Focus News

March 2008 Focus

The Do-Nothing Council

Just 11 months after the Borough elections and the Tories are wondering what to do. The Borough's strategy for the next four years has just been published and it contains virtually no proposals to tackle the area's problems.

At a recent council meeting we proposed that they should take action on:

> Anti-social behaviour

> Empty properties (there are 2,500 empty houses and flats in the Borough)

> Rising energy costs

> Deprivation (the government has criticised the council for its inaction)

The Tories said "no" to everything! We have looked through the strategy and can find nothing suggested by the Tories. Why were they so keen to win the elections and be in charge if there were no improvements they wanted to make? We have persuaded the Borough to look into how much they spend putting right vandalism. Perhaps this will persuade the Tories to do something about anti-social behaviour.

Another £9,000 Gone!

Another month goes by and another £9,000 goes up in smoke! That's the monthly cost of leaving empty Killisick Court in Arnold. The building has now been empty for over a year and the total cost is around £200,000, for nothing! In addition, the cost of repairing the building is going up; the value of Balmoral House in Colwick, intended to be sold to part pay for the repairs, is going down and you are paying for homeless people to be put in bed and breakfast accommodation. However, the Tories tell us that they have some secret negotiations going on.

Satisfaction Survey

Every year the Borough does a survey to find out how it stands in your opinion. The results of this year's survey have just appeared: There is a relatively high satisfaction with basic services, Fear of crime is the biggest problem, especially concern over youth groups and anti-social behaviour, There is a skills deficit amongst those working. School pupils perform well at 14 but are below average at 16 and worse at working age. The Tories have no plans to act on this information.

Gedling's Council Tax

The ruling Tories pushed through their budget with a 3% increase in Council Tax. They will keep the extra 6 bin collections in the summer (costing £160,000), scrap the subsidy for police support officers (we lose 6 officers from our streets), saving £132,000 and virtually no money for anything else. They have no ideas and no direction for the council and their priorities are wrong. The Labour Party wanted to scrap the extra summer bin collections, increase Council Tax by 3.25% and spend the extra money on a lot of small environmental schemes. These were interesting but not properly costed. The LibDems wanted to scrap the extra summer bin collections and to tackle Anti-Social Behaviour either by continuing the subsidy on the police officers or by any other method. We also wanted to scrap the charges for taking away fridges and freezers. We believe that the Council has lost direction by removing the pressure against Anti-Social Behaviour and deciding against tackling environmental damage and costs.

Arnold Masterplan

It looks as though the part of Arnold Town centre bounded by High St., Cross St., Front St. and Croft Rd will be knocked down and redeveloped (except the library and leisure centre). This will mean a bigger health centre, maybe a bigger Asda and lots of new shops. This will all take several years and the detailed plans will not be available until early 2009.

£2,000 Every Week!

Killisick Court, on Coppice Road in Arnold, continues to stand empty. It has been empty for over a year because the Tories refuse to have it converted into homeless flats. The waste of money continues at a rate of over £2,000 per week and this doesn't include the cost of bed and breakfast accommodation for homeless people who ought to be living there. This is the price residents are paying to keep the peace amongst Tory councillors.

Council House Rents

From April, council house rents are to go up by 5.8%. This was decided by the Tories alone - no-one else even had a vote on it. The government are forcing rents up, but the Council could have chosen a smaller increase. They didn't because the extra rent money will end up in the Council's bank account if the tenants vote for a transfer.

Bus Passes

The Government has given local councils £212m for so-called "free national travel", which is really "free travel on local buses". The trouble is that the cost is nearer £500m. Gedling will receive £307,000 extra, but the extra cost is £680,000. Nottingham City expects to have extra costs of £1.65m. If one of us goes to the QMC, we have to use 4 buses and 3 of the journeys will begin in the City. The system means that City tax payers will pay for those 3 journeys. This is a hopelessly unfair way to deliver an important new service.

Landfill Taxes

Councils pay the government £32 for every tonne of rubbish that goes to landfill (it was £14 per tonne in 2003). The charge goes up to £48 in 2010. The government said the extra money would go to help councils to recycle. Now the government is keeping the money.

September 2008 Focus

Icelandic Banks

Gedling Borough has no money invested in Icelandic banks. Our understanding is that Gedling's reserves are all in safe places and, in fact, earning good interest. Some years ago, the Borough lost nearly £1m of investments in the Chancery Bank that went bankrupt. Some of that money was recovered as the bank's assets were liquidated but there was a significant overall loss.

Killisick Court

Gedling Borough can't give it away, and they've tried. This very large, very expensive building was thought to be in such a bad condition that Gedling Borough tried to give it away to Gedling Homes as part of the housing transfer which takes place on November 3rd. Gedling Homes didn't want it! The Borough has, therefore, done a proper survey of the building's condition and has now decided that it isn't in so bad a condition after all! We are waiting to see the next attempt at wriggling out of the mess the Tories have created.

