Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
The council tax is about to go up to fund social care.
I don’t have a problem with this( BUT )as we are about to dump the over regulated expensive EU shouldn’t the councils and government be looking to cut lots of the EU red tape to save us some cash?
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Guest 1735- Registered: 26 Apr 2016
- Posts: 90
Well i do ,,Just how do these over the hill over paid so called Cllrs think how are we going to raise this ""rise"",,But then they dont care its a case of im alright Jack then bully and threaten ppl that cant pay
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
This is all about central government cutting funding to local authorities by 40% since 2010. If they don't up the precept for this then hospitals will be overloaded with patients who are well enough to be discharged but needing social care.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Thanks for that reply Howard.The last few years I was on the Council we did not get an increase in our allowances. An idependant panel set the rate each year,a number of Councillors are .interviewed. re their work load.When I was interviewed they were amazed at the hours I worked.Some years ago another Councillor phoned me re a housing problem concerning one of her residents who's boiler had broken down it was mid evening on a Friday .My daughter was home visiting and kept on asking me to eat my tea ,however I did not rest until after many phone calls this residents boiler was fixed.
On another occasion I recall a River resident turning up before 8.00 am as he had concerns re a boundary fence.I was not dressed to receive visitors at that time of day so I spoke to the resident from a window and hurriedly dressed .
Another resident turned up one day saw me at the window whilst iI was washing up tapped at the window and would not Ho away until I invited her in to listen to her problem.I have missed busses ,late for appointments etc always on duty yet people complain as they think Councillors are overpaid and useless.Try telling that to .my family.
You do get a few Councillors who do not go that extra mile but some deserve every penny and donot deserve the agro they receive.
Guest 1849- Registered: 12 Sep 2016
- Posts: 440
Sue Nicholas wrote:Thanks for that reply Howard.The last few years I was on the Council we did not get an increase in our allowances. An idependant panel set the rate each year,a number of Councillors are .interviewed. re their work load.When I was interviewed they were amazed at the hours I worked.Some years ago another Councillor phoned me re a housing problem concerning one of her residents who's boiler had broken down it was mid evening on a Friday .My daughter was home visiting and kept on asking me to eat my tea ,however I did not rest until after many phone calls this residents boiler was fixed.
On another occasion I recall a River resident turning up before 8.00 am as he had concerns re a boundary fence.I was not dressed to receive visitors at that time of day so I spoke to the resident from a window and hurriedly dressed .
Another resident turned up one day saw me at the window whilst iI was washing up tapped at the window and would not Ho away until I invited her in to listen to her problem.I have missed busses ,late for appointments etc always on duty yet people complain as they think Councillors are overpaid and useless.Try telling that to .my family.
You do get a few Councillors who do not go that extra mile but some deserve every penny and donot deserve the agro they receive.
I'm very grateful for the sacrifices you made, your humility in going about your work without feeling the need to tell us how wonderful you are is a lesson to us all.
We are indeed privileged to have you serving us, thank you.
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Guest 1735- Registered: 26 Apr 2016
- Posts: 90
Still does not explain how lots of people are going to be able to afford an increase .Families are not getting increases and are even having to visit the foodbanks ,Bet heads of Councils wont have that "luxury" and now its let s pile more misery on these ppl not to mention the elderly who will be struggling with their winter heating bills ,Come April 1st 2017 we will all face this increase but whats so dammed offensive is that increase will go towards pay rises for ppl like Paul Carter ,& all other Council heads ,,Ahhh the irony
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Full breakdown of where our Council Tax goes and rather surprisingly the Police get nearly as much as DDC.
https://www.dover.gov.uk/CouncilTax/Where-your-Council-Tax-goes/Where-your-Council-Tax-goes.aspxSue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
David I would have expected that reply from you Post six you donot get it all do you .Yes Council taxes go up its the same for me as well .What amazes me is the number of people who frequent coffe bars Etc but complain when Council taxes go up but still expect policeman on the beat the fire service and care homes and social workers the list goes on and on.Yes Mr Carter gets paid ahigh wage but he has a lot of responsibly and Kent is one of the largest counties.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
David I'm sure you miss putting up the market stalls on a cold Winters morning Must be do restful in the sticks .I shall have to catch a number 89 Bus and give you a cherry wave.Im retired now so have all the time in the world to read the postings on here .
