Councils 'planning new charges'

[super jumbe]

Councils in England are planning to impose new charges on services such as public toilets, parking and green waste disposal to make up for shortfalls in funding, a report has warned.

A survey carried out by the Local Government Information Unit (LGIU) think-tank and MJ local government magazine found more than half thought they would not have sufficient funding in 2015/16 to carry out their statutory duties.

Of the 90 councils that responded to the survey, 80% said they will have to increase existing charges to balance their budgets, while a "significant proportion" was said to be making plans to introduce new charges.

Half said that they were planning to increase the council tax above the 1% deal offered by the Government while 55% indicated they might have to dip into their reserves to make ends meet.

More than three out of four councils - 76% - said that allowing them to retain more of the business rates collected in their area could ease their problems, while 82% wanted to see a complete re-evaluation of the council tax system.

A majority wanted to scrap the Barnett formula which allocates spending to Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

LGIU chief executive Jonathan Carr-West said: "Councils across the country are telling us that the local government finance system is broken.

"We know they are struggling to make ends meet as they balance their budgets for next year in a system that is out-dated and not fit for purpose.

"Removing the bureaucracy and control of central government and giving councils control over their own financial destiny is the only solution."

Local Government Minister Kris Hopkins said councils had received a "fair settlement" from Whitehall and warned that they should now be looking to make savings rather than add to the burden on council tax payers.

"Every bit of the public sector needs to do its bit to pay off deficit left by the last administration, including local government which accounts for a quarter of all public spending. There is no magic money tree," he said.

"Rather than trying to increase taxes, councils should be seeking to deliver sensible savings from more joint working, improved procurement, cutting fraud and better property asset management.

Making creative use of council revenues, such as through invest-to-save projects, can help lower councils' costs."

https://uk.news.yahoo.com/councils-planning-charges-111530303.html#uoRALRy

[Meat-Head]

We're ****ing iShit tonight, need ak47.....

Errrr what do we pay tax for if there's short fall in funding, these charity events then send money out of Ingland want a 40% tax on them.

where us this debt coming from? Councils maje ?100k from parking lots a year each one.

in Poland you need ?10k to start a bussiness, back date and carry on so the polish have to pay ?10k to be here, soon wipe the nationsl debt out.

[super jumbe]

Our local council wasted millions on pedestrians the entire high street with tiles, 55 % of the shops went under, the rest barely survived, they put yellow lines everywhere and tried to force all of the motorists keep away there is no free parking, ffs how they suppose to make money only if they can get away stitching public….charges, charges, charges.

[Meat-Head]

You got a link to that thread please,? Where .55% went under

[GastonJ]

while 82% wanted to see a complete re-evaluation of the council tax system.

Yes, so they can up the amount paid so everyone will jump up 3 or 4 bands., with only small garden sheds in bands A, B or C.

LGIU chief executive Jonathan Carr-West said: "Councils across the country are telling us that the local government finance system is broken.

My heart bleeds, do what the rest of us do when the government or council stuffs us, live with it, eat less and budget properly.

Making creative use of council revenues, such as through invest-to-save projects, can help lower councils' costs."

Or councils could invest it in Icelandic banks and watch it sink with the taxpayers having to make up for it instead of those "advisers" who have no responsibility at all, yet collect large fees for their non responsibility of their advice.

Councillors - elected to be as self serving and hypocritical as MP's, making expenses claims from birth to death.

[vicius_the_one]

They should tax stupidity and immorality

[GastonJ]

They'd make a lot of money around town halls and Westminster Palace then.