Author Topic: CCBC costs and cutting  (Read 148962 times)

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Offline SteveH

  • Management Board Member & Newsgroup Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 12932
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #240 on: March 08, 2018, 10:45:30 am »
People in Conwy are facing mounting challenges in finding a home as pressures on the housing market continue to increase.

On Wednesday (28/02/18), as Conwy County Borough Council looks to finalise its Housing Strategy for 2018-2023, councillors will look at the importance of someone’s home in determining their potential in life, in terms of their health, education, employment, and participation in the community.

https://businessnewswales.com/housing-conwy-pressure/

Offline SteveH

  • Management Board Member & Newsgroup Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 12932
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #241 on: September 17, 2018, 11:42:06 am »
Conwy council's new headquarters will cost taxpayers almost £1.5m a year in rent for the next 40 years, it has been revealed.

The building at Colwyn Bay, where 700 staff will be employed, cost £38.5 million to build.
But taxpayers will have to foot a £58m rent bill, which will be linked to the retail price index.

Any repair bill must be met by the tenant rather than the landlord and there is no break clause in the lease.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-45541757


Offline SteveH

  • Management Board Member & Newsgroup Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 12932
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #242 on: October 10, 2018, 11:27:56 am »
All councils in Wales are facing real terms cuts to their funding from the Welsh Government next year.

The Isle of Anglesey, Conwy, Flintshire, Powys, Monmouthshire and Gwynedd are the worst hit.
Six south Wales councils can expect more cash, but the increases are below the inflation rate of 2.7%.

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-politics-45789564

Offline SteveH

  • Management Board Member & Newsgroup Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 12932
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #243 on: December 06, 2018, 09:04:48 am »
Conwy taxpayers face staggering £142m bill for council's new HQ
Authority could end up paying up to £7m a year in rent by the time the building is nearly 40 years old.
https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/conwy-taxpayers-face-142m-bill-15509310

Offline alw

  • Member
  • Posts: 44
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #244 on: December 09, 2018, 09:02:44 pm »
The daily Post has photos of copper cladding damaged by last night's winds.

You can see why the developer insisted on a repairing lease, if 40pmh wind can do that to a new building.

https://www.dailypost.co.uk/news/north-wales-news/photos-show-part-conwy-councils-15528213
Things are never so bad that they can't get worse.

I never said it was your fault; I said I was blaming you.

Offline Hugo

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 13873
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #245 on: December 11, 2018, 06:29:12 pm »
There was a machine like a giant cherry picker with two men on it repairing the roof and that won't come cheap.  I just hope that after a few weeks the CCBC doesn't have to pick up the bill for that

Offline SteveH

  • Management Board Member & Newsgroup Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 12932
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #246 on: January 15, 2019, 12:32:13 pm »
Conwy councillors undecided on tax increase.

Councillors have failed to make a recommendation on how much Conwy’s council tax should be raised by.

Members of the county’s finance committee were asked to look at options for balancing the cash strapped council’s books when they met recently.
However members could not agree when faced with an increase of 11.6 per cent which was the figure discussed in the past or having a smaller increase of 9.6 per cent.

The council’s finance director, Andrew Kirkham, told councillors they had a thankless task as the authority struggles with a £15,270,000 resource shortfall.

Mr Kirkham said: “You have got a thankless task as members to please everybody because you’ve got the same cash resources from the Welsh Government in 19/20 as you had in 18/19 but a shed load of additional pressures to deal with and there are only two ways you can deal with it.   
Cont.   https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/17358268.conwy-councillors-undecided-on-tax-increase/?ref=mr&lp=2

Offline OrmeMac

  • Ad Free Member
  • *
  • Posts: 213
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #247 on: January 15, 2019, 03:21:49 pm »
Conwy councillors undecided on tax increase.

Councillors have failed to make a recommendation on how much Conwy’s council tax should be raised by.

Members of the county’s finance committee were asked to look at options for balancing the cash strapped council’s books when they met recently.
However members could not agree when faced with an increase of 11.6 per cent which was the figure discussed in the past or having a smaller increase of 9.6 per cent.

The council’s finance director, Andrew Kirkham, told councillors they had a thankless task as the authority struggles with a £15,270,000 resource shortfall.

