Brighton and Hove council tax referendum (From The Argus)

Absolutely crazy, refusing money, the ONLY council in England & Wales I hear to be doing so.

Well done people for voting in the loonies, and I bet the majority of the loony voters were students who don't even pay council tax!

The Greens really have fallen out of the tree and hit all the branches on the way down!

mustaphaLeeko wrote:
Absolutely crazy, refusing money, the ONLY council in England & Wales I hear to be doing so.

Well done people for voting in the loonies, and I bet the majority of the loony voters were students who don't even pay council tax!

The Greens really have fallen out of the tree and hit all the branches on the way down!

Yes, you're correct about students voting Green, as I mentioned in a different topic.

'Brussels' Lucas and her Marxist bunch of Green loons were campaigning extremely hard for the student vote, and were a permanent fixture on both university campuses prior to the election.

All the students (who don't have to pay council tax, and are financed by mummy and daddy) probably voted for the Greens because they thought it was 'trendy' to do so.

Shame students can't practice what they preach (or voted for) when they ignore recycling protocol and put rubbish bags on the street whenever they want to (thus making parts of Brighton look like a Mumbai slum...)

brunswick2019 wrote:

mustaphaLeeko wrote: Absolutely crazy, refusing money, the ONLY council in England & Wales I hear to be doing so. Well done people for voting in the loonies, and I bet the majority of the loony voters were students who don't even pay council tax! The Greens really have fallen out of the tree and hit all the branches on the way down!

Yes, you're correct about students voting Green, as I mentioned in a different topic. 'Brussels' Lucas and her Marxist bunch of Green loons were campaigning extremely hard for the student vote, and were a permanent fixture on both university campuses prior to the election. All the students (who don't have to pay council tax, and are financed by mummy and daddy) probably voted for the Greens because they thought it was 'trendy' to do so. Shame students can't practice what they preach (or voted for) when they ignore recycling protocol and put rubbish bags on the street whenever they want to (thus making parts of Brighton look like a Mumbai slum...)

Well I don't really care for any political party, they are all as bad as each other in onr way or another.

I just think it's a nonsense situation for the current lot to actually think it's a good idea when everyone is broke!!!

Let's hope these muppets go at the next local election.

How the hell is this a "referendum"!?? I just logged on 57 times with fake accounts and voted lol

As usual Caroline Lucas MP is on her favourite platform and scaremongering about cuts in services now and a bigger rise in council tax in the future if we accept the governments £3million subsidy to freeze the council tax this year. Surely Caroline it would make sense to accept the money this year when very many people are feeling a huge strain on their finances (not yours i presume). The citizens of this town and the wider country are all having to trim their spending and to save money where they can, is Brighton & Hove council not capable of doing the same??

what I would like is for the councils to stop wasting our money on ridiculous schemes, particularly ridiculous road schemes, I would rather our roads re surfaced and the pavements relaid and that would be safer. the increase in homeless people is due to the greens as they are seen as a soft touch so no matter how much more we pay the more they will spend on outsiders coming to the city for the green handouts. the greens have failed to make any real green policies such as park and ride, they just think lets put up prices for car drivers to park and that is green, no that is economic suicide. a vote of NO CONFIDENCE is needed not a referendum.

Totally agree with brunswick 2019, I vote for him/her please for the voice of common sense.

But on a serious issue, if all the protesters who Ben Duncan drags into Brighton and if all the caravan-towing-dwell
ers and druggies who Caroline welcomes into Brighton were to pay a contribution then Brighton would be the richest borough in the UK.

I have no issue paying an additional 3.5 per cent for frontline services ie children's care, elderly care, refuse collection etc.
However, I am opposed to spending cash on non-essential projects such as putting solar panels on council homes, allowing a dump to be illegally created in the city centre gardens and failing to address the increasing problem of traveller camps.
Now is the time for councils across the UK to spend responsibly.
The current council has no business experience which is beginning to impact on the residents.
With regards to students, some of us have been impacted by their behaviour for many years and have taken on the mantle of trying to get the colleges, police and council to manage this growing population.
Now the whole city is impacted as the additional 30,000 who have entered the city in recent years is now impacting on the electoral process despite them not being full time residnets and not paying council tax.
What is democratic about that?

