Grendel
Well-Known Member
What policy positions do you actually like?
as much as I like a lot of her policy positions, and from a lot of accounts she did a better job than most at the nuts and bolts of being an MP, she's made herself look like a knob since the Your Party stuff started.
What policy positions do you actually like?
I see Sultana in the HoC yesterday raising why Soldier F had higher than normal funding for his defence of the Bloody Sunday trial. You'd think he'd been awarded damages all he did was clear his name. It appears she's questioning the legitimacy of it rather than be satisfied with justice. What she really wanted was a conviction. IRA sympathiser just like Corbyn to put with her Palestine Action badge. Assume she's forgotten about the IRA bomb on the city she's supposed to represent, I'm sure the constituents are delighted.
Nigel Farage’s Reform UK has suspended another member of its “flagship” county council in Kent as it held its first full meeting since the party’s councillors were thrown into crisis by a leaked meeting revealing bitter internal tensions.
The departure of Isabella Kemp, who had also worked as a data protection officer at Reform’s HQ, means that the party has lost nine of the 57 councillors elected during the local elections in May.
I believe this is the same council that can't put up Christmas lights because of all the England flags left hanging up on street postsLet's put them in charge of the whole country, what could possibly go wrong
Let's put them in charge of the whole country, what could possibly go wrong
Kent’s goneI believe this is the same council that can't put up Christmas lights because of all the England flags left hanging up on street posts
Dunno perhaps some sex offenders could walk free from jail. Or they could promise to not raise taxes ON OUR watch and then do it.
It’s interesting Reeves seems also to be going against the green agenda by taxing electric cars for mileage consumption in the budget. Tighten your Tesla belt Tarquin
I wouldn’t go down the council route for competency if I were you as there are many examples of blatant corruption, incompetence and criminality amongst Labour councillors yet you keep brown nosing their pathetic attempts at running the country.
Local councils are full of incompetency and corruption, made up of failed MPs. Irrespective of party allegiance. Our MPs are low grade, our councillors cut from the same cloth.Hahaha state of this. Bore off you weirdo.
Local councils are bunch of failed MPs a full of incompetency and corruption, irrespective of party allegiance. Our MPs are low grade, our councillors cut from the same cloth.
If we’re going off local councils, the biggest shambles is Birmingham Council who is completely bankrupt… Of course you didn’t consider that when voting Labour, which undermines your point.
Local councils are full of incompetency and corruption, made up of failed MPs. Irrespective of party allegiance. Our MPs are low grade, our councillors cut from the same cloth.
If we’re going off local councils, the biggest shambles is Birmingham Council who is completely bankrupt… Of course you didn’t consider that when voting Labour, which undermines your point.
Of course they are, I haven't said otherwise.
I just expect Reform to be more incompetent than anyone else, and they are proving me right so far.
Local councils are full of incompetency and corruption, made up of failed MPs. Irrespective of party allegiance. Our MPs are low grade, our councillors cut from the same cloth.
If we’re going off local councils, the biggest shambles is Birmingham Council who is completely bankrupt… Of course you didn’t consider that when voting Labour, which undermines your point.
How would you suggest they operate their employee pensions then Steve?Don’t get me started about Birmingham council, absolute shitshow.
Then everyone asked where all the monies going and services are shit….well, 25-30% of council tax revenue goes on council employee pensions (only slightly higher than a lot of other councils)
Nothing to see here though. All totally sustainable
The first council to file a section 114 notice (i.e. the council version of bankruptcy) was Northamptonshire County Council in 2018. It had been under the control of the Conservative party since 2005.
Councils, unlike a private business, are required to deliver statutory services through their settlement by central government. Councils had a real terms cut in income of 30% following 2010 yet their statutory obligations remained. It's no surprise what has happened.
You can’t be serious? How many Labour run councils are bankrupt, or nearing bankruptcy?Of course they are, I haven't said otherwise.
I just expect Reform to be more incompetent than anyone else, and they are proving me right so far.
Shouldn’t take long with pointless spending like thisHow many of their councils are bankrupt?
This old chestnut again? Just sneering at public sector workers is what this looks like.I certainly have concerns about the calibre of Reform’s talent but looking at Labour’s cabinet, there’s no one who’s really held any senior positions in the private sector.