Working Party

Cllr Chris Pratt is chairing a Working Party at the Council. They are trying to find out what vandalism costs the Council, but progress is very slow. We are doing this to try to put pressure on the Tories to make greater efforts to tackle anti-social behaviour in the Borough. A survey has shown that this is your top priority.

October 2008 Focus

Do-Nothing Council - 3

Every year Gedling's Leisure Department increases its prices for the use of its leisure centres, pitches, etc. Last year it put up the prices by too much and takings dropped by £85,000! Last year the takings from hiring out the Millennium Suite on Foxhill Road, Carlton, dropped by £60,000. We were told this was due to the down-turn in the economy. The problem is that these losses were £12,000 per month and no-one seems to have noticed until the end of the financial year. The drop in income this year is now predicted to be £325,000 and at last something is being done. A committee is looking into it! Too little, too late?

Action-At Last?

Gedling's Tory cabinet asked the Carbon Renewal Trust to present a report on what the Borough could do to save money on its fuel costs. The report said that by spending £208,000, the Council could save enough energy get its money back in just under 2½ years, saving over £80,000 a year and then continuing to make those savings. What did they do with the report? It's not entirely clear, but they seem to have referred it to a committee of officers who will try to do the easy bits. Of course, the Council told them to do this in March 2007 and they have delayed for 12 months. That 12 months of inactivity means a little over £80,000 has been wasted and if the "committee of officers" isn't able to get on and do the job properly, then even more of your money will go down the drain.

Killisick Court-Arnold

The news gets worse. In August there was a special council meeting called by the Labour Party to debate the future of Killisick Court (we are not the only ones worried about this, it seems). The Labour Party don't quite understand the situation as they called for Killisick Court to be returned to warden-aided accommodation for the elderly, but the Borough has a surplus of such accommodation. At the meeting we accused the Tories of wasting £400,000 which they didn't deny, but they did claim that, even though the property was empty, the Council wasn't losing any rent! A lot of councillors laughed. The Evening Post reporter present said later that he had asked the Council's press office how much rent was being lost and he had been told it was £4,000 per month. Gedling's Tories are not spending your money wisely.

Council Tax - It IS Broke & We Must Fix It

Commenting on Conservative plans on Council Tax, Cllr Richard Kemp, LibDem Leader at the LGA, said: "The council tax system is flawed and the Tories' plan doesn't address the long term problems. The only way to get local government finance on a stable footing would be root and branch reform of how councils are funded so that they are less reliant on money from the Government. We believe that the only fair way of doing this is a Local Income Tax, which fairly reflects people's ability to pay. Councils are now the most efficient part of the public sector. Town halls are making savings of almost £100 million a month and will continue to make almost £5bn more savings over the next few years. The struggle to keep council tax down has become an annual battle for town halls because funding from central Government has failed to keep pace with the extra pressures placed on local services." Vince Cable MP, LibDem Shadow Chancellor, accusing his Tory counterpart George Osborne of "playing a hopeless game of catch up" over the proposal to freeze council tax, added: "Rather than making tough economic choices over tax and spending, George Osborne is simply passing the buck to local councils, expecting them to make arbitrary cuts. This false promise of freezing council tax will be entirely dependent on individual councils being able to cut their budgets, which is likely to leave the poorest areas with continuing council tax rises." Dr Cable also criticised Mr Osborne's "vague aspiration of national tax cuts at some point in the future". He added: "This country needs a party that is willing to take the tough choices today to reduce the tax burden for people on low and middle incomes hit hardest by the financial crisis."

Lorry Problem to Get Worse?

Focus has learned that the City and County Councils and Rushcliffe (West Bridgford and the southern part of the county) are planning to save money by having a joint depot for their lorries. Their problem is where to put it. They are looking at two pieces of land, both in this area - one on Severn Trent land recently taken out of the Green Belt for industrial uses which is accessed off the new by-pass road and the other on the Colwick industrial estate. This new depot would, if it goes ahead, mean a significant increase in lorry traffic using the Colwick Loop Road and also some increase in lorries going through Burton Joyce. At the present time we have no additional information but if the scheme progresses, we will keep you informed.

March 2009 Focus

Your Council Tax Bill for Next Year: County Council UP 3%; Gedling UP 2.44%; Police UP 4.94%; Fire UP 3.5%, Overall, that's an increase of a little over 3%

At Gedling Borough on March 4th, the Tories passed their budget for 2009/10 with an increase in their Council Tax of 2.44%. They have 28 of the 50 votes and so this was always going to happen. Part of the Borough's problems are because the Tories were not "on the ball" and part because of wider problems. Normally the Tories dismiss alternatives with some contempt but this year they listened to the Opposition more carefully because they don't know what they may have to do next year.