I think your figures on average annual increase are incorrect. I don't know who in the Argus office did your calculations, but I've worked out the following increases (not including cumulative over 3 years).

Those on Disability Relief (lowest band) will see an increase of 55p per week, Band A 67p pw, Band C 78p pw, Band C 89p pw, Band D £1, Band E £1.22, Band F £1.44, Band g £1.66 pw-

Making an average of nearly £1.03 per week increase

A bit more than your 51p!

Should be getting a reduction.Council should cut there wages and expenses lets face it they produce nothing.For all their salerys and expenses thing only ever get worse,look at the state of the place.For what it costs to send out bills ,to collect money and chase non payers,it would probobly be cheaper to scrap the lot.

The green party sure know how to shoot themselves in the foot with their low appeal policies. Caroline will have to be out kissing some babies around student halls come voting time.

Some of the above is worthy only of the psychologists couch - get a grip people. The council will be cutting at least 5-8% even with a 3.5% hike and more every year from now. The implication of no increase to tax and accepting the false bribe make the cuts nearer to 9%, almost impossible to deliver in one year and resulting in pandemonium to street collections of waste and cutr backs in child support etc...

markdutton wrote:
Some of the above is worthy only of the psychologists couch - get a grip people. The council will be cutting at least 5-8% even with a 3.5% hike and more every year from now. The implication of no increase to tax and accepting the false bribe make the cuts nearer to 9%, almost impossible to deliver in one year and resulting in pandemonium to street collections of waste and cutr backs in child support etc...

And of course the councillors pay would have to fall quicker.

There is an easy way to sort out the student vote. All students should only eligible to vote in the town of their parents.
Having a very large student population, who are by their very nature transient, skews the election results, and allows parties like the Greens in, which I doubt would have happened had the vote only been open to the long term residents of Brighton and Hove.

NickBrt wrote:
Totally agree with brunswick 2019, I vote for him/her please for the voice of common sense.

Well, thank you! :-)

I don't think any of us mind paying a little extra council tax, if a) it gives us better and more reliable services and b) it helps the disadvantaged, such as the homeless and elderly.

What I fail to understand is how the Greens can be seriously thinking of reducing refuse collection once a month in the city, yet increasing the amount of payable council tax.

I don't want my council tax money being spent on sending Green councillors to the Netherlands to research gays and lesbians working in local government; I want it spent on maintaing street lights and fixing potholes and a regular refuse collection!

Yep. why should the long term working population have to suffer idealogical student common room hogwash from juveniles whose mickey mouse qualifications render them irrelevant to our city's economy once they find out how unemployable they actually are and have to go elsewhere?
Its not fair on the rest of us who have to deal with the reality of having green policy imposed on us at a time when its being proved counter productive, politically and economically irrelevant and unsustainable.
Sustainable seems to be a big green word, they're proving themselves to be the complete opposite.

nocando wrote:
Yep. why should the long term working population have to suffer idealogical student common room hogwash from juveniles whose mickey mouse qualifications render them irrelevant to our city's economy once they find out how unemployable they actually are and have to go elsewhere?
Its not fair on the rest of us who have to deal with the reality of having green policy imposed on us at a time when its being proved counter productive, politically and economically irrelevant and unsustainable.
Sustainable seems to be a big green word, they're proving themselves to be the complete opposite.

Excellent point, and tragic that transient students on 'media studies' and 'events management' degrees have been able to influence the political makeup of Brighton.

Students should only be allowed to vote in the town that their parents are resident in...

