PAY MORE, GET LESS FROM TAMESIDE COUNCIL

 

Well here we go again. Tameside council is once again blatantly screwing more money out of the pockets of the public to fill a financial black hole that they alone have created!

Council Tax Bills are set to rise yet again this year by at least £59 for Tameside residents as town hall chiefs desperately fire-fight to fill a funding black hole.

We should not be surprised; as the career councillor John Taylor confirmed recently when trying unsuccessfully to justify the councils latest faux pas, which cost taxpayers over £30,000 - ‘sometimes our policies and schemes work and sometimes they don’t. But if councillors had to pay for their blunders personally, you wouldn’t get anyone to stand!’
And that write off was a mere fraction of the millions the council have wasted over the last year or so in fending off the fallout from the collapse of Carillion, which included a massive £52,000 a week in management fees to liquidating giant PricewaterhouseCoopers to carry on providing the school services - on top of the weekly bill of £219,000.

That’s what happens when you outsource services to one supplier. Do the words ‘Eggs’ and ‘Basket’ not spring to mind?

This waste will continue to happen as long as the people making the decisions lack the technical knowledge to understand what can be done and for how much, and as long as there is no direct come-back for those making poor decisions.

If only each project had a councillor officially attached to it, it would make it very easy to put a name to the waste at election time... after all we can’t expect them to admit their ineptitude and stand down can we?

When is it going to sink in with those voters who keep electing these dynasties of squandering councillors that by continuously re-electing these entitlement-minded career politicians that in Tameside you always pay more in tax and get less in return?

Personally, I really don’t care whether our council is run by, Labour, Tories, Greens, Independents or pontificating Vegans, but it would be nice to replace this current feudal dynasty of councillors who’ve been operating on inertia for decades, with councillors who would adhere to a ultra-local form of democracy and who possess a clear understanding that you do not make the poor richer by making the rich poorer.

SO CORBYN WANTS ‘NO DEAL’ OFF THE TABLE!

 

The leader of the opposition, Labour's Jeremy Corbyn, has insisted that, unlike the other party leaders, he won’t accept the Prime Minister's invitation to private talks to try to find a consensus on the way forward, until she takes ‘No Deal’ off the table!
                                                                                                                                                                
This view was supported by Ashton MP Angela Rayner, who was a senior UNISON official in the region before entering politics, who said, “Jeremy will meet May, but she has to take ‘No Deal off the table.’

That being their negotiating stance, it begs the question that in any future industrial wage negotiations, would they recommend, nay insist, that the TUC leaders must take ‘strike action’ off the table?

PROFESSIONALS OR BUMBLING AMATEURS?

 

It is very difficult to distinguish between ‘deliberate from incompetent’ when so many of the positions of influence these days seem to have been deliberately populated by incompetents.

Anyone following the ongoing ‘Brexit Debacle’ either on political programmes or watching the live debates from the chamber of the House of Commons and you might easily be left with the impression that our legislators are not all drawn from the upper echelons of our intellectual elite.

Let us not forget that many of these current politicians have never had any kind of job outside politics, unless it was working as a ‘researcher or young journalist.

But whichever career path they trod to get their seats in the house, our politicians should have been taught one very important, yet basic lesson; they were elected by us, to serve us, in the interests of this United Kingdom, not Europe, neither were they voted in to sit in parliament simply to feather their own nests!

But of course this situation is not new, some 366 years ago, when the ‘Rump Parliament’ was divided over the form that the new representative should take. It was proposed that a redistribution of constituencies be drafted, but with the proviso that sitting members of the original ‘Long Parliament’ should retain their seats. Oliver Cromwell strongly criticized the scheme for promoting the self-interest of sitting MPs and demanded a general election for an entirely new Parliament be held.

After going back on their word to suspend discussion of the new representative; at least until Cromwell's proposal for an election had been debated, Cromwell promptly led a company of musketeers to Westminster, and once having secured the approaches to the House, he addressed the Members, calmly at first, then with rising anger as he told them that their sitting was permanently at an end and they must leave!

"It is high time for me to put an end to your sitting in this place,
which you have dishonoured by your contempt of all virtue, and
defiled by your practice of every vice; ye are a factious crew, and
enemies to all good government; ye are a pack of mercenary wretches,
and would like Esau sell your country for a mess of pottage, and like
Judas betray your God for a few pieces of money.

Is there a single virtue now remaining amongst you?

Is there one vice you do not possess?                                                                                                                

Ye have no more religion than my horse; gold is your God;
which of you have not barter'd your conscience for bribes?                                                                                         

Is there a man amongst you that has the least care for the good of the
Commonwealth?                                                                                                                                                       

Ye sordid prostitutes have you not defil'd this sacred place, and turn'd the Lord's temple into a den of thieves, by your immoral principles and wicked practices?                                                                                                                                                       

Ye are grown intolerably odious to the whole nation; you were deputed here by the people to get grievances redress'd, are yourselves gone!

