Re: Council Tax
 

A sheep following ducks and geese....I told you I was on a winner.
And I am still on the Ignore list so he doesn't know what I am posting :tongueout

Re: Council Tax
 

You said it Graham, your Excellent Conservative Council and so do the Audit Commission

Re: Council Tax
 

And remember when Labour left office there was a deficit

Re: Council Tax
 

So do you have any comments in regards to my post Mr Jones?

And could you please clarify exactly what you meant at council in regards to "funded from the use of reserves". Does this mean its going to be funded from the existing fund, or as claytonender says funded from keeping the reserves the same but not putting any new money in? Or is it something else

Re: Council Tax
 

there is £1.8m in the bank thanks to Government increases. Ample. 5% Council Tax rise, why keep more than the auditors recommended 5%? Do you know more than City Accountants? You seem to suggest that.

On Post Office's you are advocating socialism, on macro economics Free Enterprise, on local government more taxation, on the 10p tax less taxation. You're all over the place.

You'll say anything to defend Conservatism, anything to attack Labour. And the way you have nothing at all positive to contribute (except ridicule of everyone else except David Cameron) is opposition politics from 20 years ago. I feel sorry for you.

No wonder we have had 11 years of Labour Government. They could cock it all up and still be a better option that where you stand.

Re: Council Tax
 

I'll quote the international monetary fund to begin with.

I'm not suggesting more taxation in local government, just sensible taxation. Ensuring that we have funds for the future. Our chancellor Alistair Darling seems to be optimistic about our economy. On the same day the International Monetary Fund warns that the US will go into a recession. The IMF says this is the biggest shock since the great depression. When America sneezes the world catches a cold. It would be completely irresponsible to spend reserves with that in mind. I suppose you have no quarrels with that as long as it sounds good politically that you're advocating a 2% tax rise rather than 5%.

I supported our Labour MP over saving the 10p tax band. How can you suggest I'm all over the place because I don't want to see 100% tax increases to some of the lowest earners? I don't think you even realise what conservatism is. The very essence of my conservatism is to help and protect those who need it most.

You may try and paint me as a 'lunatic', you may try and portray my ideas as inconsistent, and you may try to label me as a Labour hater. We both know you've resorted to insults and character deformation because you've run out of ideas, and run out of arguments. This is clearly evident in how much you go around threads attacking the Conservatives, or me, without putting any thought into the debate.

It's a shame you still failed to answer my question. So I'll ask again,

Re: Council Tax
 

Whilst I am sure that you believe the essence of your conservatism is, as you have stated. But I am much older than you and like many others have a very long memory of what Conservatives stand for.

I know you say that David Cameron has changed the Conservative Party, but the Conservatives have always (and will continue to do so) looked after people with money. It was the Conservative Party (under Thatcher) who set out to ruin the ordinary working people of this country, with the 'no such thing as society'. A recent example of how 'Caring' the Conservatives are is in their actions about the private member's bill to give Temporary and Agency Workers the same rights as other workers, some Conservative MP's attempted to talk the bill out when it came before Parliament for its 2nd Reading .

As regards Conservatives a leopard can't change its spots.

On the subject of Hyndburn Council's reserves - you obviuosly know more about accounting than the Auditors - so what do you suggest would be a prudent level of reserve for Hyndburn Council to hold?

Re: Council Tax
 

I think you have to look further than the last time they were in office to see what Conservatives are about. Thatcher was the only one to give the party an ideology, look beyond her. Although saying that, she allowed hundreds of thousands to buy their own home and did a lot for the working man in terms of rights in strikes etc, but lets not go into a Thatcher debate here.

If you could supply me with the report by the auditors I could comment further.

Re: Council Tax
 

Wrong.

Thatcher's government allowed prople to buy the council owned houses they happened to be renting.

'Selling the family silver' was a term banded about at the time, to describe this short term vote winner.

When this social housing was sold off it was never replaced.

I won't even begin on the gerrymandering that Shirley Porter was found guilty of at Westminster Council, where council homes were sold off to prospective Tory voters.

Re: Council Tax
 

Does anybody have any good reason NOT to vote Conservative in the next elections? I've heard a lot about Thatcher but as the younger generations didn't live under her government, we obviously have no bias like some, just a comparitive view of the CURRENT parties.

Whilst selling council houses may have been a way of getting short term support, you still cannot deny that many people GAINED from this policy and are now on the property ladder thanks to such scheme.

I personally think the arguably selfish reasonings for the policy are overshadowed by the goodness it created for many homeowners today.

Re: Council Tax
 

The people who haven't gained are the hundreds of thosands of people in the country who have no chance of getting social housing, because the stock is so depleted since it was sold off by the Conservatives, and now are forced to rent in the private sector, from the many rip-off landlords.

Conservatism, by it's very nature, conserves for the few.

You don't need to have lived under Thatcher's government to understand that basin concept.

Re: Council Tax
 

I have lived in both council housing and private renting and I know which one I prefer. So unfortunately I cannot appreciate the negativity you obviously feel from it. Since living in private rented accomodation we have been able to live in a much nicer area, with much less crime and a bigger house. The landlord isn't the best but landlords have duties by law, and so unless you are unaware of your rights, then there should be no problem. I am sure the council are more than happy to inform people of their rights, and they also monitor how much rent they are charging too so it is very hard to fall into trouble even in the private sector when you are claiming benefits to pay the rent.

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Anything endorsed by you is a good reason in my book.;)

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I endorse that people should vote for the party that they genuinely feel will represent themselves. It isn't my job to persuade people to vote Conservative, as it seems Labour are currently doing a good enough job.

It will not bother me if Labour win in the elections, I will still support the Conservatives. If the only reason you can think of for not voting Conservative is my views then that is sad indeed.

Re: Council Tax
 

For all the good work Cyfr does for the party he supports, there's thankfully always someone who'll come along and undo it.:)