Mr Kirkham said: “You have got a thankless task as members to please everybody because you’ve got the same cash resources from the Welsh Government in 19/20 as you had in 18/19 but a shed load of additional pressures to deal with and there are only two ways you can deal with it.   
Cont.   https://www.northwalespioneer.co.uk/news/17358268.conwy-councillors-undecided-on-tax-increase/?ref=mr&lp=2

How sad. There they all sit in the comfort of their plush new building and yet they can't decide how much extra to charge everyone else to help pay for it and their other vanity projects. No doubt they will instead offer to cut their salaries and expenses.

Offline Ian

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 8948
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #248 on: January 15, 2019, 05:01:01 pm »
If they're deadlocked, and everyone seems happy for referendums to be held, why don't they simply ask the voters to decide?  They could do it online, so almost no costs involved and they could ask voters to vote on three questions:

1.  Increase Council tax by 11.6% or  9%?
2.  Cut all unnecessary services ('unnecessary' to be  defined by a panel of voters).
3.  Resign en masse as a point of principle and return all expenses paid to the council.


Could be interesting...
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline Fester

  • Ad Free Member.
  • *
  • Posts: 6660
  • El Baldito
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #249 on: January 16, 2019, 11:50:46 pm »
Every year an unacceptable rate of tax increase.
Every year an unacceptable reduction in service quality and provision.
I would advocate a strong show of public disobedience.  Don’t pay, I’m up for it.
It will certainly focus their minds, and they can’t lock ALL of us up!
Fester...
- Semper in Excretum, Sole Profundum Variat -

Offline Ian

  • Administrator
  • Posts: 8948
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #250 on: January 17, 2019, 09:20:21 am »
Nothing is so firmly believed as that which we least know.  ― Michel de Montaigne

Si hoc legere scis, nimis eruditionis habes.

Offline spotty dog

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 222
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #251 on: January 17, 2019, 10:23:07 am »
More people were being jailed in Wales despite a lower crime rate than in England every year between 2013 and 2017.
It makes you wonder whether Wales has got it right ie lower crime rate ,it all depends on how you interpret statistics

Offline Hugo

  • Management board member
  • *
  • Posts: 13873
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #252 on: January 17, 2019, 12:12:38 pm »
I suppose their statistics for arriving at their statement includes many prisoners in Wrexham who have come from over the border..    It's a bit like the drink drive stats for Llandudno which included most of Conwy County and beyond.
In other words statistics are pointless unless they are done properly

Offline Meleri

  • Genealogy & Research team
  • *
  • Posts: 535
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #253 on: January 22, 2019, 06:03:22 pm »
CCBC Cabinet meeting today discussed the Council Tax increase for 2019/2020. They recommended an increase of 9.6% not the 11.6% that had been proposed. This is only a recommendation, it will now have to go back to Scrutiny & then Full Council next month to be passed. 1% reduction in net Council Tax income equals approximately £500K, so the 2% (£1million) difference will be taken from the Capital Reserve set aside for the Future Schools Programme which is expected to start 2022, so would have been just sitting there for 3 years.

Offline SteveH

  • Management Board Member & Newsgroup Editor
  • *
  • Posts: 12932
Re: CCBC costs and cutting
« Reply #254 on: January 29, 2019, 05:57:56 pm »
Conwy county residents could be forced to pay for the collection of their domestic garden waste.

Just months after Conwy County Borough Council (CCBC) introduced four-weekly waste collection councillors are now set to vote on a paid garden waste pick up.
Councillors voted to consider the paid collection as part of a forward work programme last month and an item with the full details will be presented to a full committee meeting on March 20 and then cabinet on April 9.

A CCBC spokesperson said: "Councillors will be considering the issue of whether to introduce a chargeable domestic garden waste collection service for Conwy County.
"All the options will be explored in a report which is scheduled to go through the Council’s democratic process for discussion before any decisions are made."

If the paid garden collection scheme is voted in, it will also add to the charges for dumping certain items at CCBC tips.
However, CCBC wouldn't be the first county to charge for garden waste collections.

Denbighshire County Council already charge for garden waste collection, with residents paying between £22 and £36 a year, depending on how many 140L green bins or dumpy sack bags they have, if they sign up for the service.  ref Pioneer