Oh Dear, Oh Dear, Oh Dear - Page 2

WillowTheWhisp · 18-01-2005, 19:52

You'd think that someone could at least find time to update the thing wouldn't you?

vorlon24 · 18-01-2005, 22:16

Budgets, Willow, budgets!

WillowTheWhisp · 19-01-2005, 14:09

Oh yes I forgot how strapped for cash the council is.

park381 · 19-01-2005, 14:14

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

Oh yes I forgot how strapped for cash the council is.

Thought they had a Webmaster, he/she must be busy, happen helpin binmen out

Job sharin

vorlon24 · 19-01-2005, 14:24

Stand by yer beds for the new Council Tax bills!

park381 · 19-01-2005, 15:16

On that subject, why not read "Our Leaders Column"

http://www.hyndburnbc.gov.uk/Your_Co...ers_Column.pdf

Looks like most of the CT goes on "Cleaning & Parks maintenance" an payin off debts

simon · 19-01-2005, 15:26

Thanks Parc381, I notice one of the comments that show his ability at decision making...

If he raised taxes his "Life would be hell and would not be able to enjoy a pint in his local"

A man in his position who is influenced by his pals in the pub is CRIMINAL....

park381 · 19-01-2005, 15:32

I wonder if all the Cllrs will offer to take a "CUT" in their expenses in order to keep CT increases down

WillowTheWhisp · 19-01-2005, 21:27

How is selling off our assetts going to enable the council to invest £2million in Hyndburn every year? Once things have been sold that's the end of them - it isn't renewable income. Or hasn't he realised that?

park381 · 19-01-2005, 22:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

How is selling off our assetts going to enable the council to invest £2million in Hyndburn every year? Once things have been sold that's the end of them - it isn't renewable income. Or hasn't he realised that?

That is so, but if selling off the assets clears the books, then would not any future CT be available to spend on Hyndburn, and not to pay off debt from days gone past

WillowTheWhisp · 19-01-2005, 22:10

I see your point but with the current track record I can't imagine them not getting into debt again and having nothingl eft to sell off.

park381 · 19-01-2005, 22:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by WillowTheWhisp

I see your point but with the current track record I can't imagine them not getting into debt again and having nothingl eft to sell off.

True, but i think the debt is of old, from when HBC was first formed, please correct me if I am wrong

entwisi · 20-01-2005, 05:01

Aah but remember if we do sell off the town hall etc then we would have to rent it back again. Times by the next 100 years.........

Acrylic-bob · 20-01-2005, 06:11

The sale of Council, and thus Public, assets is a complex issue. If you will recall the reports in the Observer some weeks back, it was stated that The Market Hall would be offered on a 125 year lease. This would mean that the lease could be either bought outright - big bucks now, or could be paid for yearly - little bucks once a year.

The Town Hall is already in the hands of a charity. I am not sure what the arrangement is there but I would imagine that it is a way round the borrowing restrictions placed on councils by the government.

I remember, years ago, I used to live in Islington in North London, then one of the looniest of the loony left boroughs. As a result of the cap on borrowing, intended by the tory government to rein in the spending of local councils, Islington under Margaret Hodge found itself with massive debts and resorted to "lease-back" as a way of raising cash to fund it's trendy excesses. The Town Hall was sold to a merchant bank in the city from whom it was rented by the council. The agreement was for a fixed term, five or ten years, I can't remember which, at the end of which the council agreed to buy back the building at the market rate. The assumption was that an incoming Labour government would help out with the buy back. John Major's election success came as a bitter disappointment to the council. When the Blair Government eventually came to office it was at some pains to point out that it had no intention of helping the loony left councils with public money. What the situation in Islington is now I do not know, but I imagine that their debt is somewhere in the stratosphere by now.

In this light, one wonders how much of the £60 Million debt that HBC has been able to rack up is down to the policies of the previous labour administration, under George Slynn, and their attempts to get around rate capping?

WillowTheWhisp · 20-01-2005, 06:49

Funny you should mention George Slynn A-b. I was only talking to Busman last night about him. I assume the debt has accumulated and snowballed over the years rather than occurred all at once when HBC was first formed.

At least Peter Britcliffe assures us that he has not sold the Town Hall to Witherspoons. (sp?)