| ||||
| |
Sunday, February 22, 2009
White Pride
Saturday, February 21, 2009
Sea Anglers
Swale Borough Council actual area in the great majority of places backs on to the sea and because of that we have a lot of Sea Anglers but I wonder if they know that the European Union is seeking to extend the Common Fisheries Policy to recreational Sea Anglers requiring them to operate under licence and to log every fish they catch as part of the British Quota. Why is it, the EU aided and abetted by the NU Labour government what to control and regulate every aspect of our lives. We Englishman can no longer say we live in a Free Democratic Country.
Martin Clarke Eat Street Sittingbourne
Martin Clarke Eat Street Sittingbourne
Thursday, February 19, 2009
100 way to cut Council Tax
HARRY PHIBBS: 100 ways to cut your Council Tax - WITHOUT cutting services
By Harry Phibbs
It really should be possible to cut Council Tax without cutting services - something we all need in such difficult economic times., journalist Harry Phibbs, a councillor in Hammersmith and Fulham, comes up with 100 ways to make savings.
If you have any other ideas then have your say by leaving a comment at the end of this article.
Harry's 100 ways1. Freeze recruitment.
2. Scrap political advisers.
3. Cut the number of press officers. One rule would be to make sure you have no more than the number of local newspaper reporters. An alternative idea would be to get rid of the press office altogether. Why not just put journalists through to the Leader's secretary who gives them the number for the relevant councillor?
4. Scrap the council newspaper. Unless, as in the case of my Council, you make it self financing through real, private sector, advertising.
5. Cut the number of Scrutiny Coordinators. One full time person to organise all the scrutiny meetings should be enough.
6. Cut the number of coordinators for assorted other committees and panels.
Child care: Place more vulnerable children up for adoption instead of in an expensive children's home
7. Place more children for adoption. Reducing the number of Looked After children by placing more of them in permanent loving homes is principally good news for them. But it is also good news for the Council Taxpayer. Social workers are often risk averse about adoption but it overwhelmingly offers better life chances than keeping children in care. What is your performance as measured by the number of Looked After Children per 10,000 children in your area? What are the barriers to adoption caused by avoidable bureaucratic delay or politically correct prejudices?
8. For those children who remain in care, where possible send them to boarding schools.
9. Where children remain in care, keep to a minimum sending them to institutional children's home, but place them for fostering in family homes. This is much better for the children. Also even the specialist, highly paid foster carers who can cope with "challenging" children are far less costly than the phenomenally expensive children's homes.
10. Cut any subsidies to private landlords.
11. Do you have a Town Hall canteen? How many meals does it serve and what is its subsidy? Remember to take account of the cost of the space it is taking up. Probably it should be closed and the council officers find better fare along the high street at spud-u-like.
12. Charge to hold events in parks. Make sure you charge enough to reflect the need to clear up afterwards and protect the grass. Also that the choice of events is sensitive to the wishes of residents. But often revenue can be secured for events which residents enjoy - annual fireworks, an ice rink, open air opera, farmers markets, fun fairs, etc.
13. Stop funding translations/interpreting for Council documents and services and funding refugee lobby groups. This money is much better spent teaching people English. But even redirecting some of it you should still find some change for Council Tax cuts.
14. Scrap arts subsidies. Giving subsidies to one theatre so they can run plays that residents would not be willing to finance by paying to go and see them is not a reasonable use of Council Taxpayers money.
15. Don't employ Fair Trade Coordinators.
16. Don't employ Diversity Officers.
17. The old fashioned Public Lavatories represent pretty poor value for money in terms of maintenance. Often the buildings could be valuable capital assets. A better arrangement is to pay pubs a small fee for agreeing to allow non drinkers to use their loos. Also have more of those pay toilet cubicles on street corners.
Saving a penny: Poorly maintained public toilets could be sold off as valuable cash assets
18. Include private sector advertising on Council notice boards.
19. Cease funding Law Centres. (A double saving as they often sue the local council so the Council Taxpayers end us paying for the lawyers on both sides.)
20. Libraries. Change the rota system to keep them open during lunch hours and also reduce staff numbers at the same time.
21. Cut spending on advertising. Of course freezing recruitment will help. If your Council newspaper is fortnightly you can place the statutory ads there.
22. Scrap school governor training/'support'. It just puts people off becoming governors with a lot of bureaucratic jargon.
23. Stop spending money on management consultants.
24. Close the Film Unit if your Council has one. Someone can take bookings as a sideline - this doesn't need a full time post let alone a team.
25. Sell off Council owned waste land for market housing.
26. Have fewer council buildings. This can mainly be achieved by reducing the number of staff but also by smarter working. You can encourage more staff to work from home.