Pork William wrote:

nocando wrote:
Yep. why should the long term working population have to suffer idealogical student common room hogwash from juveniles whose mickey mouse qualifications render them irrelevant to our city's economy once they find out how unemployable they actually are and have to go elsewhere?
Its not fair on the rest of us who have to deal with the reality of having green policy imposed on us at a time when its being proved counter productive, politically and economically irrelevant and unsustainable.
Sustainable seems to be a big green word, they're proving themselves to be the complete opposite.

Excellent point, and tragic that transient students on 'media studies' and 'events management' degrees have been able to influence the political makeup of Brighton.

Students should only be allowed to vote in the town that their parents are resident in...

Yeah but what if their parents are aliens? This just makes it all the more vital we build a UFO tracking centre, to trace the parents.

That flash in the pan kitcat quoted as saying that 'the people of brighton have overwhelmingly voted for green policy' should probably check out the stats for this poll before making imperious assumptions that its the thumbs up to go on a spending spree.
Not for a moment suggesting that the argus forum is the be all and end all but its users come from either end of the political spectrum. keep digging kitcat you twit.

Servalan wrote:

Pork William wrote:

nocando wrote:
Yep. why should the long term working population have to suffer idealogical student common room hogwash from juveniles whose mickey mouse qualifications render them irrelevant to our city's economy once they find out how unemployable they actually are and have to go elsewhere?
Its not fair on the rest of us who have to deal with the reality of having green policy imposed on us at a time when its being proved counter productive, politically and economically irrelevant and unsustainable.
Sustainable seems to be a big green word, they're proving themselves to be the complete opposite.

Excellent point, and tragic that transient students on 'media studies' and 'events management' degrees have been able to influence the political makeup of Brighton.

Students should only be allowed to vote in the town that their parents are resident in...

Yeah but what if their parents are aliens? This just makes it all the more vital we build a UFO tracking centre, to trace the parents.

Well, as Supreme Commander of the Terran Federation I have no doubt that you will hunt these degenerates down and offer-up swift and punitive justice, lol!

You need to do something about that Blake as well; he's running rings round you!

I have to admit that as a young lad, I always had a 'thing' about you; have you still got that sexy cropped hair and a fetching line in off-the-shoulder dresses?

About 80% of Council expenditure goes on wages for their staff.
When the last administration took over in 2007 they found over 80 salaries still being paid to staff who had long since left. More than 200 cars were being insured at the Council's expense where no-one could trace the owners. The Council has 10,000 employees. An assessment forecast that in the event of a major strike the Council's key services could be run with less than 500 agency staff. Our Council came second top of the list in the UK of most sick days taken by staff. The procedure for sacking is so complex no-one has ever been sacked for excessive sickness. If we add all the taxes we pay together they total 43% of our incomes. That means out of every ten years we spent four years working for free to keep the civil servants in their privileges. Over a 40 year working life we are spending 16 years in the state Gulag.

Pork William wrote:

Servalan wrote:

Pork William wrote:

nocando wrote:
Yep. why should the long term working population have to suffer idealogical student common room hogwash from juveniles whose mickey mouse qualifications render them irrelevant to our city's economy once they find out how unemployable they actually are and have to go elsewhere?
Its not fair on the rest of us who have to deal with the reality of having green policy imposed on us at a time when its being proved counter productive, politically and economically irrelevant and unsustainable.
Sustainable seems to be a big green word, they're proving themselves to be the complete opposite.

Excellent point, and tragic that transient students on 'media studies' and 'events management' degrees have been able to influence the political makeup of Brighton.

Students should only be allowed to vote in the town that their parents are resident in...

Yeah but what if their parents are aliens? This just makes it all the more vital we build a UFO tracking centre, to trace the parents.

Well, as Supreme Commander of the Terran Federation I have no doubt that you will hunt these degenerates down and offer-up swift and punitive justice, lol!

You need to do something about that Blake as well; he's running rings round you!

I have to admit that as a young lad, I always had a 'thing' about you; have you still got that sexy cropped hair and a fetching line in off-the-shoulder dresses?

