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Stanleyguy · 17-02-2005, 08:27

The thread started with mention of Councillor Britcliffe. Anyone who knows him will agree that moving to discussing which party should be in control of the Council is not moving off the subject, as he spends most of his living hours talking about it.

But lets get back to the original point - ie that Cllr B. is hiking Council Tax by 10% and the Council has £60 million debt to pay off.

The debt has accrued over the last 60 years as loans were taken out to fund every housing and building development that Hyndburn and its predecessors built. So the debt belongs as much to the old Accrington, Oswaldtwistle, Great Harwood, Clayton and Rishton Councils, and is not something you can blame the existing Council for.

The bulk of the debt relates to housing developments, and if the Council transfers its stock to a separate Registered Social Landlord (ie a Housing Association) it will receive a payment that will enable it to pay off part of the housing debt, and the rest of the housing debt will be paid off by the Government.

Te 10% increase in Council Tax is nothing to do with the debt, because the Council receives government grant to meet the loan repayments. It is everything to do with the fact that this years elections are for the County Council, so voter reaction against the Conservatives will be felt at County Hall, not at Scaitcliffe House.

Last year, the Councillors were going to increase the Council Tax by 10% but dramatically reduced it at the last minute. Result? Conservatives retained power at the May elections.

Nothing to do with setting financial targets to meet Council priorities. Nothing to do with deciding what is "affordable" to the local taxpayer. Nothing to do with planning for the future.Everything to do with political expediency.

And for that reason the Council only scored "fair" in an independent assessment by auditors.

17-02-2005, 08:27	#34
Stanleyguy Member Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Accrington Posts: 50 Liked: 0 times Rep Power: 0	Re: Don't miss this golden opportunity.... The thread started with mention of Councillor Britcliffe. Anyone who knows him will agree that moving to discussing which party should be in control of the Council is not moving off the subject, as he spends most of his living hours talking about it. But lets get back to the original point - ie that Cllr B. is hiking Council Tax by 10% and the Council has £60 million debt to pay off. The debt has accrued over the last 60 years as loans were taken out to fund every housing and building development that Hyndburn and its predecessors built. So the debt belongs as much to the old Accrington, Oswaldtwistle, Great Harwood, Clayton and Rishton Councils, and is not something you can blame the existing Council for. The bulk of the debt relates to housing developments, and if the Council transfers its stock to a separate Registered Social Landlord (ie a Housing Association) it will receive a payment that will enable it to pay off part of the housing debt, and the rest of the housing debt will be paid off by the Government. Te 10% increase in Council Tax is nothing to do with the debt, because the Council receives government grant to meet the loan repayments. It is everything to do with the fact that this years elections are for the County Council, so voter reaction against the Conservatives will be felt at County Hall, not at Scaitcliffe House. Last year, the Councillors were going to increase the Council Tax by 10% but dramatically reduced it at the last minute. Result? Conservatives retained power at the May elections. Nothing to do with setting financial targets to meet Council priorities. Nothing to do with deciding what is "affordable" to the local taxpayer. Nothing to do with planning for the future.Everything to do with political expediency. And for that reason the Council only scored "fair" in an independent assessment by auditors.