27. Use 'hot desking.'
28. Cancel your annual subscription to the Local Government Association. This is a surprisingly significant sum. My Council pays £48,125.
29. Cancel your membership sub to the Local Government Information Unit.
30. Cancel your membership subs to most other bodies you are members of.
31. Or at least push for a reduction. For instance I think there is a purpose in the London Boroughs being members of London Councils but the cost is far too high.
Top of Form
32. Stop sending people off to conferences. One advantage of not being members of these bodies is that there won't be the same scope for sending staff off to their events at vast expense.
33. Ensure you have regular updates on projected asset sales. This is a crucial means of reducing debt and thus the debt interest payments which are often a big component of what the Council Tax funds.
34. If you don't have debt and have reserves in the bank, why are you keeping the reserves? You will only end up being tempted to spend it on something. The reserves should be diminished by lower Council Tax. Remember whose money it is.
35. Spending on the disabled and elderly should be focused on practical help not funding politicised advocacy lobby groups. Total spending in this area could be cut leaving room for lower Council Tax while still spending more on voluntary groups such as Help the Aged that provide caring, practical help.
36. Employing full time Disabled Access Officers in the Planning Department is poor value for money. Planning applications have to meet statutory requirements for disabled access but it should not be for Councils to engage in 'gold plating.'
37. Offer partnership deals with neighbouring Councils to reduce administration costs.
38. Use sprinklers in care homes allowing a potential reduction in night staff and safer elderly residents.
39. Shop around for your insurance premiums.
40. Reduce staff training to the statutory minimum.
41. Cease to employ staff to be trade union officials.
42. Charge for use of the staff car park.
43. Reduce the energy bill for street lighting. At present most Councils have excessive street lighting. As with much else this is due to a culture of being unduly risk averse over health and safety. Aside from the cost, we cause light pollution and increase our carbon footprint. For instance if the lights presently go on 30 minutes after sunset to come off at 30 minutes before sunrise, how much could be saved by having the lights going on an hour after sunset and switching them off an hour before sunrise?
44. Have periods where only half the lights are switched on (eg between 3am and 5am when scarcely anyone is using the streets.)
45. Scrap Local Education Authority clerking service for school governor meetings. One of the governors or the headmaster's secretary can take the minutes.
46. Put all services out to tender as Essex is doing - with a target of £200 million savings over three years.
47. Remember that voluntary and church groups as well as private firms may offer a better means of providing a service than the Council's own workforce, for instance in providing additional assistance to children with literacy problems.
48. Encourage residents to use the Mail Preference Service which stops addressed junk mail and then saves the cost of disposing of it. Direct Mail 'individually addressed advertising messages' accounts for 181,500 tons nationally. Say a largish council has 1,000 tons of it to dispose of at a cost of £83 a ton. That's £83,000 a year it spends putting people's junk mail on landfill.
49. Ban mineral water at meetings. Use tap water instead. This has saved us £36,000 a year in Hammersmith and Fulham.
50. Save money on printing. Stop producing glossy brochures. The thicker the paper, the shinier the pages, the brighter the colours - and the more residents think: 'So this is what my Council Tax goes on.' The printing bill for a typical council is literally millions of pounds.
51. Turn down the temperature in the Town Hall and other Council buildings. How low does the temperature get before the heaters come on? We used to have the windows open and the heaters blasting away at the same time.
52. Cut transaction costs by offering a discount to those who pay by direct debit, for instance for the Council Tax.
53. Cut transaction cost by facilitating as much as possible via the website - eg allow parking permits to be renewed online. It also may make sense to offer discounts for payments online.
54. Take a tough line in dismissing staff for persistent absenteeism. Monitor those who particularly claim to be sick on Fridays and Mondays. This will be easier having ceased funding full time union posts as the unions string out hearings for as long as possible. More positively, look at ways to improve the health of Council staff. Flu jabs represent good value for money in reducing genuine sickness.
55.Keep a tight grip on spending on agency staff.
56. Encourage staff to suggest efficiencies. Offer a prize for the best suggestions. But also allow anonymous entries.
57. Ensure that the numbers of staff engaged in health and safety enforcement is kept to the statutory minimum.
58. Combine the post of Finance Director and Chief Executive.
59. Give park wardens targets for imposing Fixed Penalty Notice fines for littering and dog fouling.
60. See if cafes could be opened in redundant park buildings thus allowing a revenue stream to the Council in rent.
61. Assess whether the staff employed to collect fees cost more in salaries than the income they gather in. For instance if you are employing three people to collect £15,000 a year from cafes for having tables and chairs on the pavement, this is not good value for money.
