[Acrylic-bob]

Council Leader Peter Britcliffe, who thinks he is worth £16,000 a year and doesn’t care who knows it, has provided yet more evidence of why this is so.
Writing in the Observer this week (page41), he addresses the issue of the Council’s use of our money collected in the form of Council Tax.

Britcliffe: “Town centres, recreational facilities and cleansing are but three of the many issues people bring to my attention. When I tell them that there is no money to address these problems, they want to know why that should be. Well, the fact is that virtually all the monies we collect in Council Tax are spoken for; to pay for things like cleansing and parks maintenance, and £2M each year goes to pay off debt that has mounted in the 30 years since Hyndburn was formed in 1974.”

He then goes on to explain that the only way to pay for the services and facilities that people want is to increase Council Tax.

Britcliffe: “ When I tell you that a one percent increase in Council Tax brings in £35,000, you don’t need to be a maths professor to work out that to keep pace with inflation and undertake the Broadway project (approximately £350,000), Council Taxes would have to increase by 13% next year. I can hear you shudder…”



Oh yes, Peter, we are shuddering alright!



I am not a Math’s Professor, but I could work out this; according to “The Guardian” (14th September 2004), C.P.I., the Government’s favoured method of calculating inflation, currently stands at 1.3%. This would add £45,000 to Council Tax. Add in the cost of the Broadway project, £350,000, and that gives a total of £395,000, or an 11.3% increase. Not 13%.



If HBC and its leader, Peter – I’m worth every penny – Britcliffe, cannot do simple arithmetic, it is no wonder that they find themselves in such woeful financial straits.

In fact the only wonder is that the situation is not much, much worse.

I’m sorry Peter, but the time has come for you to face facts; you are not cut out for this career politician lark. Resign now, before you do any more damage, and take your buddy, Rix, with you.