Which services should be spared? You decide (From The Argus)
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Which services should be spared? You decide
3:30pm Thursday 12th January 2012 in News
Which services should be spared? You decide
The debate over how to save £17 million from a town hall budget has been raging for weeks – and now you have a chance to say what’s important to you.
Brighton and Hove City Council’s minority Green administration revealed how it would meet the challenge of Government-imposed cuts to budgets last month.
After weeks of political debate The Argus is now giving you the chance to have your say on what threatened service you would like to see preserved.
When the budget proposal was launched in December – seven weeks ahead of other local authorities – council leader Bill Randall described it as a “fair budget for tough times”.
He added: “It protects services for the most vulnerable men, women and children in the city as far as possible.”
Tax increase
Central to the Green plans is a council tax rise of 3.5%, the largest possible without leading to a local official referendum.
However, this means the local authority will turn down a £2.5 million one-off grant from the Government that was available if it froze council tax.
Approximately 6,000 people have taken part in The Argus’ poll on the issue with about 70% of responses calling for the local authority to freeze the rates.
Among those services to be reviewed and which face potential closures or reduced opening hours under the Green budget plan are libraries, children’s centres and toilets.
Hundreds of people have also campaigned on the planned ending of council subsidies to the music service, City in Bloom and the Shopmobility scheme in Churchill Square Shopping Centre.
Parking charges
A series of inflation-busting increases to charges are planned for parking charges, access to sports pavilions and some environmental health services.
The Green administration has put forward its own proposals and groups across the city are being encouraged to have their say.
About 3,000 people have accessed the council’s own budget simulator with more than 700 fully completed answers.
This, along with The Argus poll and submissions from community groups and trade unions, will be taken into account when the final budget proposal is compiled before a cabinet meeting on February 9.
It is believed opposition parties will then reveal their budget plans and a final decision will be taken at a meeting of all 54 councillors in Brighton Town Hall on February 23 at 4.30pm.
To take part in the budget simulator visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/budget.
To have your say don’t miss The Argus tomorrow (January 13) with the first of a series of reports which will allow you to tell decision makers what’s important to you.
Debate about the council budget has been raging between Labour peer and former city council leader Steve Bassam and a range of Green councillors and supporters on Twitter.
The Argus is curating the Tweets using Storify, and updating throughout the day.
Comments(20)
sandalman
says...
4:09pm Thu 12 Jan 12
earloflucan
says...
5:03pm Thu 12 Jan 12
savings 2 million per Annam Done!
JKW
says...
5:17pm Thu 12 Jan 12
Mr. Randell, open this gate!
Mr. Randell, tear down this wall!
Indigatio
says...
5:27pm Thu 12 Jan 12
earloflucan wrote:Agreed.
Disband the Travellers liaison team and ban all Gypsies from Brighton and dont supply any services to them savings 2 million per Annam Done!
Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit
says...
5:48pm Thu 12 Jan 12
Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit
says...
5:49pm Thu 12 Jan 12
george smith
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5:51pm Thu 12 Jan 12
Indigatio wrote:Unfortunately true, traveller liaison seems to be there to support travellers not council tax payers. What we need is someone to support council taxpayers. Same with the problems with the parks
earloflucan wrote: Disband the Travellers liaison team and ban all Gypsies from Brighton and dont supply any services to them savings 2 million per Annam Done!Agreed.
Sarah Booker
says...
6:07pm Thu 12 Jan 12
Jimmy Stewart's Imaginary Rabbit wrote:#BHBudget
What's the hastag for the twitter debate?
tez1959
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6:30pm Thu 12 Jan 12
Bladesboy Returns
says...
8:08pm Thu 12 Jan 12
Oh yes and if people are caught causing criminal damage, trespass and the like then ensure that any costs related to damage and police time etc is claimed back from the perpetrators. as well as locking them away and once jailed make them work for their keep.
So occupy miscreants might need to get some cash from their mummy and daddy's to pay their way! Wasters!
thewhitehawker
says...
8:39pm Thu 12 Jan 12
Gazza
says...
9:29pm Thu 12 Jan 12
1. lay off all council staff for a year without pay
2. Open up a Lapland theme park and hide all the money on investigations
3. Charge everybody entering Brighton at the railway station an entrance fee.
4. Charge everybody leaving Brighton at the railway station a departure fee
5. Charge all visitors using a convenience a wee tax.
6. Charge all beach users, a pebble wear and tear tax
7. Make all roads going up hill toll roads
8. Make all roads going from left to right toll roads.
9. Tax all households who can see the sun rise an extra 10% council tax
10. Tax all households who can see the sun set an extra 15% council tax
11. Tax all rooms with a sea view an extra 20% council tax
12. Tax all smart brainy people 30% of their wages for being smart and brainy.
13. Tax anybody laughing 30p in the pound for being happy in these dull times
14. Charge all swimmers and bathers trying to swim back to land a £5 beaching fee.
15. Fine all party goers a £10 singing along karaoke tax.
16. Fine all traffic wardens £10 for being traffic wardens
17. Charge all mobile phone users wanting to use their phones in public a (talk tax)
18. Fine anybody writing silly Blogs on newspaper web sites 1p per characters
Yours Faithfully
Mr 1018 characters
brightonian57
says...
1:40am Fri 13 Jan 12
lets? which toilets? I thought they had sold them all
moronslayer
says...
1:57am Fri 13 Jan 12
Morpheus
says...
9:30am Fri 13 Jan 12
Cash Cow
says...
1:27pm Fri 13 Jan 12
sandalman wrote:My sentiments exactly Sandalman, your comment is the exact definition of my username, Regards Cash Cow.
Are we all just human cattle born and bred to feed a system that is destroying us ? money!!.
Rearrangethedeckchairs
says...
2:37pm Fri 13 Jan 12
Bladesboy Returns
says...
5:43pm Fri 13 Jan 12
moronslayer wrote:Absolute nonsense, you should think before you post. Take a deep breath and then think before you post.
I'm going to try and make a sensible point...please hold on while i fumble. Most local pubs and shops gladly offer these services for free to non-scum...they put up the 'patrons only' signs to deter the same scum that vandalise the council-run, outrageously expensive, stink-holes. If you are stupid enough to think council-run toilets are acceptable then they should close them and spend the money integrating you with society.
Got it yet?
Remember, think before you post!
Bladesboy Returns
says...
8:38pm Fri 13 Jan 12
Got it yet?
Remember, think before you post!
Greenlover says...
3:51pm Thu 12 Jan 12