62. Where extra spending would secure a desirable objective consider whether the money could come from sponsorship rather than the Council. For instance new street trees could be funded by encouraging households to sponsor a new tree in their street, Christmas lights can be sponsored by local business.
63. End garden waste collection. Apart from the financial cost they do more harm than good for the environment. Much better value is promoting composting for instance by offering everyone a free composter.
64. Save money relocating some Council operations to parts of the country where costs are lower. Westminster Council has saved very substantial sums by moving back office processing operations and telephone services which don't require specialist knowledge. There are now 250-300 staff in Dingwall, Scotland, employed by a company called Vertex working for Westminster Council undertaking a great range of services.
65. Freeze councillor allowances.
66. Reduce storage costs and insurance costs by making sure the Council is not keeping equipment that is never used.
67. Cut down the number of cars for the Parks Constabulary. It's better to have them patrolling on foot anyway.
68. Review all the items you charge for. Cease offering services you charge for which run at a loss and merely duplicate what is offered commercially or by charities.
69. Cease charging where the transaction costs are greater than the revenue, for example charging schools to use parks for sports days. Towing cars away for mild parking offences can break even or run at a loss despite the heavy fines charged.
70. In the case of some services charge more. Compare your charges to other Councils.
Do the maths: Keep a tight grip on spending and monitor where the money goes
71. Open cafes in the corner of libraries where there is some space. This could produce revenue as well as attracting more library users.
72. Rationalise the number of Council departments. In Hammersmith and Fulham we have done this and thus reduced the number of officers on six figure salaries.
73. Look at the cost effectiveness of housing grants. How many people are employed administering these grants? How many go to owner occupiers who, even if cash poor, are asset rich and could be eligible for equity release schemes to fund home improvements?
74. Scrap politically correct requirements for contractors. For instance requiring a building firm tendering for work to produce an "equalities policy." All firms have to abide by plenty of statutory requirements on equality as it is. Councils should not be involved in gold plating. It imposes a double cost.
75. Cease funding racially separatist groups.
76. Seek an arrangement with central Government that the Council is given some financial reward for reducing bills to central Government, for instance in reducing welfare dependency.
77. Art leasing. Often Councils have valuable works of arts that aren't on display and cost money in storage and insurance. Sometimes selling them may not be appropriate or even legally possible if they have been given to the Council. But revenue could also be obtained from leasing the works of arts.
78. Town Hall bookings. Often Town Halls and other municipal buildings sit empty at weekends. Take a more aggressive and creative stance in seeking revenue from bookings. Consider using private agencies for this.
79. Charge for teaching other Councils how to set up specialist services. For instance if you have a CCTV Control Room whose manager has the relevant qualifications there could be substantial revenue in him running occasional courses in how to operate it.
80. Speed up the planning process. Charging high fees is reasonable if there is a quick, efficient service. Give clear guidelines about the basics such as good design in the initial stages but reduce the gold plating demands on matters such as health and safety and disabled access. A lot of officers spend their time on such matters but the statutory requirements are quite onerous enough.
81. Put in an arrangement where the Council leader and Cabinet Members have a firm grip on spending. The threshold for where spending needs to be authorised by the leader has been reduced from £300,000 to £100,000 in my borough. Of course there is no point in doing this if the leader is a pussycat who waves everything through.
82. Any recruitment of new posts should be approved by the Vacancy Management Panel chaired by the Council leader.
83. Don't be too proud to constantly check if other authorities are achieving lower costs or higher standards for a service and if so if they are achieving this through greater efficiency. Benchmark. Benchmark. Benchmark. After that do some more benchmarking.
84. Set maximum number of word limits on the length of reports submitted by officers. Long reports that nobody reads are a waste of officer time and a means of avoiding accountability for spending.
85. Set limits to the length of responses to Member Enquiries. They should answer the question raised and not be essays on the general subject. Saving officer time allows for fewer officers to be employed.
86. Youth Clubs and Youth Centres. These should not be run by the Council: they are typically pretty drab, dreary institutions when they are. Some of the money saved by closing them could go in higher grants to charitable and church groups which run youth groups, or partnership arrangements with the private sector or groups like the Prince's Trust who provide facilities for the young.
87. Cease employing Youth Workers. Activities such as Youth Forums and Youth Parliaments are generally pretty meaningless and low in numbers participating. Instead look at initiatives that don't really cost money. Hosting school debating competitions at the Town Hall for instance - which can also provide a positive opportunity for children from LEA and independent schools to mix. These can be organised by the schools themselves without employment of Youth Workers.
Youth work: Youth worker Fred Peters co-founded the Ethelred Estate Community Youth Club in south London in 1981
88. Check the list of those outside bodies being given free or subsidised office space by the Council, for instance trade unions. They could well be in buildings which could be sold.
