Quote:
Originally Posted by Neil
I think you have to look at each individual request for help and see what the council will get in return for its investment.
I think I mentioned the £3.5 million raised by local green space groups working with the council. How much match was put in by HBC I don't know for certain but I would guess around 10%.
To me that is amazing value for tax payers money, do you agree or not?
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I'll take your word that those are accurate figures but yes, it is a good return. That really isn't the knub of the matter, it's the fact that so many cheques have been given out where no return was expected or even asked for, they were essentially free gifts. No council can afford to operate like that, particularly since the recession hit and it demonstrates a remarkable lack of understanding of public feeling that the Conservatives basically opened the cheque book over the past few months.
The watchword now of spending by the new administration is that we should strive wherever possible to get at least £1 back for every £1 spent. It will not be easily acheived and there will be some very disappointed people around the borough but we need to get as far away as possible from the fantasy that HBC is some sort of cash cow.
There is simply no money to give away, every penny needs to be justified from now on.