thplinth Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Am I the only one who thinks the levels of council tax are far too high As for business rates they are another outrageous rip off. How much do the leaders of the major councils get paid? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Parklife Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 That suggests that you weren't/aren't against the principle of the Council tax freeze, but it's just a negotiation about how long it should last. I'd have said there were better ways in increase efficiencies before a council tax freeze but i wouldn't have been against it as a last resort. I'd say it's far out stayed it's welcome and is now simply a populist policy being used to try and win votes, rather than positively influence council spending. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wine bibber Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 We get our landfill waste emptied every 3 weeks, most of the time my bin is only about 25% full. I appreciate that i live alone and families will produce more but the amount of waste some folk produce is a disgrace. I've no idea how folk can fill huge bins with landfill waste on a weekly basis. The council tax freeze is probably the SNP policy i disagree with the most. It impacts negatively on our local services, which every single one of us relies upon. I think initially it may have served a purpose in increasing efficiencies within local authorities but we're now at a stage where there's not much left to squeeze. Ordinary workers are having to endure year on year pay cuts (wage raises below inflation) and the people who rely on the services the most, the poorest, are being hit the hardest. I agree with you about inefficiencies and perhaps not much left to squeeze etc.We have fortnightly collections which is ok.Apart from grass cutting and library opening hours,i see no difference where i live.Plant seeds in the grassy areas for wild meadows to attract more bumble bees and 2 problems solved.Remember not only are all ordinary workers having to endure cuts the ones who have to work in the private sector also have to endure zero hours contracts ,working more unpaid hours for nothing,and being at the whim and call of autocratic bosses .This is the reality for most workers in Scotland.I fail to see how an increase in council tax will help these ordinary workers too. If the poor are suffering ,divert the other costs i mentioned above now.End of problem Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParisInAKilt Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Reading this thread is a bit of an eye opener. I've lived in Australia for the past 3 years, don't pay council tax, probably pay similar or less tax off my wages and things are almost certainly better in terms of public services. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I've got to be honest, this is something I would disagree with. I'd probably be happy to up Council Tax for things like a return to weekly refuse collections, but certainly wouldn't support tax rises across the board. If you need your bins emptied every week you are producing too much waste - sort yoursels out. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I wouldn't mind working street lights - I've been stumbling about in the dark for the past week or so - reminds me of the Chisinau trip. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flora MaDonald Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I wouldn't mind working street lights - I've been stumbling about in the dark for the past week or so - reminds me of the Chisinau trip. Get a miner's bunnet. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 why should I keep a bloated system afloat with higher taxes because if the CT goes up the first thing councils will do is look after themselves and their gilt edged pension. It'd be interesting to see how much of the council tax share goes on paying off pensions. That must be increasing annually along with life expectancy. At my wife's work (GCC) there have been a number of people retiring recently in their early 50s on gold plated pensions. Nice if you can get a deal like that but it has to be placing a huge strain on funds... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antidote Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 "I can't understand the mindset that thinks 'why do they get that?' rather than 'why don't I get that?'."I assume Scotland.http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/political-news/pensions-black-hole-to-double-to-16bn-by-2018-x.20649059And I assume UK wide.http://www.economicpolicycentre.com/2010/04/19/government-pension-liabilities-understated-by-1trillion/Did I mention that Scottish local authorities are rumoured to have something like £1 billion squirreled away in investments? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I would say as a family of 4, we half fill our small purple bin (glass), overfill our green bin (general waste) by 50% & overfill our blue bin (cardboard/plastic recycling) by 50% each fortnight. If you add in Christmas/Birthdays etc then that can easily increase by another 50%. I just find it an annoyance to have to go to the dump each week when I'm already paying for the refuse to be collected. Ok, there are only 2 of us, but we could go 6 to 8 weeks for the general waste bin, easy. What do you put in "general waste"? As a society we should be getting to stage where almost nothing goes into general waste and everything goes into recycling bins. Mind you, what happens to it after it goes in recycling bins is a different discussion altogether. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antidote Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 "Am I the only one who thinks the levels of council tax are far too high As for business rates they are another outrageous rip off. How much do the leaders of the major councils get paid?" Nope. Councils are also adapt at putting up prices on things like burials etc. to garner more money even though they get over £80 million a year from the SG for the CT freeze. Strange how no one has mentioned the fact that it was the Labour party who started the CT freeze and the Lab/Tory coalition at Stirling council actually put the CT down after the last Holyrood elections. If they can do it why can't others? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 I wouldn't mind working street lights You mean like the guys who operate the stop/go boards at traffic lights? It's a right cushy number but a profession which is very difficult to break your way into. Lollipop man might suit you though? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antidote Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 "Mind you, what happens to it after it goes in recycling bins is a different discussion altogether." Believe it or not your local council makes money on your recycled waste. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glasgowmancity Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Ok, there are only 2 of us, but we could go 6 to 8 weeks for the general waste bin, easy. What do you put in "general waste"? As a society we should be getting to stage where almost nothing goes into general waste and everything goes into recycling bins. Nappies, food waste, general kitchen waste, cat litter & then recycling when the blue bin is full. Mind you, what happens to it after it goes in recycling bins is a different discussion altogether. True, and the answer generally is onto the general waste pile. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Endell Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 You mean like the guys who operate the stop/go boards at traffic lights? It's a right cushy number but a profession which is very difficult to break your way into. Lollipop man might suit you though?Teacher: What do you want to be when you grow up?Oor Wullie: A lollipop man? Teacher: Why do you want to be a lollipop man? Oor Wullie: Because you don't start work till you're 65. (From an Oor Wullie annual - 50s / 60s vintage). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thplinth Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Teacher: What do you want to be when you grow up? Oor Wullie: A lollipop man? Teacher: Why do you want to be a lollipop man? Oor Wullie: Because you don't start work till you're 65. (From an Oor Wullie annual - 50s / 60s vintage). ahhhhhhhh Oor No Voting Wee Khunt Wullie... what a national treasure. (If by nation you mean region and treasure you mean bawbag.) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flure Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 One reason why councils are strapped for cash? (If indeed they are). http://wingsoverscotland.com/the-something-for-nothing-country/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toepoke Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 ahhhhhhhh Oor No Voting Wee Khunt Wullie... what a national treasure. Wullie's no' 16 yet, is he? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flora MaDonald Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Wullie's no' 16 yet, is he? I hope so. He gets up to all sorts in Stoorie Brae. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Wullie's no' 16 yet, is he? If he isnae then Daphne Broon could be in big trouble with operation Yewtree. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamia Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 We get our landfill waste emptied every 3 weeks, most of the time my bin is only about 25% full. I appreciate that i live alone and families will produce more but the amount of waste some folk produce is a disgrace. I've no idea how folk can fill huge bins with landfill waste on a weekly basis. The council tax freeze is probably the SNP policy i disagree with the most. It impacts negatively on our local services, which every single one of us relies upon. I think initially it may have served a purpose in increasing efficiencies within local authorities but we're now at a stage where there's not much left to squeeze. Ordinary workers are having to endure year on year pay cuts (wage raises below inflation) and the people who rely on the services the most, the poorest, are being hit the hardest. We are going to have to stop agreeing like this! It'd be interesting to see how much of the council tax share goes on paying off pensions. That must be increasing annually along with life expectancy. At my wife's work (GCC) there have been a number of people retiring recently in their early 50s on gold plated pensions. Nice if you can get a deal like that but it has to be placing a huge strain on funds... None I would imagine. There is a pension fund that does that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antidote Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 "None I would imagine. There is a pension fund that does that :unsure:"A pension fund that is being constantly fed tax payers money. A pension fund that will hit the buffers sooner rather than later and guess who they will want to keep it going? Yes us the tax payer.Greece had a similar Ponzi scheme and guess what happened to them.http://www.heraldscotland.com/politics/political-news/pensions-black-hole-to-double-to-16bn-by-2018-x.20649059 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lamia Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 "None I would imagine. There is a pension fund that does that :unsure:" A pension fund that is being constantly fed tax payers money. Wow! Sorry you think I am such a sponger. Maybe we shouldn't be paid either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Orraloon Posted March 5, 2015 Share Posted March 5, 2015 Not sure this is the right place for this but it is about llocal government finance. http://wingsoverscotland.com/this-is-how-you-tell-a-lie/ Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
antidote Posted March 6, 2015 Share Posted March 6, 2015 "Wow! Sorry you think I am such a sponger. Maybe we shouldn't be paid either." Only stating the facts. I just got paid off from offshore I'm sure public sector employees will be happy to put their hands in their pockets to keep my wages going and help with my pension too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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