No, these days Jacqueline Pearce mostly lives in South Africa at a sanctuary of baby orphan monkeys,
but I think that you should bear in mind that all her lines were written by Chris Boucher and the late Terry Nation, both of whom are/were of the male persausion.

Servalan wrote:
How the hell is this a "referendum"!?? I just logged on 57 times with fake accounts and voted lol

57 votes oh well, keeps you busy! Incidentally I did not vote green either,I just keep smiling and collect my minimum wage, just a pity it's £1.11 less than the Council's lowest paid workers!!!!!!!!!!!!!
!!

Ballroom Blitz wrote:
There is an easy way to sort out the student vote. All students should only eligible to vote in the town of their parents.
Having a very large student population, who are by their very nature transient, skews the election results, and allows parties like the Greens in, which I doubt would have happened had the vote only been open to the long term residents of Brighton and Hove.

But there's been students here for ages so every previous administration has according to your reckoning only been thanks to them!

Let's just round up all the old young and disabled and shoot them. that would save money. Oh and of course the unemployed, which of course there will be more of because of all those council employees who wont have a job to do anymore!

A disappointing story in some ways as the Argus has covered this issue in some detail in the past. Everyone knew for absolute certainty that a Green administration would cost more. Sorry folks, even the politicians told us the truth on that one. We have nothing to moan about. Non voters should hang your heads in shame if you're moaning about this proposed Council Tax increase.

Servalan wrote:
How the hell is this a "referendum"!?? I just logged on 57 times with fake accounts and voted lol

There is no such thing as a fake account only Saddos with 57 different e-mail addresses to register 57 different accounts

The extra money is to provide extra tents for the activists/toilet portakabins,tea and coffee and for the Greenies expenses travelling back and forth from Belgium.You naive students and middle class new age /save the planet loonies.You have ruined this town.Now clear off and go and make a mess of another city.

alyn, southwick wrote:

Ballroom Blitz wrote:
There is an easy way to sort out the student vote. All students should only eligible to vote in the town of their parents.
Having a very large student population, who are by their very nature transient, skews the election results, and allows parties like the Greens in, which I doubt would have happened had the vote only been open to the long term residents of Brighton and Hove.

But there's been students here for ages so every previous administration has according to your reckoning only been thanks to them!

No just the other parties didnt promise free lollypops for votes on campus.

alyn, southwick wrote:
Let's just round up all the old young and disabled and shoot them. that would save money. Oh and of course the unemployed, which of course there will be more of because of all those council employees who wont have a job to do anymore!

Okay that sounds good, Im behind you, WHn do you want to start.

William Mills wrote:
About 80% of Council expenditure goes on wages for their staff. When the last administration took over in 2007 they found over 80 salaries still being paid to staff who had long since left. More than 200 cars were being insured at the Council's expense where no-one could trace the owners. The Council has 10,000 employees. An assessment forecast that in the event of a major strike the Council's key services could be run with less than 500 agency staff. Our Council came second top of the list in the UK of most sick days taken by staff. The procedure for sacking is so complex no-one has ever been sacked for excessive sickness. If we add all the taxes we pay together they total 43% of our incomes. That means out of every ten years we spent four years working for free to keep the civil servants in their privileges. Over a 40 year working life we are spending 16 years in the state Gulag.

In short, none of the above is even remotely true. It's a rant, nothing more, nothing less.

If you want a sane debate, fine, but please resist posting absolute rubbish like this.

They have a tiny majority, they have tiny majorities in their individual seats, Clueless had about the smallest majority in the country, overall we did not vote for them. They pontificate as if they were goods.The words green and enviromental have taken on the guise of holy water.