89. Where Post Offices are threatened with closure see if there would be space for them to be relocated in a Council library. This would offer an income stream while also saving an important local service for the community.
90. Cease employing European Officers. I understand they are particularly prevalent on County Councils. Essentially they are propagandists for European integration.
91. Ensure you have the highest possible penalties for staff engaged in fraud.
92. Cease employing Work Experience Coordinators.
93. Scrap all 'nanny state' posts, 'Five a Day' officers, etc.
94. Use energy saving lightbulbs.
95. Review areas where the Council is operating in competition with the private sector. Does the Council own any pubs? Or shops? Or leisure centres? Or theatres? Are libraries providing DVD hire or internet access at £1 an hour? My council used to own and run a high street laundrette.
96. Look at the eligibility criteria for some of the services offered. Should pensioners all be treated the same or should the age limit sometimes be raised which might allow extra help for the very old as well as saving money? Take, for instance, the London wide TaxiCard scheme where the London Boroughs each pay hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. Should we raise the age of those eligible to 70? Why do we give 65-year-olds free taxi rides? One of the residents in my ward is John Humphrys who is 65 - why should we pay for his taxis?
97. Sell off redundant park lodges by the entrances to parks and cemeteries for market housing. Apart from the revenue often these beautiful buildings become eyesore when left empty with their windows boarded up, etc.
98. Generally claims of 'spend to save' or 'investment' should be treated with scepticism. But within budgets there will sometimes be genuine possibilities. For example, providing more litter bins might be a more cost effective way of reducing street litter than employing more road sweepers.
99. Performance related pay for departmental managers. If they come in under budget they get a bonus. If they come in over budget they get their pay docked. I think Westminster do this.
100. Do not have children's playgroups directly run by the Council. Instead better value for less money can be achieved through funding this much needed resource via the voluntary sector, church groups and independent groups of mothers.
By Harry Phibbs
It really should be possible to cut Council Tax without cutting services - something we all need in such difficult economic times., journalist Harry Phibbs, a councillor in Hammersmith and Fulham, comes up with 100 ways to make savings.
If you have any other ideas then have your say by leaving a comment at the end of this article.
Harry's 100 ways1. Freeze recruitment.
2. Scrap political advisers.
3. Cut the number of press officers. One rule would be to make sure you have no more than the number of local newspaper reporters. An alternative idea would be to get rid of the press office altogether. Why not just put journalists through to the Leader's secretary who gives them the number for the relevant councillor?
4. Scrap the council newspaper. Unless, as in the case of my Council, you make it self financing through real, private sector, advertising.
5. Cut the number of Scrutiny Coordinators. One full time person to organise all the scrutiny meetings should be enough.
6. Cut the number of coordinators for assorted other committees and panels.
Child care: Place more vulnerable children up for adoption instead of in an expensive children's home
7. Place more children for adoption. Reducing the number of Looked After children by placing more of them in permanent loving homes is principally good news for them. But it is also good news for the Council Taxpayer. Social workers are often risk averse about adoption but it overwhelmingly offers better life chances than keeping children in care. What is your performance as measured by the number of Looked After Children per 10,000 children in your area? What are the barriers to adoption caused by avoidable bureaucratic delay or politically correct prejudices?
8. For those children who remain in care, where possible send them to boarding schools.
9. Where children remain in care, keep to a minimum sending them to institutional children's home, but place them for fostering in family homes. This is much better for the children. Also even the specialist, highly paid foster carers who can cope with "challenging" children are far less costly than the phenomenally expensive children's homes.
10. Cut any subsidies to private landlords.
11. Do you have a Town Hall canteen? How many meals does it serve and what is its subsidy? Remember to take account of the cost of the space it is taking up. Probably it should be closed and the council officers find better fare along the high street at spud-u-like.
12. Charge to hold events in parks. Make sure you charge enough to reflect the need to clear up afterwards and protect the grass. Also that the choice of events is sensitive to the wishes of residents. But often revenue can be secured for events which residents enjoy - annual fireworks, an ice rink, open air opera, farmers markets, fun fairs, etc.
13. Stop funding translations/interpreting for Council documents and services and funding refugee lobby groups. This money is much better spent teaching people English. But even redirecting some of it you should still find some change for Council Tax cuts.
14. Scrap arts subsidies. Giving subsidies to one theatre so they can run plays that residents would not be willing to finance by paying to go and see them is not a reasonable use of Council Taxpayers money.
15. Don't employ Fair Trade Coordinators.
16. Don't employ Diversity Officers.
17. The old fashioned Public Lavatories represent pretty poor value for money in terms of maintenance. Often the buildings could be valuable capital assets. A better arrangement is to pay pubs a small fee for agreeing to allow non drinkers to use their loos. Also have more of those pay toilet cubicles on street corners.
