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AnnieS
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09-01-2018, 06:58 AM
11

Re: Councils wasting money

I had an in-depth look into my council's accounts last year when they started a whole load of austerity measures that affected our environment but appeared to me to be wasting money. I wanted to understand how the provider had been procured. It was impossible to find out out exactly how decisions had been made, but it appears that most of the changes were agreed by elected councillors, much as they were in the Grenfell situation.

When residents questioned the environmental impact etc with the councillors some became defensive and others simply refused to answer.

But the accounts showed a complex assortment of grants and funding from a large number of organisations. It appears that central government tells councils they have to do certain things and then allocates money for this. It's a complex process to divert that money elsewhere.

So perhaps the canopy was part of some green construction funding because someone in government thought councils should build more environmentally friendly constructions and the council received a grant. Whoever worked out the cost did not understand how much it would cost to run each year, or maybe they were not listened to and now it's become an expensive white elephant. The people who made the decision are probably long gone.

So I guess the question is who should be making decisions about how to spend money? If we elect councillors are they the best people to represent our views in spending decisions? What if they don't represent our views or if they are poor at judging whether something is giving value for money to taxpayers? They usually vote on such projects.

Presumably the public can go to the meetings where they decide. I think these are planning sub-committees. I am not sure what arrangements there are in place now but when I had to go to a planning meeting about a local development years ago you have five mins to talk and then a red light would go on.
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09-01-2018, 09:51 AM
12

Re: Councils wasting money

Here public can attend some meetings but they are expected to be silent, if they speak up at all they are removed or councillors silently walk out.

My problem with both councillors and MPs is we elect basically members of the public. Someone once asked me to stand, I thought what a bad idea that was, I have no knowledge of these businesses, I may have opinions and can fight a good fight but does that make me suitable to spend council tax money or make the sort of decisions can change our town and lives ?

Many of the people doing it these days haven't even run a business, they are career politicians, know all about politics and nothing about the jobs they are allocated.
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09-01-2018, 11:00 AM
13

Re: Councils wasting money

I'm not sure if you're allowed to speak at ours these days. I went to one many years ago and you had to arrange your slot in advance. So public money ends up wasted and you can't really question it.
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09-01-2018, 11:24 AM
14

Re: Councils wasting money

Originally Posted by AnnieS ->
I'm not sure if you're allowed to speak at ours these days. I went to one many years ago and you had to arrange your slot in advance. So public money ends up wasted and you can't really question it.
I guess they expect us to vote them out of we don't like things but often it's only when they announce millions being used we realise what they are up to.
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09-01-2018, 12:38 PM
15

Re: Councils wasting money

Originally Posted by Julie1962 ->
I guess they expect us to vote them out of we don't like things but often it's only when they announce millions being used we realise what they are up to.
Exactly but by then the damage is done. Once they have committed to such projects it's too late to cancel them without a penalty. So someone else ends up dealing with the financial consequences. Some people have far too much responsibility for spending public funds.

I know this is to make local authorities more responsive to local needs, as otherwise projects would require months of scrutiny from a put-upon central department, but wouldn't that be better than making the wrong decision?
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09-01-2018, 03:01 PM
16

Re: Councils wasting money

Originally Posted by AnnieS ->
Exactly but by then the damage is done. Once they have committed to such projects it's too late to cancel them without a penalty. So someone else ends up dealing with the financial consequences. Some people have far too much responsibility for spending public funds.

I know this is to make local authorities more responsive to local needs, as otherwise projects would require months of scrutiny from a put-upon central department, but wouldn't that be better than making the wrong decision?
Almost anything would be Annie looking at the money wasted at the moment.
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09-01-2018, 03:03 PM
17

Re: Councils wasting money

First rule of the "Jobsworth":-

"If somebody higher up makes cuts to your budget, make sure that you cut back on those services which are most needed & valued"

"Then the people who have cut your budget suffer the most pain & humiliation via the media, etc"

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09-01-2018, 06:12 PM
18

Re: Councils wasting money

Surely councils aren't doing this Ted. Poor decisions aside, it's misdirected funding IMO.

Say the Highways agency sends money to councils for the upkeep of roads. The councils have full control on how they spend that funding. So when you drive across council borders you end up with potholes in one area and nice smooth asphalt in others. The system is set up that way because each council has different regional issues and it's considered right for them to make decisions locally. As these decisions are made by individuals who don't appear to communicate with other local authorities, there will be great disparity in how the funding is spent.

The alternative is for the highways agency not to delegate funding but it appears that it's easier to do so because the council has such a major part in organising roadworks, being the administrative hub of the region.

I think the answer is to encourage greater public involvement. Some local authorities are really arrogant in the way they treat residents even though they receive a chunk of their funding from them. I'm sure there is more public engagement than we have come across. They have consultations and such. But then they can totally disregard the results.

I guess it's all down to how they are audited (and I don't mean financial audit). Surely they have a code of conduct.
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10-01-2018, 08:55 PM
19

Re: Councils wasting money

Originally Posted by Longdogs ->
Council decision makers are a breed apart. They never get it right in my opinion. That canopy is so ugly, it should never have got planning permission in the first place. I suppose we have to take into account the possibility of back handers that influence things like this. Surrey council might be Tory (I have no idea) but money wasting happens in all council across the country.
Quite right Longdogs.

Brown envelopes are passed round discretely, to The Boss of the Planning Committee
His trousers are made with very generous back pockets

They are called ." Fill em up Pockets " that is why he is 'broad in the beam' and stands back to back with applicants.

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11-01-2018, 08:15 AM
20

Re: Councils wasting money

Originally Posted by Julie1962 ->
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/surr...anopy-14117631 What a waste !


After this and a few other decisions my local council have made I'm beginning to wonder what all the austerity has been about. They've closed so many things we need for the community, they've cut back rubbish collection and many other things they used to spend on but are chucking money away on buying office blocks and tearing down £4million canopy.

Makes me wonder how much is wasted around the country ? Is your council absolutely useless too ?
What are you talking about? Councils wasting money? It's in their job description.
 
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