So! Take away that shining bauble there, and lock up the doors.

In the name of God, go!"

Oliver Cromwell MP's speech on the dissolution of the Rump of the Long
Parliament, given to the House of Commons, 20 April 1653.

Now please do not think I am advocating revolution, but these days, at council, national and international levels, our curse is the rise of the modern professional politician who has lived a narrow life among like-minded political anoraks. Therefore is it any wonder that such people, who only know about politics, should so often turn out to be inadequate?

If these people had gone into business, rather than politics, most would be making their living in middle management rather than attempting to run our great country.

TAMESIDE RESIDENTS WILL HAVE TO DIG-DEEP FOR FUNERALS AS DUKINFIELD CREMATORIUM UPGRADE TO COST £1M+ EXTRA

 

In a statement from bosses who dwell within Tameside council’s inner sanctum, we are informed that our town hall chiefs are to upgrade Tameside’s Crematoria and Cemetery walls, despite costs soaring by £1.06m more than predicted.

They say that plans to replace the three cremators at Dukinfield Crematorium have been signed off by the borough’s executive cabinet.

The work had initially been priced at £1.5m, but now this figure has risen to an indicative cost of £2.5m, which could increase again during the process of tendering for a contractor.

They then go on to explain why this work is needed, but carefully avoid explaining how an initial estimate of £1.5million could possibly increase to £2.6million. Neither do they shine a light on the increased estimate of £60,000 to restore and repair a number of cemetery walls across the borough!

The council’s report reveals that the cremators – which are 20 years old – are at the end of their life expectancy, and are susceptible to ‘mechanical breakdown’ and maintenance costs are increasing ‘all the time’.

 

This impacts on families as it can cause ‘inevitable delays’ when trying to make appointments for funerals, and increase costs to the authority, officers say.

Dukinfield is the third busiest crematorium in Greater Manchester and currently bereavement services bring in income of around £1.2m for the town hall.

(NB: over 20 years income to the council has been £24million)

But charges could rise for families in the future, as bosses are proposing to introduce an ‘environmental levy’ on each cremation which would create a financial reserve used to maintain the cremators.

They estimate this would be around £100,000 a year, which based on their usual annual figure of more than 2,000 cremations annually would increase charges for grieving families by an extra £50.

A ‘heat recovery’ system would also be fitted which would be used to capture the energy from the excess heat in order to heat the crematorium.

Ian Saxon, director of operations and neighbourhoods said: “The cremators were last replaced in 1998 with a 15 year life, so it is well overdue, but there is clearly an income stream that will payback that service.”

(An understatement if ever I’ve heard one!)

He went on to say,“The other element of that report is that we create a sinking fund, or whatever you want to call it, from the income generated so long term it is building a pot to replace these in the future rather than be a one-off call on the capital programme.”

He added: “Obviously it’s a sensitive area but the replacement of the cremators is significant for ensuring that the cremation process is as environmentally sensitive as it can be.

“And that will be a significant step forward, as well as the heat recovery in there so that there is little or no wasted heat.”

The town hall has also agreed to restore and repair cemetery walls across the borough, at a cost of £260,000 – which is £60,000 more than had been originally earmarked.

The bill has risen following an inspection of Tameside’s eight cemeteries by structural engineers.

(So who inspected the eight cemeteries which gave rise to the original £200,000 figure and why was it £60,000 underestimated?)

Mr Saxon told cabinet members that they had identified a number of retaining walls that are in ‘poor condition’ and need to be repaired and maintained.

“The risk of not carrying out the repairs and restoration could result in jeopardising the safety of residents and aesthetics of the cemetery.

“In addition it would lead to on-going revenue costs,” states a report presented to cabinet.

(A Report presented by who and what was the council’s brief?)

“Workers will now repair and make safe the boundary walls highlighted at ‘high and medium risk’ at Ashton, Dukinfield, Mossley, and Mottram cemeteries.

They will also carry out limited masonry work on defects on boundaries – such as metal railings and fencing – at Audenshaw, Denton and Droylsden cemeteries.

The oldest cemetery managed by the council is Mottram Cemetery, which opened in 1861 and is still being used for interments in new graves, as are all the other sites.”

NB: So according to the councils own figures, over the last 20 years, they have enjoyed an income stream from Dukinfield cemetery of £24million. (£1.2million per year)

They now need to spend £2.4million on replacing the cremators and a further £260.000 on securing dangerous cemetery walls and other infrastructure maintenance.

Let’s be generous and assume that they have spent £100,000 per year, every year, for the last 20 years on what they call ‘maintenance’ - that totals another £2million.

Let’s also recognise that another major expenditure for the crematorium is gas; and based on the council’s figures of 2000 cremations per year-the average gas bill (which directly correlates to the number of cremations) we could confidently predict an approximate figure of £55,350.00 per annum; -over 20 years that adds approximately £1.17million to the council’s costs.