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I wonder where Paul Carter finds the time for KCC work with all his business interests. Being involved with the Kent on Sunday editorial board seems like a conflict of interest.
https://democracy.kent.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=197&T=6Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,894
I agree with Sue post#8 but disagree about Paul Carter.
His responsibility is the same or even less than many people in very high position but have people below them running various departments who carry the can if anything goes wrong.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 745- Registered: 27 Mar 2012
- Posts: 3,370
and we have just imported 750 children from the jungle.
the french should have dealt with them we got 2000 when they shut sand GATT on the understanding their wouled not be no more camps .
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Guest 1033- Registered: 23 Aug 2013
- Posts: 509
David Little, I like your comment about humility. I wish I could find Ms. Nicholas' original post, but I have quoted her supercilious comment on this forum before, puts her attitude into clear perspective:
'all this twittering on a local forum will get him no where',
so why should we pay any attention to her 'twittering' ?
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
KB raises the issue of social care costs for children entering the country, until the Government insists that all local authorities take their fair share Kent taxpayers will be stuck with the costs.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
Re post 13 I'm female and I shall Twitter on .Funny how People still ask me to help with problems .They must enjoy my twittering .Barry you must be a fan of David's ,when had a business in Castle Street his curtains twitched all the time.
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,163
Keith Bibby wrote:The council tax is about to go up to fund social care.
Perhaps this would be better phrased as 'the council tax, which funds social care, is about to go up'?
There is no guarantee that the increase will be spent on 'social care' any more than money saved from the EU will be spent on the NHS! We do not have hypothecated taxes in the UK.
For a background briefing on how Local Government finance works here's a guide for those who do not understand quite as much as they think:-
https://www.eastsussex.gov.uk/yourcouncil/finance/guide
And here's the budget DDC are playing with 16/17
http://moderngov.dover.gov.uk/documents/s16133/Budget%20Appendix%20and%20Appendices%20-%20Updated.pdf
You might note (para 36) that your Council Tax is 13% less than Canterbury, 25% less than Thanet and a whopping 35% less than Shepway!
You might also note that £1.899m in 2016/17 of the £14m budget is made up of the 'New Homes Bonus' or 'CatNip for Councils' as I call it. Personally I'd prefer to pay a 10% increase in my Council Tax and stop this madness of despoiling the countryside with breeding boxes for London overspill but there you go.
There seems to be all party agreement on turning the Garden of England into an urban sprawl as long as we can 'enjoy' low Council Tax.
As I've said before if I'd wanted to move to sodding Basingstoke I'd have gone years ago!
Thank goodness I'm not in charge!
(Yet!
)
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
For new homes bonus read "growth point status" something governments have been pushing on local councils rather than simply do something about the continuing rise in population. Councils are stuck as they need the money to keep services going so more building on flood plains.
https://www.theyworkforyou.com/wms/?id=2006-06-20b.87WS.3Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,163
And yet the number of properties with [U]TWO OR MORE[/U] spare bedrooms has gone up from 6 million to 8 million over the past decade.
We have a higher bedroom to person ratio than at any time since the Black Death.
We are just not using our properties efficiently!
(e.g. Marlinspike Hall has FIVE bedrooms with just myself and my carer living here. I am part of the problem and doing very nicely thank you.
)
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"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 1033- Registered: 23 Aug 2013
- Posts: 509
No, Ms. Nicholas, I'm sure he was a Ukipper, and I am certainly no fan of them, but I don't understand the reference to twitching curtains.
Captain, take a look at Ashford, one of the most unpleasant places in Kent. That will show you the future in store for Dover, it is the epitome of urban sprawl. Breeding boxes is such a poetic and accurate description.
Andy B
- Location: dover
- Registered: 10 Nov 2012
- Posts: 1,820
An almost non existant police service,public services run into the ground,every year we pay more for less,what marvelous value for money our council tax is.
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