Bournemouth council tax frozen - with council's precept reduced (From Bournemouth Echo)

i think its called living whithin your means instead of throwing other peoples money about without a care in the world

i think its called living whithin your means instead of throwing other peoples money about without a care in the world

it's also because they are now going to make the poorest people, who have previously received full benefit, pay something.

How are Police and Fire costs increasing when the services are being cut?
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The council tax should be cut if the council had any concept of the value of money. There has just been too many examples of how they take the most expensive route or simply just flush our money down the toilet.

HRH of Boscombe wrote:
How are Police and Fire costs increasing when the services are being cut?
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The council tax should be cut if the council had any concept of the value of money. There has just been too many examples of how they take the most expensive route or simply just flush our money down the toilet.

Well now given that inflation is running at 2.5% and Bournemouth Council have absorbed the costs of the increased Fire and Police Services THIS IS A REDUCTION!

Given the large reduction in Government Grants and Bournemouth Council's increased in spending of and extra £4m into Children's Services and £2m into Adult Social Care as well as other improvements I think that the Leader of the Council and his team are to be congratulated on their achievements!

This is value for money!

HRH of Boscombe wrote:
How are Police and Fire costs increasing when the services are being cut?
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The council tax should be cut if the council had any concept of the value of money. There has just been too many examples of how they take the most expensive route or simply just flush our money down the toilet.

In answer to your question, it is only front-line services and staff that are being cut. The fat-cats at the top and the costly pension schemes are still absorbing increasing sums.

Bournemouth Council are aware that any increase in Council Tax here would almost sertainly be the proverbial last straw. Just about keeping the lid on our public fury with this decision probably!

If they can do it now why haven't they been able to do it in the past and why can't they continue to do it in the future?

Would suggest that the year on year increases in this regressive tax imposed on us by our 'self preservation society' has been unnecessary.

Its as if jobsworths have broken into every house in Bournemouth and stolen our money!

Council Taxpayers in Bournemouth will be very relieved to hear that there is to be no Council Tax increase for the coming year, and especially those on low incomes; so all credit to Councillor Beesley;. but for a clear and accurate assessment to be made we need some kind of independent audit to be provided;. for example
to what extent has capital spending on roads and infrastructure not been maintained in real terms, and to what extent have balances been used?

I note .of course, the increase in the Dorset Police precept, but that invites the question as to why we need to have a separate Dorset Police force.

Devon and Cornwall with a population substantially higher than Dorset and Wiltshire have one Chief Constable and one Police. Commissioner. Considerable savings could surely be made if the Dorset and Wilts police forces were combined with just one Chief Constable and one Police Commissioner . Has Councillor Beesley considered that option -particularly in view of his assessment that further cuts in government funding are to be expected ?

Bmthbeach wrote:

HRH of Boscombe wrote: How are Police and Fire costs increasing when the services are being cut? . The council tax should be cut if the council had any concept of the value of money. There has just been too many examples of how they take the most expensive route or simply just flush our money down the toilet.

Well now given that inflation is running at 2.5% and Bournemouth Council have absorbed the costs of the increased Fire and Police Services THIS IS A REDUCTION! Given the large reduction in Government Grants and Bournemouth Council's increased in spending of and extra £4m into Children's Services and £2m into Adult Social Care as well as other improvements I think that the Leader of the Council and his team are to be congratulated on their achievements! This is value for money!

Value for money??
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The Police have a two year pay freeze and capped at 1% after that. New constables are getting £4k less. How is their cost increasing?
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The council should freeze all their pay too and then offset the inflation on fuel costs by cutting the deadwood higher up. That would be closer to value for money.

HRH of Boscombe wrote:

Bmthbeach wrote:

HRH of Boscombe wrote: How are Police and Fire costs increasing when the services are being cut? . The council tax should be cut if the council had any concept of the value of money. There has just been too many examples of how they take the most expensive route or simply just flush our money down the toilet.

Well now given that inflation is running at 2.5% and Bournemouth Council have absorbed the costs of the increased Fire and Police Services THIS IS A REDUCTION! Given the large reduction in Government Grants and Bournemouth Council's increased in spending of and extra £4m into Children's Services and £2m into Adult Social Care as well as other improvements I think that the Leader of the Council and his team are to be congratulated on their achievements! This is value for money!

Value for money??
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The Police have a two year pay freeze and capped at 1% after that. New constables are getting £4k less. How is their cost increasing?
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The council should freeze all their pay too and then offset the inflation on fuel costs by cutting the deadwood higher up. That would be closer to value for money.