Saving a penny: Poorly maintained public toilets could be sold off as valuable cash assets
18. Include private sector advertising on Council notice boards.
19. Cease funding Law Centres. (A double saving as they often sue the local council so the Council Taxpayers end us paying for the lawyers on both sides.)
20. Libraries. Change the rota system to keep them open during lunch hours and also reduce staff numbers at the same time.
21. Cut spending on advertising. Of course freezing recruitment will help. If your Council newspaper is fortnightly you can place the statutory ads there.
22. Scrap school governor training/'support'. It just puts people off becoming governors with a lot of bureaucratic jargon.
23. Stop spending money on management consultants.
24. Close the Film Unit if your Council has one. Someone can take bookings as a sideline - this doesn't need a full time post let alone a team.
25. Sell off Council owned waste land for market housing.
26. Have fewer council buildings. This can mainly be achieved by reducing the number of staff but also by smarter working. You can encourage more staff to work from home.
27. Use 'hot desking.'
28. Cancel your annual subscription to the Local Government Association. This is a surprisingly significant sum. My Council pays £48,125.
29. Cancel your membership sub to the Local Government Information Unit.
30. Cancel your membership subs to most other bodies you are members of.
31. Or at least push for a reduction. For instance I think there is a purpose in the London Boroughs being members of London Councils but the cost is far too high.
Top of Form
32. Stop sending people off to conferences. One advantage of not being members of these bodies is that there won't be the same scope for sending staff off to their events at vast expense.
33. Ensure you have regular updates on projected asset sales. This is a crucial means of reducing debt and thus the debt interest payments which are often a big component of what the Council Tax funds.
34. If you don't have debt and have reserves in the bank, why are you keeping the reserves? You will only end up being tempted to spend it on something. The reserves should be diminished by lower Council Tax. Remember whose money it is.
35. Spending on the disabled and elderly should be focused on practical help not funding politicised advocacy lobby groups. Total spending in this area could be cut leaving room for lower Council Tax while still spending more on voluntary groups such as Help the Aged that provide caring, practical help.
36. Employing full time Disabled Access Officers in the Planning Department is poor value for money. Planning applications have to meet statutory requirements for disabled access but it should not be for Councils to engage in 'gold plating.'
37. Offer partnership deals with neighbouring Councils to reduce administration costs.
38. Use sprinklers in care homes allowing a potential reduction in night staff and safer elderly residents.
39. Shop around for your insurance premiums.
40. Reduce staff training to the statutory minimum.
41. Cease to employ staff to be trade union officials.
42. Charge for use of the staff car park.
43. Reduce the energy bill for street lighting. At present most Councils have excessive street lighting. As with much else this is due to a culture of being unduly risk averse over health and safety. Aside from the cost, we cause light pollution and increase our carbon footprint. For instance if the lights presently go on 30 minutes after sunset to come off at 30 minutes before sunrise, how much could be saved by having the lights going on an hour after sunset and switching them off an hour before sunrise?
44. Have periods where only half the lights are switched on (eg between 3am and 5am when scarcely anyone is using the streets.)
45. Scrap Local Education Authority clerking service for school governor meetings. One of the governors or the headmaster's secretary can take the minutes.
46. Put all services out to tender as Essex is doing - with a target of £200 million savings over three years.
47. Remember that voluntary and church groups as well as private firms may offer a better means of providing a service than the Council's own workforce, for instance in providing additional assistance to children with literacy problems.
48. Encourage residents to use the Mail Preference Service which stops addressed junk mail and then saves the cost of disposing of it. Direct Mail 'individually addressed advertising messages' accounts for 181,500 tons nationally. Say a largish council has 1,000 tons of it to dispose of at a cost of £83 a ton. That's £83,000 a year it spends putting people's junk mail on landfill.
49. Ban mineral water at meetings. Use tap water instead. This has saved us £36,000 a year in Hammersmith and Fulham.
50. Save money on printing. Stop producing glossy brochures. The thicker the paper, the shinier the pages, the brighter the colours - and the more residents think: 'So this is what my Council Tax goes on.' The printing bill for a typical council is literally millions of pounds.
51. Turn down the temperature in the Town Hall and other Council buildings. How low does the temperature get before the heaters come on? We used to have the windows open and the heaters blasting away at the same time.
52. Cut transaction costs by offering a discount to those who pay by direct debit, for instance for the Council Tax.
53. Cut transaction cost by facilitating as much as possible via the website - eg allow parking permits to be renewed online. It also may make sense to offer discounts for payments online.