Let’s explore the use of ‘real terms’, this is slippery. Have their budgets grown? Yes or no.The first council to file a section 114 notice (i.e. the council version of bankruptcy) was Northamptonshire County Council in 2018. It had been under the control of the Conservative party since 2005.
Councils, unlike a private business, are required to deliver statutory services through their settlement by central government. Councils had a real terms cut in income of 30% following 2010 yet their statutory obligations remained. It's no surprise what has happened.
Been total mismanagement in Birmingham. From ignoring and not addressing equal pay dispute for years, taking on commonwealth games, mismanagement of pension scheme. Should never have gone bust. They’re a joke
Let’s explore the use of ‘real terms’, this is slippery. Have their budgets grown? Yes or no.
In the private sector, if inflation is at ‘5%’ doesn’t mean you increase what you spend by 5%. That’s a terrible way of doing business. Whereas any budget increase below inflation in ‘public sector land’ is a ‘real terms cut’.
Just one example of how councils have managed their budgets poorly. Public sector procurement practices need to be reformed desperately because examples like this show just how quickly budgets get out of control.
Councils call for reform of SEND school transport services, as costs double for local authorities in county areas over the last five years - County Councils Network
Councils have called on the next government to reform the special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) school transport system, with new data revealing costs have doubled to £800m for local authorities in county areas over the last five years. The County Councils Network (CCN) argues that...www.countycouncilsnetwork.org.uk
How would you suggest they operate their employee pensions then Steve?
It’s not sneering. If a cabinet was built of venture capitalists, we’d both be calling that out and be sceptical of their ability to manage public services.This old chestnut again? Just sneering at public sector workers is what this looks like.
Private sector salaries are often higher with the trade off that the pension schemes they run can't compare to the public sector. What you're suggesting is a scenario where we make both of them worse in the council.I’m pretty sure BCC are still running a defined benefit scheme (schemes considering for 10-15+ years by the private sector as unviable/unfeasible) either way, it’s obviously totally unaffordable. So, services cut, council tax increasing by around 20% in a couple of years and ridiculous amounts having to be paid into a totally unaffordable scheme ?! How is this justifiable ?
BCC has exacerbated the problem by apparently overpaying into the pension scheme that apparently is now £1bn in surplus. I mean WTF.
Paying a local government pension is a statutory obligation.
Do you ever tender for business or just accept the additional costs?Next time I receive a request from a private supplier for an inflationary increase to their contract, I'll tell them that no, that's a terrible way to do business.
Looks like sneering to me buddy, and frankly a bit insulting.It’s not sneering. If a cabinet was built of venture capitalists, we’d both be calling that out and be sceptical of their ability to manage public services.
With that in mind, do you reckon the cabinet considered the impact of the NI hike on employers would play out in the real world? No, because they don’t understand how businesses operate.
The culture of the public sector is completely different to the private sector. Some times for better, mostly for worse.
Go out and get some real world experience, then you can talk with the big boys and girls, pal.Looks like sneering to me buddy, and frankly a bit insulting.
Private sector salaries are often higher with the trade off that the pension schemes they run can't compare to the public sector. What you're suggesting is a scenario where we make both of them worse in the council.
Good luck retaining staff in that case.
Do you ever tender for business or just accept the additional costs?
One of the reasons I’ve kept operating costs in my area is that my supplier knows that I’ll tender their business if they increase my costs.
Likewise, elsewhere in business, operating costs rose 30% post-COVID, so they changed suppliers.
I’ve just explained that councils are paying 25% (BCC apparently 30%+) of council tax revenue* on pensions. Thats before wages, contractors, capital expenditure, social care, property costs etc etc
How is this sustainable ?
*appreciate there’s other forms of revenue such as business rates
The country as a whole faces a serious challenge with pensions. The analogous social security programme in the US has enough in it to carry on unfunded for a good while yet, whereas whatever we're doing is a bit of a mess.I’ve just explained that councils are paying 25% (BCC apparently 30%+) of council tax revenueon pensions. Thats before wages, contractors, capital expenditure, property costs etc etc
How is this sustainable ?
*appreciate there’s other forms of revenue like business rates
Basically your just a fear monger, spreading complete nonsense. The fact is no one knows how reform will do in office as they have never held office.Of course they are, I haven't said otherwise.
I just expect Reform to be more incompetent than anyone else, and they are proving me right so far.
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