Re: What would this cost us
 

You forgot the possible pocket lining bit as the councilors of a new set up would want a nice fat payrise.

Re: What would this cost us
 

the post office and insignia come to mind here ... that wasent broken either
another expensive mistake...

Re: What would this cost us
 

I don't agree with a two-tier system of Council. For one thing it allows a 'blame' culture - you get councils saying 'you can't blame us for the roads/libraries/etc, it belongs to County' and vice versa on other issues. So no one knows who controls what and some things get done twice or fall through gaps.

Re: What would this cost us
 

Re: What would this cost us
 

Dont want to think of that thanks the amount of wasted dosnt bear thinging about.

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Re: What would this cost us
 

this threads getting very interesting:D who said accyweb had gone a bit quiet? pmsl

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Re: What would this cost us
 

You wanted to stir it up a bit. ;)

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Re: What would this cost us
 

Well one can never tell besides it wakes everyone up :D

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Re: What would this cost us
 

There are numerous points in this debate and as the thread shows, a variety of issues to be considered. I get worried on this issue that politicians will mislead the public into parochialism so they can protect their own interests, which is precisely what happened 18 months ago.

I don't care if I got deselected, I am not in it for the glory [or the money]. I want what's best for us all and at some point I want to sit down [from the outside] and watch someone else put as much effort in!

An East Lancs Authority is the right way forward, with or without Blackburn. Hyndburn has sold a lot of its assets, has little revenue streams apart form the market hall and tax payer and colosal debts. So on finance it would make sense. There is absolutely no doubt we would see much better services because we wouldn't be as crippled financially and it would ease pressure on the Council Tax.

There are other reasons. Mainly An East Lancs Uni; East Lancs Public Transport Policy [currently payed by Ratepayers to that 'marvelous' quango The East Lancs Partnership]; Tourism. We are talking about serious investment in making our area what we all know it should be, a great part of the country to live and enjoy life.

I am totally opposed to quangos such as ELP and ELEVATE and whilst we have two council system, sometimes paying to do the same job twice, these quango's will go unchecked.

I want to see the Council Tax come down under this system. The truth is though that it will cost more because it will need setting up. When Blackpool and Blackburn went unitary some studies suggested an extra cost of 10% to the ratepayer. However such is Hyndburns parlous state and such is the wealth in the Ribble Valley it may prove beneficial to go in simply on the argument the amount of council tax payed.

Re: What would this cost us
 

Its a bit pedantic to suggest LCC take 78% and not 85%. The other authorities are not local either and the point has no bearing on the fact that the vast bulk of money is spent way up the ladder in Preston. What a unitary authority will do is bring that 78% spending a lot closer to Hyndburn at the price of 15% of our Council tax moving upward/away.

So I don't accept the false argument that we are totally giving power/authority away from Hyndburn. Particularly when you consider as one point made was salaries at LCC. How many Hyndburn residents work there but live and shop here? An East Lancs authority where Blackburn and Burnley are rivals, Pendle/Ribble Valley and Rossendale are not on the main trunk route M65 puts Hyndburn in a great position. This represents not only an issue of better local democracy but good economic/employment benefits in which Hyndburn should seize on its central position. Maybe the Globe Centre + Scaitcliffe House???

Right now LCC is about to consolidate its Highways Department ending its costly contracts to local authorities. Willows Lane staff are about to be transfered to LCC, Willows Lane/HBC Highways Dept shut down and all operations moved to Whalley. I don't think that would have happened so easily with an East Lancs Authority.