54. Take a tough line in dismissing staff for persistent absenteeism. Monitor those who particularly claim to be sick on Fridays and Mondays. This will be easier having ceased funding full time union posts as the unions string out hearings for as long as possible. More positively, look at ways to improve the health of Council staff. Flu jabs represent good value for money in reducing genuine sickness.
55.Keep a tight grip on spending on agency staff.
56. Encourage staff to suggest efficiencies. Offer a prize for the best suggestions. But also allow anonymous entries.
57. Ensure that the numbers of staff engaged in health and safety enforcement is kept to the statutory minimum.
58. Combine the post of Finance Director and Chief Executive.
59. Give park wardens targets for imposing Fixed Penalty Notice fines for littering and dog fouling.
60. See if cafes could be opened in redundant park buildings thus allowing a revenue stream to the Council in rent.
61. Assess whether the staff employed to collect fees cost more in salaries than the income they gather in. For instance if you are employing three people to collect £15,000 a year from cafes for having tables and chairs on the pavement, this is not good value for money.
62. Where extra spending would secure a desirable objective consider whether the money could come from sponsorship rather than the Council. For instance new street trees could be funded by encouraging households to sponsor a new tree in their street, Christmas lights can be sponsored by local business.
63. End garden waste collection. Apart from the financial cost they do more harm than good for the environment. Much better value is promoting composting for instance by offering everyone a free composter.
64. Save money relocating some Council operations to parts of the country where costs are lower. Westminster Council has saved very substantial sums by moving back office processing operations and telephone services which don't require specialist knowledge. There are now 250-300 staff in Dingwall, Scotland, employed by a company called Vertex working for Westminster Council undertaking a great range of services.
65. Freeze councillor allowances.
66. Reduce storage costs and insurance costs by making sure the Council is not keeping equipment that is never used.
67. Cut down the number of cars for the Parks Constabulary. It's better to have them patrolling on foot anyway.
68. Review all the items you charge for. Cease offering services you charge for which run at a loss and merely duplicate what is offered commercially or by charities.
69. Cease charging where the transaction costs are greater than the revenue, for example charging schools to use parks for sports days. Towing cars away for mild parking offences can break even or run at a loss despite the heavy fines charged.
70. In the case of some services charge more. Compare your charges to other Councils.
Do the maths: Keep a tight grip on spending and monitor where the money goes
71. Open cafes in the corner of libraries where there is some space. This could produce revenue as well as attracting more library users.
72. Rationalise the number of Council departments. In Hammersmith and Fulham we have done this and thus reduced the number of officers on six figure salaries.
73. Look at the cost effectiveness of housing grants. How many people are employed administering these grants? How many go to owner occupiers who, even if cash poor, are asset rich and could be eligible for equity release schemes to fund home improvements?
74. Scrap politically correct requirements for contractors. For instance requiring a building firm tendering for work to produce an "equalities policy." All firms have to abide by plenty of statutory requirements on equality as it is. Councils should not be involved in gold plating. It imposes a double cost.
75. Cease funding racially separatist groups.
76. Seek an arrangement with central Government that the Council is given some financial reward for reducing bills to central Government, for instance in reducing welfare dependency.
77. Art leasing. Often Councils have valuable works of arts that aren't on display and cost money in storage and insurance. Sometimes selling them may not be appropriate or even legally possible if they have been given to the Council. But revenue could also be obtained from leasing the works of arts.
78. Town Hall bookings. Often Town Halls and other municipal buildings sit empty at weekends. Take a more aggressive and creative stance in seeking revenue from bookings. Consider using private agencies for this.
79. Charge for teaching other Councils how to set up specialist services. For instance if you have a CCTV Control Room whose manager has the relevant qualifications there could be substantial revenue in him running occasional courses in how to operate it.
80. Speed up the planning process. Charging high fees is reasonable if there is a quick, efficient service. Give clear guidelines about the basics such as good design in the initial stages but reduce the gold plating demands on matters such as health and safety and disabled access. A lot of officers spend their time on such matters but the statutory requirements are quite onerous enough.
81. Put in an arrangement where the Council leader and Cabinet Members have a firm grip on spending. The threshold for where spending needs to be authorised by the leader has been reduced from £300,000 to £100,000 in my borough. Of course there is no point in doing this if the leader is a pussycat who waves everything through.
82. Any recruitment of new posts should be approved by the Vacancy Management Panel chaired by the Council leader.
83. Don't be too proud to constantly check if other authorities are achieving lower costs or higher standards for a service and if so if they are achieving this through greater efficiency. Benchmark. Benchmark. Benchmark. After that do some more benchmarking.
84. Set maximum number of word limits on the length of reports submitted by officers. Long reports that nobody reads are a waste of officer time and a means of avoiding accountability for spending.
