Council Cost Cutting ???

[Dizzy]

They shouldn't be buying biscuits.... they are supposed to be cutting costs and saving US money

[McBain]

With regard to not realising the best return for Council assetts, this problem is compounded by the fact that a lot of the sales that would realise a handsome return are not politically acceptable. There is an example in Westy where the Council virtually gave away some prime land to the R.C. diocese for a new church and car park. That site would have been a superb residential site and would have netted the Council somewhere in the region of ?0.5m - instead they probably got a about ?1k and a condescending pat on the head from the politicos who thought that they had "done good"

[wahl]

Council tax places an unfair burden on housholders who are the victims of a very unfair system where the minoriy pay for the majority. Until the government comes up with a better way of collecting local taxes, they should not be allowed to get away with unjustified reductions on the amount paid to councils If they do not pay properly, then the council has no obligation to even try and meet so called government targets . Waste disposal is one example where the council should not pay the government tax and use the money for local needs.

 

Reduction of Salaries of council staff are the best targets especially when the salaries advertised seem to be top heavy. When pension and perks are added in this amounts to a havy burden for council tax payers when the costs should be met by government

So -Get rid of the unnecessary jobs - school walking administration, so called traffic management being two such areas where job cuts would not be noticed.

ALSO STOP THE TOTALLY UNNECESSARY SPENDING ON ROAD OBSTRUCTIONS, railings and paint.

 

lets see a reduction in council staff.

 

I would also like to see an elected police chief, police authority being all elected and every councillor up for reelection every two years

[Peter T]

Originally posted by McBain:

With regard to not realising the best return for Council assetts, this problem is compounded by the fact that a lot of the sales that would realise a handsome return are not politically acceptable. There is an example in Westy where the Council virtually gave away some prime land to the R.C. diocese for a new church and car park. That site would have been a superb residential site and would have netted the Council somewhere in the region of ?0.5m - instead they probably got a about ?1k and a condescending pat on the head from the politicos who thought that they had "done good"

I thought they did a swap? The Council got St.Augustines and the RC got the land for a new church at Lower Wash Lane.

:confused:

[Tilly]

There's recently been a Common Business Review - to establish how many workers are actaully doing the same job to avoid duplication, eg, having a team in each department doing the same thing that could be done by one big team, though am sure there is a bit more to it than that. Am guessing that once some posts are left they may not be filled?

 

There has been a cut back on external staff training.

 

Working from home for some seems to be getting more and more popular although not everys allowed / able, that will save on all sorts such as electric, heating etc - they'll probably be have us all hot desking soon, there has been talk of it for some teams, that would save on tables and computers and all sorts.

I wish I could for some pieces of work I have to do, I used to work in a office of two, half the week I was on my own, am now in an office of 24 people - VERY noisy, and very hard taking calls and concentrating, my brains hurting from a piece of work this morning that am sure if I'd done at home would have done in half the time

 

[ 09.01.2008, 12:46: Message edited by: Tilly ]

[observer]

Not heard anyone come forward with a "silver bullet" yet!

[Paul Kennedy]

Originally posted by wahl:

I would also like to see an elected police chief, police authority being all elected and every councillor up for reelection every two years

Fair points, and an elected Chief Executive come Mayor.

 

Also with regards to Councillor's allowances, maybe they should be fixed for their term of office...ditto MP's salaries, and prior to the elections the new rate for the job would be announced, so that those not happy with it, needn't bother standing.

[observer]

OR allow a referendum on the pay scales for politicians.

[little fella]

To change the police chief every two years would not be a good idea, but the old idea which worked very well in the towns Borough day's was that a Police Chief was appointed, and could and was sacked, by the towns Watch committee. The Chief had to report to the watch committee and satify them that he was doing a good job.

He was an important person in the town, feared by many. What is the chief now ~ ?

Most people if asked now would not know who the police chief was, and dont care. Most dont know who the Mayor is and have no reason to know.