2 Tory Councils On Brink Of Bankruptcy

[Delbow]

24 minutes ago, S35_2o21 said:

That old 'public sector bad, private sector good' chestnut. Sigh. Start a new thread for that one! 

The County Council Network is pushing for a reduction in statutory services that Council's are obliged to provide. I can see why but it's a slippery slope. 

Very slippery. That includes libraries, I note. If that was agreed, it wouldn't be long before the UK became a country without public libraries. What a basket case.

[Magilla]

1 hour ago, Axe said:

Any such claim needs to be supported by mathematical workings and analysed in order to achieve credibility.

As does any claim, either for or against...

 

...but since no-one on the panel, who were of all political persuasions, objected to the stat it's probably not too far from the truth.

 

Have you seen any analysis to suggest it's not true?

Edited November 15, 2022 by Magilla

[S35_2o21]

22 minutes ago, Delbow said:

Very slippery. That includes libraries, I note. If that was agreed, it wouldn't be long before the UK became a country without public libraries. What a basket case.

I know. There was a debate on Jeremy Vine at lunchtime R2 about potholes. Council tax payers (who presumably don't receive funded social care) are already unhappy about the services they receive. Libraries are such as visible presence in the community and without them, it would seem as though Council's don't contribute much at all.. 

1 hour ago, Anna B said:

Does anyone still doubt that we are a country in serious decline?

Those at the top live in a bubble of splendour and are completely out of touch with what is happening in the real world. They still have delusions of grandeur and think we are a force to be reckoned with, but l beg to differ. We are becoming a laughing g stock and a banana republic.

 

This is a result of 40 years of free market economics in which winner takes all. The majority of people in this country are not among the winners any more. Any attempt at 'levelling up' has been nothing but empty Tory promises, meanwhile they have systematically reduced the support and services that people need and pay their taxes for.

 

The Tories bring a whole new meaning to the words 'shortsighted incompetence.' Unfortunately we have fallen so far it's probably unlikely we will ever be able to climb back up.

This is my worry. If the Labour party does get in, there has been such an erosion of public services, it's going to take years to put it all back together. This Tory government are so ideologically driven.

 

[Delbow]

Not forgetting parks, which are already not a statutory service as far as I know. Anyone up for closing up all the public parks in Sheffield?

@Axe how about these?

Edited November 15, 2022 by Delbow

[Mr Bloke]

1 hour ago, S35_2o21 said:

This is my worry. If the Labour party does get in, there has been such an erosion of public services, it's going to take years to put it all back together.

 

Hmmm...

It's probably best if they don't then!

[Dromedary]

4 hours ago, Delbow said:

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://democracy.sheffield.gov.uk/documents/s50376/3%20-%20Revenue%20Budget%20Report%202022-23.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwjYxe2Il7D7AhUbEcAKHRAjALUQFnoECBYQAQ&usg=AOvVaw0bDEzrJ-k3l9nCXA3ti21v

Did you actually read the Budget Report? It clearly states that they are still providing the services that they are obliged to do under law and also have increased the budgets for them despite LA government revenue cuts.

 

Quote:

 

"Over the last 4 years, the Council has provided vital social care services with above inflation funding increases, and this year is no different. A 16% increase for 2022/23, and an average increase of nearly 13% p.a. over the last 5 years, has seen the budget for adults and children’s social services rise by a total of £126m."

 

They have also been using their reserves. I wonder how they managed to accumulate them with all the alleged funding cuts going on in the past.

 

SCC have also announced they will be spending over £100,000 on a "wrapper" to go round the old John Lewis store so they have also found money from somewhere to do that. They have also increased their hardship fund by £200,000.

 

 

[bassett one]

what happens if a council goes bankruptcy ?

[S35_2o21]

33 minutes ago, Dromedary said:

Did you actually read the Budget Report? It clearly states that they are still providing the services that they are obliged to do under law and also have increased the budgets for them despite LA government revenue cuts.

 

Quote:

 

"Over the last 4 years, the Council has provided vital social care services with above inflation funding increases, and this year is no different. A 16% increase for 2022/23, and an average increase of nearly 13% p.a. over the last 5 years, has seen the budget for adults and children’s social services rise by a total of £126m."

 

They have also been using their reserves. I wonder how they managed to accumulate them with all the alleged funding cuts going on in the past.

 

SCC have also announced they will be spending over £100,000 on a "wrapper" to go round the old John Lewis store so they have also found money from somewhere to do that. They have also increased their hardship fund by £200,000.

 

 

To make any sense of this, the budgets over a number of years would need to be analysed and compared with actual expenditure.

 

Social Care is demand led- the more people who are assessed to have statutory care needs, the money has to be found to meet these needs. So budgets have to be cut elsewhere. 

[Delbow]

1 hour ago, Dromedary said:

Did you actually read the Budget Report? It clearly states that they are still providing the services that they are obliged to do under law and also have increased the budgets for them despite LA government revenue cuts.

 

Quote:

 

"Over the last 4 years, the Council has provided vital social care services with above inflation funding increases, and this year is no different. A 16% increase for 2022/23, and an average increase of nearly 13% p.a. over the last 5 years, has seen the budget for adults and children’s social services rise by a total of £126m."

 

They have also been using their reserves. I wonder how they managed to accumulate them with all the alleged funding cuts going on in the past.

 

SCC have also announced they will be spending over £100,000 on a "wrapper" to go round the old John Lewis store so they have also found money from somewhere to do that. They have also increased their hardship fund by £200,000.

 

 

The reserves were built up before austerity, I thought that was well known. Of course they continue to provide some social care services, just not to everyone who is entitled to them. I have first hand experience and knowledge of this. It's illegal but if they didn't act illegally they'd be bust tomorrow. Read the King's Fund report.

 

As for the hardship fund, it was created specifically for people who have been badly hit by cuts to council tax and housing benefit. Loads of the housing benefit that was lost was lost to Sheffield's biggest landlord - the Council. All of the council tax benefit that was lost when it was replaced with the (lower) council tax support was lost to - the Council. Or do you want us to believe that the government made cuts to council tax benefit and housing benefit to save money, but then gave the exact same amount of money back to the Council through the hardship fund?

 

Just because government spends [big number] on something one year doesn't mean it's not less than what they spent before.

Edited November 15, 2022 by Delbow

[Axe]

4 hours ago, Delbow said:

My question was which sources you consider to be unbiased and independent.

Already answered that question. It's pointless to attempt to reason with someone as biased as you.

 

 

 

3 hours ago, Magilla said:

As does any claim, either for or against...

 

...but since no-one on the panel, who were of all political persuasions, objected to the stat it's probably not too far from the truth.

 

Have you seen any analysis to suggest it's not true?

A poor response.  It's the responsibility of those using figures or statistics to support a school of thought to provide evidence the figures are credible and not lookers on who smell a rat to prove the figure isn't true.