85. Set limits to the length of responses to Member Enquiries. They should answer the question raised and not be essays on the general subject. Saving officer time allows for fewer officers to be employed.
86. Youth Clubs and Youth Centres. These should not be run by the Council: they are typically pretty drab, dreary institutions when they are. Some of the money saved by closing them could go in higher grants to charitable and church groups which run youth groups, or partnership arrangements with the private sector or groups like the Prince's Trust who provide facilities for the young.
87. Cease employing Youth Workers. Activities such as Youth Forums and Youth Parliaments are generally pretty meaningless and low in numbers participating. Instead look at initiatives that don't really cost money. Hosting school debating competitions at the Town Hall for instance - which can also provide a positive opportunity for children from LEA and independent schools to mix. These can be organised by the schools themselves without employment of Youth Workers.
Youth work: Youth worker Fred Peters co-founded the Ethelred Estate Community Youth Club in south London in 1981
88. Check the list of those outside bodies being given free or subsidised office space by the Council, for instance trade unions. They could well be in buildings which could be sold.
89. Where Post Offices are threatened with closure see if there would be space for them to be relocated in a Council library. This would offer an income stream while also saving an important local service for the community.
90. Cease employing European Officers. I understand they are particularly prevalent on County Councils. Essentially they are propagandists for European integration.
91. Ensure you have the highest possible penalties for staff engaged in fraud.
92. Cease employing Work Experience Coordinators.
93. Scrap all 'nanny state' posts, 'Five a Day' officers, etc.
94. Use energy saving lightbulbs.
95. Review areas where the Council is operating in competition with the private sector. Does the Council own any pubs? Or shops? Or leisure centres? Or theatres? Are libraries providing DVD hire or internet access at £1 an hour? My council used to own and run a high street laundrette.
96. Look at the eligibility criteria for some of the services offered. Should pensioners all be treated the same or should the age limit sometimes be raised which might allow extra help for the very old as well as saving money? Take, for instance, the London wide TaxiCard scheme where the London Boroughs each pay hundreds of thousands of pounds a year. Should we raise the age of those eligible to 70? Why do we give 65-year-olds free taxi rides? One of the residents in my ward is John Humphrys who is 65 - why should we pay for his taxis?
97. Sell off redundant park lodges by the entrances to parks and cemeteries for market housing. Apart from the revenue often these beautiful buildings become eyesore when left empty with their windows boarded up, etc.
98. Generally claims of 'spend to save' or 'investment' should be treated with scepticism. But within budgets there will sometimes be genuine possibilities. For example, providing more litter bins might be a more cost effective way of reducing street litter than employing more road sweepers.
99. Performance related pay for departmental managers. If they come in under budget they get a bonus. If they come in over budget they get their pay docked. I think Westminster do this.
100. Do not have children's playgroups directly run by the Council. Instead better value for less money can be achieved through funding this much needed resource via the voluntary sector, church groups and independent groups of mothers.
Wednesday, February 11, 2009
Church of England ban BNP
The Church of England has decided that nobody who is part of their Church can be a member of the BNP. No matter what you think of the BNP you have to admit it is a legal political party in a free and democratic country, for the C of E to use their Christian religion as a threat to one belief is disgusting. I am surprised they did not threaten their follows with Hell and Damnation if they vote BNP. If the C of E wants to get involved in politics they should stand for election.
The Police have the same policy with regard to the BNP but what surprises me is I would have thought that any Policeman or clergy man should be annexed from Party Politics they should be Politically neutral rather then banning them from belong to any political party they should be banned from all political parties because all political parties will some where a long the line go against the beliefs of the C of E and the Police.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
The Police have the same policy with regard to the BNP but what surprises me is I would have thought that any Policeman or clergy man should be annexed from Party Politics they should be Politically neutral rather then banning them from belong to any political party they should be banned from all political parties because all political parties will some where a long the line go against the beliefs of the C of E and the Police.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
Some talking Sense
Norman Wells, from the Family Education Trust, said that, while many single mothers do an 'excellent job' raising their children, 'we cannot close our eyes to the evidence which shows that, on average, children fare better in terms of health, education and future career prospects when they are brought up by a mother and father who are committed to each other for life in marriage'.
Is Brit offensive
Am I right in thinking that PAKI is short for Pakistani?
Just an abbreviation? ('PAKI' IS ACTUALLY AN URDU WORD MEANING 'PURE', CALLING SOMEONE PURE IS HARDLEY OFFENSIVE! .... ALSO 'STAN' MEANS 'LAND') >
> Prince Harry calls a mate "Our little Paki friend" and is forced to apologise two years later. This guy was a mate of his for heavens sake! >
> Am I right in thinking that "Brit" is short for British? Should the Sun Newspaper be forced to apologise every time it prints the word Brit or The Brits are coming?