Basically they are as power greedy as the rest

ourcoalition wrote:

William Mills wrote:
About 80% of Council expenditure goes on wages for their staff. When the last administration took over in 2007 they found over 80 salaries still being paid to staff who had long since left. More than 200 cars were being insured at the Council's expense where no-one could trace the owners. The Council has 10,000 employees. An assessment forecast that in the event of a major strike the Council's key services could be run with less than 500 agency staff. Our Council came second top of the list in the UK of most sick days taken by staff. The procedure for sacking is so complex no-one has ever been sacked for excessive sickness. If we add all the taxes we pay together they total 43% of our incomes. That means out of every ten years we spent four years working for free to keep the civil servants in their privileges. Over a 40 year working life we are spending 16 years in the state Gulag.

In short, none of the above is even remotely true. It's a rant, nothing more, nothing less.

If you want a sane debate, fine, but please resist posting absolute rubbish like this.

Prove it

I'd like to ask the council:- To pay this increase in Council Tax, what do you want ME to cut back on? Electricity? Gas? Phone? Rent? Food? At some stage in the near future, it's going to be one or the other. Someone's going to have to go without their money from me, so that someone else can have it. I can't dodge paying Council Tax, the bailliffs will be round to collect it. British Gas and BT will cut me off if I don't pay. My landlord will evict me if I don't pay the rent. I have to eat. I've already forgone a social life. So, what next?

mustaphaLeeko wrote:
Absolutely crazy, refusing money, the ONLY council in England & Wales I hear to be doing so. Well done people for voting in the loonies, and I bet the majority of the loony voters were students who don't even pay council tax! The Greens really have fallen out of the tree and hit all the branches on the way down!

Excellent - such intelligent comments. NOT!
I'm so tempted to talk about the 24% of voters who put the Conservatives in charge of running the country........or wrecking it, more like.
Fact - this is not the only Council to refuse the money.
Fact - this Council hasn't done so as yet. Like all the others, they are in the process of setting the budget - it is not set till January/February, at the earliest.
That is what democracy is about - debate, voting and decisions.
Oh, and students voting where they live -it encourages that very same democracy.

Usual knocking comments from the usual suspects.

As a point of accuracy a 3.5% increase is a actually a relative cut as October RPI is 5.4% & CPI is at 5%. The headline should really be "Council to cut Council Tax by 1.5%".

Perhaps the Greens should play the game and increase cuts for a good headline this year, but I would like the Argus to inform us on the outlook over the next 2-3 years. Will a rise now mean lower rises in the future as proposed by Clr Kitkat. If so, I hope that the Greens will ignore short term popular headlines and think medium to long term.

No increase in Council Tax is ever welcome. Real wages are being eroded by employers, energy bills are up significantly and covering up decline in real wages by availibility of ever cheaper imported goods is now unravelling. For those concerned about the squeeze on incomes Council Tax is minor compared to the other factors.

HJarrs, first many people have actually had a cut or freeze in their salaries for several years so to say that a 3.5 per cent below inflation increase is palatable you are clearly out of line with the majority of the UK.
Second, I and many other people don't mind paying for front line services, but we have little faith in this current administation in spending responsibly.
Do we really need to be installing solar panels on council homes when the homes themselves are in desperate need of repair, do we really need to be installing cycle lanes for a small number of cyclists - and I am a cyclist but believe the money could be better spent. Do we really need to increase parking charges at a time when we need to stimulate the local economy when West Sussex Council has suffered a loss after increasing parking charges.
This council is not managing the economy and is out of touch with the local people in the same way Labour were which lead to their election defeat.
If the Greens were in power when there was plenty of cash washing about, people would have perhaps been less critical, but we are not in an econimic climate where ordinary people can afford to live or vote Green.

Maxwell's Ghost wrote:
HJarrs, first many people have actually had a cut or freeze in their salaries for several years so to say that a 3.5 per cent below inflation increase is palatable you are clearly out of line with the majority of the UK. Second, I and many other people don't mind paying for front line services, but we have little faith in this current administation in spending responsibly. Do we really need to be installing solar panels on council homes when the homes themselves are in desperate need of repair, do we really need to be installing cycle lanes for a small number of cyclists - and I am a cyclist but believe the money could be better spent. Do we really need to increase parking charges at a time when we need to stimulate the local economy when West Sussex Council has suffered a loss after increasing parking charges. This council is not managing the economy and is out of touch with the local people in the same way Labour were which lead to their election defeat. If the Greens were in power when there was plenty of cash washing about, people would have perhaps been less critical, but we are not in an econimic climate where ordinary people can afford to live or vote Green.