The new police commissioner has raised the costs I suspect to cover the 1% pay rise and the increase in electricity, petrol, and 2.7% in inflation as well as the extra 12 police officers he wants to employ. These things do not grow on tress and have to be paid for hence the increase in costs.
A 1% rise is more than a lot of people have received over the past couple of years and most do not have the benefit of a good pension scheme. Even the reduced starting pay of a new police officer is more than that of a soldier! The police do a great job and worthy of a good wage and pension but then so do many other working people.

The fact that Bournemouth Council have absorbed this increase and that of the Fire Service as well as all the other increases and in addition added substantial amounts to Adult and Children's Services and not put up your council tax is indeed an outstanding achievement. Look at what is happening in other Councils, Portsmouth, Southampton and the IOW if you are still in doubt.

Bmthbeach wrote:

HRH of Boscombe wrote:

Bmthbeach wrote:

HRH of Boscombe wrote: How are Police and Fire costs increasing when the services are being cut? . The council tax should be cut if the council had any concept of the value of money. There has just been too many examples of how they take the most expensive route or simply just flush our money down the toilet.

Well now given that inflation is running at 2.5% and Bournemouth Council have absorbed the costs of the increased Fire and Police Services THIS IS A REDUCTION! Given the large reduction in Government Grants and Bournemouth Council's increased in spending of and extra £4m into Children's Services and £2m into Adult Social Care as well as other improvements I think that the Leader of the Council and his team are to be congratulated on their achievements! This is value for money!

Value for money?? . The Police have a two year pay freeze and capped at 1% after that. New constables are getting £4k less. How is their cost increasing? . The council should freeze all their pay too and then offset the inflation on fuel costs by cutting the deadwood higher up. That would be closer to value for money.

The new police commissioner has raised the costs I suspect to cover the 1% pay rise and the increase in electricity, petrol, and 2.7% in inflation as well as the extra 12 police officers he wants to employ. These things do not grow on tress and have to be paid for hence the increase in costs. A 1% rise is more than a lot of people have received over the past couple of years and most do not have the benefit of a good pension scheme. Even the reduced starting pay of a new police officer is more than that of a soldier! The police do a great job and worthy of a good wage and pension but then so do many other working people. The fact that Bournemouth Council have absorbed this increase and that of the Fire Service as well as all the other increases and in addition added substantial amounts to Adult and Children's Services and not put up your council tax is indeed an outstanding achievement. Look at what is happening in other Councils, Portsmouth, Southampton and the IOW if you are still in doubt.

That's kind of the point though. We're led to believe the force is making cuts (front line cuts) but the restructuring (commissioners ect) is in fact costing more with less on the front line to deal with the what they are there for. REMIINDS ME OF BOURNEMOUTH COUNCIL just a little bit. I do respect front line Police that have to deal face to face with all sorts of problems but have zero respect and instead contempt for those running the force and lining their pockets.
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I appreciate the council may not have much control over that and have absorbed the cost but with the countless, what seems like daily examples of their jet set spending massive savings shouldn't be hard to find for a prudent mind.

If central government have cut the grant by 27% over the last 3 years and police and fire precepts have risen but council tax will not be raised this year then Bournemouth Council do need to be congratulated but the question has to be asked, " have we been overcharged over the last few years or our hard earned money wasted.

Hessenford wrote:
If central government have cut the grant by 27% over the last 3 years and police and fire precepts have risen but council tax will not be raised this year then Bournemouth Council do need to be congratulated but the question has to be asked, " have we been overcharged over the last few years or our hard earned money wasted.

Exactly. They expect congratulations but I want a refund for all their years of overspending with what seems like ignorance and negligence.

No doubt we will soon be told that in order to make up the income shortfall, the council are procuring a whole fleet of camera cars!

HRH of Boscombe wrote:

Hessenford wrote:
If central government have cut the grant by 27% over the last 3 years and police and fire precepts have risen but council tax will not be raised this year then Bournemouth Council do need to be congratulated but the question has to be asked, " have we been overcharged over the last few years or our hard earned money wasted.

Exactly. They expect congratulations but I want a refund for all their years of overspending with what seems like ignorance and negligence.

Refund? No chance, but you can now watch on-line where £10million of our hard earnt money is being reduced to an empty building site at Bournemouth Pier - roll up, roll up - the 'show' just started.

At least the 'future comprehensive developer' must be happy!

jobsworthwatch wrote:
No doubt we will soon be told that in order to make up the income shortfall, the council are procuring a whole fleet of camera cars!

I think thats an excellent idea. Councils should be encouraged to find ways of making money particularly from the ignorant and arrogant. Im all for it