year ended at the end of March, you are talking crap

You just said that the millions the lights are costing were 'confirmed years ago', now you're agreeing that the project was within the window of the 15/16 budget, do stop wobbling about.

The creative financial decisions were all done and dusted by March 31st, OK?

[P J]

don't be a div, you claimed they were being done because of the council using up cash held back which they may otherwise lose along the line,  , its May the work, even if invoiced today won't be paid for until June at the earliest. Now unless the finance department break out the Deloreans and pay by end of March your theory is proven to be utter tosh.  Just face it, you were wrong.

[Freeborn John]

don't be a div, you claimed they were being done because of the council using up cash held back which they may otherwise lose along the line,  , its May the work, even if invoiced today won't be paid for until June at the earliest. Now unless the finance department break out the Deloreans and pay by end of March your theory is proven to be utter tosh.  Just face it, you were wrong.

So exactly when were the contracts signed for the current phase of public works to be done, well within the 15/16 financial year I suggest.

Or did WBC ring the contractors up last week and say "Hiya mate, got any lamp posts?"

I do sometimes think you're deliberately obtuse in lieu of having something smart to say.

[P J]

You have changed your tune more often than Yehudi Menuhin on crack. You were wrong and you know it .  The budget was agreed and signed off  years back,  no need for mad March spending sprees to rid budget for fear of Central Government giving less the next year.  I love discussions like this when somebody is clearly in the wrong( that would be you) shifts feet quicker than a scalded Micheal Flatley, it gives me a good laugh.

[Freeborn John]

You have changed your tune more often than Yehudi Menuhin on crack. You were wrong and you know it .  The budget was agreed and signed off  years back,  no need for mad March spending sprees to rid budget for fear of Central Government giving less the next year.  I love discussions like this when somebody is clearly in the wrong( that would be you) shifts feet quicker than a scalded Micheal Flatley, it gives me a good laugh.

You keep coming back with the same old stuff, time and time again, you just wear your victims down.

A wise man once defined Hell as the place where there is no reason, presumably he'd met you.

[P J]

You keep coming back with the same old stuff, time and time again, you just wear your victims down.

A wise man once defined Hell as the place where there is no reason, presumably he'd met you.

 

just more of your nonsensical cack.  I point out the errors in your claims but you have no recourse other than stupid quotes which have no bearing on the discussion.  

[P J]

It's that time of year again, when councils balance their books by using up any cash they've been holding back for a rainy day.

Otherwise, central government might find it and reduce their budget for the upcoming year, they really don't want that.

explain please?

[Freeborn John]

explain please?

Nurse! Nurse! He's out of bed again!

[P J]

Nurse! Nurse! He's out of bed again!

Well how can I possibly compete with such mature reasoning?

[Evil Sid]

simple example of the workings of the budget department.

 

Required for this year £1000

spent by the end of the month before the end of the financial year  £10.00

 

required to spend as it has not yet been spent £990

 

required for next year £1100.

 

you need to show that you need that much, so have to have spent last years money and be still a bit short to ask for more next year.

If you have not spent what you asked for last year then you will not get what you ask for this year.

 

at least that was how it was explained to me when i asked about spending the gov's money.

[P J]

simple example of the workings of the budget department.

 

Required for this year £1000

spent by the end of the month before the end of the financial year  £10.00

 

required to spend as it has not yet been spent £990

 

required for next year £1100.

 

you need to show that you need that much, so have to have spent last years money and be still a bit short to ask for more next year.

If you have not spent what you asked for last year then you will not get what you ask for this year.

 

at least that was how it was explained to me when i asked about spending the gov's money.

 

I dont dispute that, what I do question is how you can assume this is the case when the works are being done the month after the end of the financial year and not the month before?

[Bazj]

I once had a council (Not Warrington) phone me up and order a load of stuff they didn't need just to spend what budget they had left over, otherwise they would get less the following year as they could be seen to be managing on less than allocated...