Removing all these past expenses and the estimated future refurbishment and maintenance figures (which total: £4.660.000.) Tameside council have still enjoyed an income of £18,270,000. - Over a twenty year period, on this one crematorium. Tameside council operate a further, albeit smaller crematoriums’, which would add significantly to the council coffers.

Despite the considerable income the council generates from these cemeteries, they now intend to add more Tameside residents hard earned money to their bottom line by creating and adding an ‘environmental levy’ of approx £50.00 on around 2000 grieving families; which will add a further £100.000 per year to the council’s coffers, plus a ‘sinking fund’ which in effect is purely ‘council speak’ for ‘ring-fencing’ a portion of the crematorium income for essential maintenance!

Whilst local authorities remain the largest providers of crematoriums throughout the UK, because of their failure to invest in their crematoriums coupled with the continuing rise in cremation fees, has attracted a new wave of private companies into the British market that are keen to win business from council-run services hit by local government cuts; - a threat that could hurt them financially.

Let’s not forget, crematoria, along with council car parks, are probably the two of the larger income generators for local authorities, so it’s little wonder that they are constantly increasing their fees to offset cuts elsewhere.

NB: It’s useful to know that the average ‘Cremation costs’ in the North West is £1121.00.

Plus, let us not forget additional costs NOT mentioned by the council are the fees they charge for burials; which again the average costs throughout the North West is £1674.00.

Research shows that 77% of funerals in the UK are cremations, while 23% are burials.

Taking these figures into account we can add an approximate figure of £27,600 per annum into the council’s coffers. (over 20years that’s £520.000) from this crematorium alone!

Don’t you just love this council?

 

 

PUT YOUR TRUST IN US …You are joking?

On May 7, 2014 the Home Secretary Theresa May brought forward a bill to deprive those fighting with ISIS of their citizenship. The legislation would allow them to be deprived of their citizenship, lose their passport and become stateless. Essentially exiling those fighting for ISIS.'

The bill suggested, "if the Secretary of State is satisfied that the deprivation is conducive to the public good because the person, while having that citizenship status, has conducted him or herself in a manner which is seriously prejudicial to the vital interests of the United Kingdom… "

Those that voted against this legislation included Jeremy Corbyn, John McDonnell and Dianne Abbott.

These are the three individuals that would be at the head of a Labour government, should they win the election!

God help us all.

TO SUM UP THE LABOUR MANIFESTO - IT’S ALL FOLLY, COSTED!

 

It’s the usual Labour mix of banning, scrapping or making things compulsory whilst amassing massive debts.

And by the way, it is illegal under current EU law to nationalise anything. So, that’s it for at least two years until Brexit ! ...What a shower! 

                                                                                                                                 

VOTE FOR DIANE ABACUS – OF THE TOTALLY CLUELESS PARTY!

"Of course I can bloody count, what do you think these are for?"

What a balls up!

The frightening thing is, this woman is the Labour Party’s choice for Shadow Home Secretary!

So, according to today's radio proclamation, ‘if we elect them, they’re going to recruit 10,000 extra police to patrol our streets and they're going to fund this by reversing Conservative cuts to capital gains tax (CGT).

In the now infamous Radio interview, she announced, “If we recruit the 10,000 police men and woman over a four year period we believe it will be about £300,000,” the shadow home secretary said.

But when LBC’s Nick Ferrari questioned the figure. “£300,000 for 10,000 police officers? What are you paying them?” he asked.

Abbott corrected herself. “No. I mean... Sorry.... They will cost.... It will cost.... About £80million. We get to that figure because we anticipate recruiting 2500 police officers year at least, over a period of four years,” she explained. “We’re looking at what average police wages are generally, but also specifically police wages in London.”

By lunchtime, good old Jeremy had ridden into to help her with her maths.

Labours professor of hard sums

But even he got it all wrong! He told Sky News that their policy would actually cost £300 million and denied that Diane Abbott had caused any embarrassment to the Labour Party's latest policy!

 

The fact is, if you recruit 2500 additional officers each year the cost goes up exponentially.

It's basic mathematics! - In year 1 at an average wage of £30,000 per recruit, the cost will be £75 million for 2500 recruits.

Year 2 the wage bill will be £150 million, as you now have 5000 officers!

In year 3 it will be £225 million and in year 4, £300 million, creating a total wage bill of £750 million.

A bit more than the £80 million announced by the bungling dyscalculia affected Abbott or the £300 million spouted by the equally challenged Costello!

Then of course there’s the added expense of training these 10,000, extra officers, which neither politician thought to mention; - nor the other costs associated with this initiative, like their pension contributions, their uniforms, their radios, cameras, and numerous bits of essential equipment. (Not to mention the ubiquitous 4x4 BMW apiece) - which, all in all, will well exceed £1 billion in additional funding over and above the added funding needed to keep police forces at current levels.

 

I can't wait till the next fully costed policy announcement. Perhaps this time from Stan & Ollie? 

Yep' Another fine mess they're getting us into!