Hampshire County Council budget released (From Daily Echo)
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Hampshire County Council budget released
3:51pm Thursday 4th February 2010 in
COUNCIL chiefs in Hampshire are looking for £30m in savings as part of their new budget.
The move comes as Hampshire County Council revealed today that residents face a rise of 1.9 per cent in their council tax - an average £20 per home.
The cost-cutting drive includes a pay freeze for thousands of employees, slashing staff petrol expenses, reducing the use of agency workers and other corporate costs, over the next two years.
The new budget means an average Band D property will pay £1,037 a year before police, fire and district council charges are added.
In addition to the cuts, £8m will be taken out of reserves to balance the £672.1m budget for 2010-11. Schools are funded by a separate £892.8m Government grant.
Leader of the council Councillor, Ken Thornber said: “We are keeping our promise from last year to only increase the council tax by 1.9% in 2010/11. “This will mean that while there are no reductions to our service budgets, we are only able to provide an increase in funding for social care services for adults and children.”
Comments(12)
St.DaveH
says...
4:34pm Thu 4 Feb 10
fred the red
says...
4:42pm Thu 4 Feb 10
Lone Ranger
says...
5:02pm Thu 4 Feb 10
News Fanatic
says...
5:40pm Thu 4 Feb 10
chapelsaint wrote:The reason why councillors are now paid is to enable a larger cross-section of the community to do the task. Previously the only people who could afford to be councillors were the retired, the very rich, and non-working partners.
How about reducing the absolutely ridiculous high salaries of people such as Mr Thornber. In line with this could be a reduction of the salaries of "councillors" who, not so many years back, did the same task unpaid in their spare time.
There are not many people who are able or willing to devote a lot of their time every week for no recompense.
Would you work for nothing every week in a job that bears a heavy responsibility?
Similarly with Mr Thornber. I think you will find that it is not the likes of him who are on high pay but the upper echelons of councils' permanent staffs. Mr Thornber is a councillor who can be voted out of office.
Derek of Dibden Purlieu
says...
6:44pm Thu 4 Feb 10
News Fanatic wrote:If Kenny Thornber is so certain that he is paid a reasonable salary and expenses package, why has he fought tooth and nail to keep the figures secret. As a public servant he is no more entitled to hide this information than the Members of Parliament whose figures we can all pore over. One thing that has emerged is that he draws more money than Gordon Brown. Let's get the figures in the open and we can make up our own minds if the HCC leaders are overpaid or not because the more they wriggle and squirm, the more it looks that they have to hide.
chapelsaint wrote:The reason why councillors are now paid is to enable a larger cross-section of the community to do the task. Previously the only people who could afford to be councillors were the retired, the very rich, and non-working partners.
How about reducing the absolutely ridiculous high salaries of people such as Mr Thornber. In line with this could be a reduction of the salaries of "councillors" who, not so many years back, did the same task unpaid in their spare time.
There are not many people who are able or willing to devote a lot of their time every week for no recompense.
Would you work for nothing every week in a job that bears a heavy responsibility?
Similarly with Mr Thornber. I think you will find that it is not the likes of him who are on high pay but the upper echelons of councils' permanent staffs. Mr Thornber is a councillor who can be voted out of office.
Gilmore
says...
7:23pm Thu 4 Feb 10
fred the red wrote:£40 million, so I heard. Although the hot water taps are justified (however completely inadequate, always running out of hot water). Council workers need tea (paid for by themselves, I hasten to add).
How much did the council spend of our money revamping HQ with expensive taps etc? Great planning and consideration from the Tories there, and they expect their party to form the next government!
What's really mad is the electric push-button doors. Door handles, it appears, are so last century.
rjfmusic
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7:49pm Thu 4 Feb 10
EELS MAN
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7:53pm Thu 4 Feb 10
If these idiots are anything like so'ton council they'll get rid of em!
forest hump
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8:49pm Thu 4 Feb 10
stay local
says...
11:07pm Thu 4 Feb 10
rjfmusic wrote:Great plan ....except that Southampton is a different local authority.
Sack Southampton City Council - that should do it.
It is a bit like taking you Ford to a Renault dealer to get a warranty repair.
Waysider
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8:59am Fri 5 Feb 10
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chapelsaint says...
4:09pm Thu 4 Feb 10