I too have had a salary freeze and I now take home 20% less than 2 years ago in real terms. However, I have to disagree with you.

Firstly, the solar panels policy was to have been a revenue generator not a cost to the council. Good business for B&H. Following the government change of feed in tarrifs I understand that this is unfortunately being reviewed. I hope that it is still financially viable to continue.

Where are the new cycle lanes? Myself and my family are waiting for them! I hope that the highways budget is being reshaped to give good quality cycle lanes greater priority as we need to provide this infrastructure. Apart from the environmental issues, many people, particularly the young, are being priced out of car ownership and I believe that we should be providing a safe environment in which to cycle as an alternative.

Parking charges will go up as an altternative revenue stream. Westminster Council is the lead exponenet of this and is currently embroiled in controversy about extending charges.

As a Green voter I am pleased that there has been no rash spending but rather realpolitik about the funding situation. Labour were lucky to govern locally when money was available, I don't have too much of an axe to grind other than they could have been much more radical. The Tories did little or nothing. For any administration to govern in the current climate and avoid sweeping cuts in services is a real achievement.

Sadly HJarrs only the wealthy or those being supplemented by some sort of state support such as council housing, income support, housing benefit, can afford to vote green which is reflected in the wards which voted them in.
I know ordinary working families without any of the above help who take their kids to libraries in the day or on buses as they can't afford to put the heating on.
While this is the reality, the Greens are talking about Tweeting from the council chamber, solar panels for the few and increasing parking charges.
There are plenty of more effective ways to generate income which will support all residents and not just a select cycle riding rich or council tenants.

I think the greens are great, I can afford these increases, and with their plans for cars I will be able to park easier and not queue so much I don't mind paying more for that, the greens are the new blue party looking after the rich and poor but not the middle classes anymore.

Servalan wrote:
How the hell is this a "referendum"!?? I just logged on 57 times with fake accounts and voted lol

How sick. 57 fake accounts for the Argua website!

This entirely childish 'ket's blame the students' really annoys me. Firstly, without being a student and getting a degree you have NO CHANCE AT ALL to get any kind of job in this climate. Saying 'Media Studies' is a micky mouse degree is pathetic. My partner who studies media studies runs his own magazine in Brighton and also will be looking for career in publishing. He is not a dropout or has a wasted hippy like attitude thanks. Also, I imagine everyone who writes against 'students being students' was once a student. Getting an education is so important and blaming students on every down fall in this is city is short sighted and your comments that the Greens got in because of students is not backed up at all with well informed information. Out of 250,000 people - 30,000 of which are students - does not mean the students had much influence over who won the local election. My friends - none of which are students - voted green. I am not a green voter btw, actually a labour voter, but this 'blame students' culture is pathetic.

...and at least students do make the effort to vote unlike the majority of working people.

Most proper journalists have fled the industry as there is no money in it anymore and it's full of kids from the thousands of colleges which were churning out media students doing the job for peanuts.
Also the cost of print is crippling publications who cannot compete with online publications, the advertising spend has been diluted and also there are too many students and members of the public doing citizen journalism for free.
Perhaps your partner should join the NUJ to read the stories about journalism and media studies.
It's ok if you have a partner with a good job, but if you want a house, family, car, spend three years at college doing something which pays.

