Council tax

[Spartacus]

It is looking like we will.get an increase of 4.99% by Southwark plus the additional increase of £20.13 by the GLA 

https://opencouncil.network/meetings/96736

Whilst there are compelling reasons that councils need more funding, it still is a painful increase whilst we are still in the cost of living crisis, unemployment is rising and other factors. 

[Jules-and-Boo]

Why do Councils need more funding? What are they spending our money on, how efficiently are they running? are they performing an adequate service as is? Are they viewing the public with contempt, that we will continually foot larger bills to cover all and any costs? Do our counsellors do their best, for us? why are they adding this on to the residents, on top of tax already paid? Council tax is not insubstantial. The service provided is not great. I do not believe they use our money effectively. 

Our CT Bill is £50 a week.

 

[Sephiroth]

“What do councils spend all the money on?” Is, in my view, one of the most profoundly emblematic of our times 

we go about our lives, backed up by councils and governments and complain they aren’t needed 

reform win elections based on “we’re gonna go in and slash all the waste!” Only to later admit there effectively isn’t any oh and by the way we need to increase council tax   Now all we have to offer is racism and ineptitude sorry about that 

https://www.gbnews.com/money/reform-elon-musk-doge-failed-savings

So where does the money go? On a multitude of services - but the increasingly aged population and the care provision required is a large part of it 

the government could give councils more money to avoid council tax rises  - but the we would have to pay more in jewels taxation  and as a country we tend to pay less than other similar countries 

so we end up with an expensive mend and make do approach 

I don’t see any political parties offering a solution   Starmer is obviously lacking in many areas but he is the result of a hostile media and a reluctant population willing to hear truths  (wait until we hear how much we will need to increase defence spending by in the coming years)

If a party stopped pretending all the money was wasted but published a list of costs, projections and proposals that wasn’t gutted to suit the landscape of needing to not bemonstered by the press or deemed too expensive by voters I would be very interested   
 

can’t see that happening tho 

(also worth reminding ourselves of all the brexiters who said things like “I don’t care how much it costs   I don’t care if I lose my job  it’s about taking back control!” And yet now we find them complaining about increasing costs. As they always will complain about everything  because it’s always someone else’s fault) 

 

[Jules-and-Boo]

Yes - adult care is a large part of the CT bill. 

That does not mean the council spend our money well or wisely.

 

 

 

 

[Sephiroth]

But what are you basing that judgement on? Vibes?

where exactly and under what council is money being spent wisely?

what about parties which promise to cut waste, come to power and find out there is no waste? 
 

[Jules-and-Boo]

In my experience of public sector funding, there is always room for improvement. That the council are custodians of our money, and are expected to use it wisely and efficiently seems to be lost on them.

Just because no council has good financial acumen does not mean we should not insist on it, or should just accept all annual increases without question.

 

 

 

[Sephiroth]

Oh I agree - we shouldn’t just blank cheque anyone 

but I would still say as we aren’t running a council it’s difficult to be part of the decision making process and understand what the cost-benefit of something we see as wastage is versus something else 

The fact that ideological purists like reform think they can take over a council and boast about the savings only to find they can’t suggests a wider picture 

[Jules-and-Boo]

Reform have not taken over Southwark council and reviewed the spend, so that's not helpful.

[Jenijenjen]

13 minutes ago, Jules-and-Boo said:

Reform have not taken over Southwark council and reviewed the spend, so that's not helpful.

For Reform though read any individual/party who without knowing full details of a council's obligations, or how all the money has been spent are confident they can reduce expenditure by cutting 'waste'.

Edited 34 minutes ago by Jenijenjen

[Sephiroth]

39 minutes ago, Jules-and-Boo said:

Reform have not taken over Southwark council and reviewed the spend, so that's not helpful.

I would respectfully and strongly disagree. 
they are targeting Southwark in exactly the same way they target other councils and will have exactly the same outcome 

you would have to say why Southwark is the outlier here and not reform for it to be a meaningful differentiation