The Background

The Government has kept its word over grant levels. In fact the Borough has recently received an extra £171,000 for this year. The extra summer bin collections cost £150,000. This policy is the Tory's star contribution (the Opposition think it's their only contribution). They have protected this policy despite cuts in many other places. The Opposition has always opposed this spending. Two years ago all three parties agreed to introduce car parking charges at 20p for the first hour and 50p for two hours in order to stop "parking and riding", often by people who don't live in the Borough. This scheme was intended to make more spaces available to shoppers. There were to be no charges in Netherfield.

The New Budget

Introduces car parking charges at 60p for the first hour and £1 for two hours (now the object is to raise money); half price in Netherfield. Staff cuts of £200,000 next year (it's already running at well over that rate); this will mean cuts in all sorts of services.

Less cutting of grass verges.

Closing Cemetery Lodge in Carlton in six months' time.

No "entertainment" when the Christmas lights are switched on;

Other minor cuts.

Both Opposition parties know that the Borough's financial position means that car parking charges have to be introduced. The LibDems proposed the same prices as two years ago. Labour proposed the same prices as the Tories but postponed for one year. Labour wanted to scrap a big redevelopment scheme in central Arnold but didn't seem to realise this meant losing the proposed new health centre.

Both Opposition parties wanted to scrap the extra summer bin collections and opposed the closing of Cemetery Lodge (Carlton). When that goes, the Council will have no presence "the other side of the hill" (the Tories only have one ward in Carlton).

The LibDems also wanted to cut out a lot of spending on councillors and entertainment: £30,000 paid to 6 Tory, 1 LibDem and 1 Labour councillor - the Tories refused. £12,000 for councillors to go to Germany (with a bigger saving to follow) - the Tories refused. £2,000 for hospitality, mainly drink - the Tories refused. The "goodies" remain untouched! £25,000 off spending on the mayor who will continue to ride round in a chauffeur-driven limousine-the Tories agreed to look at this next year. £40,000 off the cost of the Gedling Show and Arnold Carnival, with a lot more savings to come (total cost £155,000!), by getting it organised by voluntary groups - the Tories refused. We did persuade the Tories to vote for (and therefore pass) a freeze in councillor pay for this year (instead of a 2½% increase-the same as the staff). Labour voted against this.

May 2009 Focus

Car Parking Charges

The Liberal Democrats proposed the LOWEST level of car parking charges at the Borough's budget meeting on March 4th. We proposed 20p for the first hour and 50p for the second hour with a high charge after that. This was intended to stop people, many from outside the Borough, who are parking and riding (into the City). Their cars are taking up spaces needed by shoppers. Labour proposed no car parking charges, but only for 2009/10. After this year they proposed the same charges as the Tories. In other words, car parking charges after this year's elections. The Tories are claiming that the public voted for the charges, but we all know the consultation exercise was a sham.

Gedling 'Goodies'

Liberal Democrats recognise that these days everybody must be prepared to make savings, particularly local councillors. At the Gedling Borough meeting in February the Liberal Democrats proposed a freeze on Councillor pay. The Conservatives supported it but Labour's 'full-time councillors' voted against. It passed. More should have been done. At the March meeting Liberal Democrat councillors wanted to eliminate two of the council 'portfolios' and end extra payments to 8 Councillors - 6 from the Conservatives and 1 each from Labour and Liberal Democrats. Now that the Council's 3,500 housing stock has been transferred away from the Council, Liberal Democrats see little point in keeping a separate Housing Portfolio. Gedling Tories voted to keep it. In 2008 Gedling's Tories created an extra portfolio for their Deputy Leader who receives nearly £6,500 for spending a budget of just £60,000 a year. The Liberal Democrats never agreed to that post, but the Gedling Tories voted to keep it. If the Liberal Democrat plan had been followed, £30,000 would have been saved this year. Liberal Democrats wanted further savings on Councillors' expenses for twinning trips, hospitality and expenses for the Mayor. In total nearly £70,000 of Council Tax money could have been saved. Once again the Tories said NO, preferring to hold on to their "goodies" for another year.

Local Policing

The recent armed robbery at Burton Joyce Post Office is a worrying reminder about Policing in Nottinghamshire. Even the Government accepts that Notts Constabulary is under funded by £7 million a year and has been under funded for years... However, putting that right means taking money from other Police forces or increasing the overall national Police budget. It seems the government isn't prepared to do that. As a result Notts Constabulary is understaffed by 38 Officers, 24 Police Community Support Officers, 9 Specials and 125 civilian staff. Yet the Chief Constable has recently apologised for not spending £2 million of last year's budget. They've taken your money but have failed to spend it on fighting crime. Now the Police Authority has just added an inflation busting 4.94% to your Council Tax. Commenting, Richard Berry said, "The first priority must be recruitment to replace the 78 Officers lost last year. The time has come to give Nottinghamshire citizens the Police Force they deserve and pay for."

Did You Know?

Both the Government and the County Council should be fully aware of the policing situation in Gedling. Gedling's MP is the Minister for Police. The funding of police forces is his responsibility. One of Gedling's Labour County Councillors is Chair of the Nottinghamshire Police Authority. The spending of your police Council Tax is his responsibility.