One point that has been lost is that the greens have such little experience of running anything that they rely on the officers of the council for advice and recommendations. It is very unlikely that the advice would include cutting staff and making savings, it is like asking turkeys to vote for Christman. It is possible to get rid of staff, all it takes is to alter the structure of the various departments, say take social services, split them up and put all childrens services such as education and childrens care under one department together, so that all aspects of childrens need are seen as a whole. Then take adult care the same could bring together the social needs across all the different departments that deal with the elderly. In this way heads of departments could be removed and and smaller staffing levels reviewed. But of course as the greens would have no idea of how to do this it will never happen. Another way to cut down waste is to place say a senior member of one department into another to ask simple basic questions as to why things are done the way they are. In one instance where a council did this it was found that some 10 years previously a report had been requested on a matter that was important at that time, and 10 years on the report was still produced and fillied as nobody needed it.

Thanks to the Argus for carrying out the referendum for the council. Now they have the answer perhaps we can move on.

stir up wrote:
One point that has been lost is that the greens have such little experience of running anything that they rely on the officers of the council for advice and recommendations. It is very unlikely that the advice would include cutting staff and making savings, it is like asking turkeys to vote for Christman. It is possible to get rid of staff, all it takes is to alter the structure of the various departments, say take social services, split them up and put all childrens services such as education and childrens care under one department together, so that all aspects of childrens need are seen as a whole. Then take adult care the same could bring together the social needs across all the different departments that deal with the elderly. In this way heads of departments could be removed and and smaller staffing levels reviewed. But of course as the greens would have no idea of how to do this it will never happen. Another way to cut down waste is to place say a senior member of one department into another to ask simple basic questions as to why things are done the way they are. In one instance where a council did this it was found that some 10 years previously a report had been requested on a matter that was important at that time, and 10 years on the report was still produced and fillied as nobody needed it.

Wasn't this the point of the Tories appointing the four new executives? And what have we heard about them since they took up their inflated salaries?

Morpheus wrote:

stir up wrote:
One point that has been lost is that the greens have such little experience of running anything that they rely on the officers of the council for advice and recommendations. It is very unlikely that the advice would include cutting staff and making savings, it is like asking turkeys to vote for Christman. It is possible to get rid of staff, all it takes is to alter the structure of the various departments, say take social services, split them up and put all childrens services such as education and childrens care under one department together, so that all aspects of childrens need are seen as a whole. Then take adult care the same could bring together the social needs across all the different departments that deal with the elderly. In this way heads of departments could be removed and and smaller staffing levels reviewed. But of course as the greens would have no idea of how to do this it will never happen. Another way to cut down waste is to place say a senior member of one department into another to ask simple basic questions as to why things are done the way they are. In one instance where a council did this it was found that some 10 years previously a report had been requested on a matter that was important at that time, and 10 years on the report was still produced and fillied as nobody needed it.

Wasn't this the point of the Tories appointing the four new executives? And what have we heard about them since they took up their inflated salaries?

Didn't you read the comment "....turkeys to vote for Christmas"?

I do think Morpheus should break up his/her posts into smaller paragraphs and maybe it would be easier to read.

That upstart speaker Berkow has just wasted £37,000 pound of taxpayers money on a stupid portrate which says we are all equal,what a joke

pjwilk wrote:
That upstart speaker Berkow has just wasted £37,000 pound of taxpayers money on a stupid portrate which says we are all equal,what a joke

The wife is just as dreadful...

None of the main parties listen to what the electorate want, they all just follow the party line. For people finding it hard to make ends meet an increase is the last thing they want.

Services are being cut to the bone, heaven help the old folk. If you have Alzheimer's you need to be totally incapable before you will qualify for any help. Even if you can't cross the road, live alone and keep losing your wallet when you go out you still wont get help.

Occupy Brighton supply their own tents which they move regularly to ensure the grass stays alive. They feed the homeless and have a very good relationship with the local police and businesses. They are not costing the tax payer anything. They do not claim to have the support of everyone, who does? But their supporters are growing very rapidly. They are trying to improve society and have a General Assembly every evening to democratically debate this. Thank you Occupy for actually doing something and not just being an internet "activist".

busyperson wrote:
None of the main parties listen to what the electorate want, they all just follow the party line. For people finding it hard to make ends meet an increase is the last thing they want.

