"I accept that the funding settlement for local authorities from DCLG is challenging. It's good to see some councils are approaching this imaginatively, finding savings in procurement and council officers' salaries. However, some are just reaching for the axe."
Regional transport minister Norman Baker.
Showing yet again the difference between a Liberal and a Tory is the sniff of power.
I really wish MPs would have the nerve to tell the truth. Don't blame councils having to make tough decisions on them ideologically or lazily reaching for the axe.
I know that’s the plan, Lets lay blame for all the bad things on naughty councils so that you can reach the next election un-soiled by what you have created. Oh dear I’ve let the cat out of the bag.
The settlement, which some council’s have been enforced to take require cuts to services no matter how imaginative they are. Its fine if your in a conservative borough that is only facing a small 2% cut, but here in the north in Labour councils we are facing cuts of well above 20%. Independent of how well run or efficient they were before. I bet some councils wish they hadn’t bothered making efficiency savings over the last ten years as that hasn’t even been considered in the settlements.
I also like that fact that council workers contracts can be renegotiated to pay less at the drop of a hat yet banker’s pay/contracts are sacred. Have they never heard of market forces, people are paid what the market suggests is appropriate. Most Chief Executives are more than qualified to switch to the private sector and earn many multiples of their current pay, why should they take a cut, the same situation is true for IT staff, personnel staff, procurement etc.
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