Services are being cut to the bone, heaven help the old folk. If you have Alzheimer's you need to be totally incapable before you will qualify for any help. Even if you can't cross the road, live alone and keep losing your wallet when you go out you still wont get help.

Occupy Brighton supply their own tents which they move regularly to ensure the grass stays alive. They feed the homeless and have a very good relationship with the local police and businesses. They are not costing the tax payer anything. They do not claim to have the support of everyone, who does? But their supporters are growing very rapidly. They are trying to improve society and have a General Assembly every evening to democratically debate this. Thank you Occupy for actually doing something and not just being an internet "activist".

To the music of Jingle Bells..............

Occupy, Occupy
Squatters nothing less
Oh how sad it is to see
The posh kids make a mess
....................

....................

......
They pitch a make shift tent
And never pay the rent
Then claim they're our best friends
The lying never ends
....................

....................

......
Occupy, Occupy
Squatters nothing less
Oh how sad it is to see
The posh kids make a mess


Please feel free to add additional verses

To the music of Jingle Bells..............

Occupy, Occupy
Squatters nothing less
Oh how sad it is to see
The posh kids make a mess
....................


....................


......
They pitch a make shift tent
And never pay the rent
Then claim they're our best friends
The lying never ends
....................


....................


......
Occupy, Occupy
Squatters nothing less
Oh how sad it is to see
The posh kids make a mess
....................


....................


......

They cant work out their goals
And their plans are full of holes
So these wasters smoke and drink
Oh how these unwashed stink
....................


....................


......
Occupy, Occupy
Squatters nothing less
Oh how sad it is to see
The posh kids make a mess
....................


....................


......
Much to our delight
They'll soon be off the site
As the Council clear the tents away
What a lovely sight
....................


....................


......

Occupy, Occupy
Squatters nothing less
Oh how sad it is to see
The posh kids make a mess

Please feel free to add additional verses

busyperson wrote:
None of the main parties listen to what the electorate want, they all just follow the party line. For people finding it hard to make ends meet an increase is the last thing they want.

Services are being cut to the bone, heaven help the old folk. If you have Alzheimer's you need to be totally incapable before you will qualify for any help. Even if you can't cross the road, live alone and keep losing your wallet when you go out you still wont get help.

Occupy Brighton supply their own tents which they move regularly to ensure the grass stays alive. They feed the homeless and have a very good relationship with the local police and businesses. They are not costing the tax payer anything. They do not claim to have the support of everyone, who does? But their supporters are growing very rapidly. They are trying to improve society and have a General Assembly every evening to democratically debate this. Thank you Occupy for actually doing something and not just being an internet "activist".

No one wants them we don't care. They should leave, get work and grow up

didntuno wrote:
The green party sure know how to shoot themselves in the foot with their low appeal policies. Caroline will have to be out kissing some babies around student halls come voting time.

If Luccas goes round kiss n babies there'll be spewing up mumies milk. Yuk!!!

Bladesboy Returns wrote:

busyperson wrote:
None of the main parties listen to what the electorate want, they all just follow the party line. For people finding it hard to make ends meet an increase is the last thing they want.

Services are being cut to the bone, heaven help the old folk. If you have Alzheimer's you need to be totally incapable before you will qualify for any help. Even if you can't cross the road, live alone and keep losing your wallet when you go out you still wont get help.

Occupy Brighton supply their own tents which they move regularly to ensure the grass stays alive. They feed the homeless and have a very good relationship with the local police and businesses. They are not costing the tax payer anything. They do not claim to have the support of everyone, who does? But their supporters are growing very rapidly. They are trying to improve society and have a General Assembly every evening to democratically debate this. Thank you Occupy for actually doing something and not just being an internet "activist".

No one wants them we don't care. They should leave, get work and grow up

Don't worry, all the white, middle-class brats at Occupy Brighton will be packing up and leaving soon; for a start, it'll be soon be too cold for them to camp and as Christmas is coming, they'll want to go home to Mummy and Daddy in Cheltenham...