Is the word Brit offensive? >
> Is "Scot" Offensive? "The Scots are coming". Another Sun Newspaper Football Clash Headline classic. >
> What about Ozzie? Kiwi? Pommie? Limey?
Where or when will this lunacy end?
The Cornish call all holiday makers "Grockles" Anything wrong with that? >
> If a Pakistani called you "His Brit friend" Would you feel offended? Would you demand an apology on National TV? Of course not. >
> Del Trotter refers to "The Paki Shop" in one episode of Only Fools and Horses. (Now overdubbed for UK Gold with the offending word taken out). (The episode when they build a nuclear fallout shelter). Should Sir David Jason now apologise? Should the writer John Sullivan apologise?
Should the BBC apologise? > > What about the Fuzzywuzzies? "Dads Army" >
> What about "You stupid Kraut"? Fawlty Towers. Both still being broadcast regularly with no overdub. >
> The Idiots are at it again trying to stir up racial hatred. It's just madness surely? >
> I'm happy being a BRIT, BRITISH, ENGLISH, POMMIE, LIMEY or whatever. I don't care a fig. I only care when I'm called a RACIST!!!!! >
> I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEARS "BRIT AWARDS" ON THE TV. LUCKILY, THANKS TO THE ZEALOTS, RACISTS AND BIGOTS THERE WILL NEVER BE A "PAKI AWARDS". Oh no indeed, because all the Pakis will be at The Brit Awards. And us Brits won't mind at all will we? >
> There's something rotten in the barrel and nobody in government or local politics has the guts to stand up and say "GROW UP THE LOT OF YOU". >
> If you agree then pass this on. If not then you still have the democratic right to delete it. (Well for the time being anyway)...
Just an abbreviation? ('PAKI' IS ACTUALLY AN URDU WORD MEANING 'PURE', CALLING SOMEONE PURE IS HARDLEY OFFENSIVE! .... ALSO 'STAN' MEANS 'LAND') >
> Prince Harry calls a mate "Our little Paki friend" and is forced to apologise two years later. This guy was a mate of his for heavens sake! >
> Am I right in thinking that "Brit" is short for British? Should the Sun Newspaper be forced to apologise every time it prints the word Brit or The Brits are coming?
Is the word Brit offensive? >
> Is "Scot" Offensive? "The Scots are coming". Another Sun Newspaper Football Clash Headline classic. >
> What about Ozzie? Kiwi? Pommie? Limey?
Where or when will this lunacy end?
The Cornish call all holiday makers "Grockles" Anything wrong with that? >
> If a Pakistani called you "His Brit friend" Would you feel offended? Would you demand an apology on National TV? Of course not. >
> Del Trotter refers to "The Paki Shop" in one episode of Only Fools and Horses. (Now overdubbed for UK Gold with the offending word taken out). (The episode when they build a nuclear fallout shelter). Should Sir David Jason now apologise? Should the writer John Sullivan apologise?
Should the BBC apologise? > > What about the Fuzzywuzzies? "Dads Army" >
> What about "You stupid Kraut"? Fawlty Towers. Both still being broadcast regularly with no overdub. >
> The Idiots are at it again trying to stir up racial hatred. It's just madness surely? >
> I'm happy being a BRIT, BRITISH, ENGLISH, POMMIE, LIMEY or whatever. I don't care a fig. I only care when I'm called a RACIST!!!!! >
> I'M LOOKING FORWARD TO NEXT YEARS "BRIT AWARDS" ON THE TV. LUCKILY, THANKS TO THE ZEALOTS, RACISTS AND BIGOTS THERE WILL NEVER BE A "PAKI AWARDS". Oh no indeed, because all the Pakis will be at The Brit Awards. And us Brits won't mind at all will we? >
> There's something rotten in the barrel and nobody in government or local politics has the guts to stand up and say "GROW UP THE LOT OF YOU". >
> If you agree then pass this on. If not then you still have the democratic right to delete it. (Well for the time being anyway)...
Saturday, February 07, 2009
Golliwog sanctuary
GOLLIWOG SANCTUARY
Dear Editor
The latest furore in the papers concerning Golliwogs has left me dismayed; this lovely, cuddly doll has been the companion of millions of children over the years. The hatred shown by certain sections of these countries intelligencer who believe they are the guardians of what we think have decided that the outlawing of the Golliwog is the only way forward to a sanitised society. I believe this will lead to thousands of Golliwogs being discarded, left without a home or friendship. Thrown into an uncaring world, with only destruction to look forward to can this be just. This should not be allowed to happened, surely British people believe in Justice, surely we have gone past the idea that the Colour of wool is the only mitigating factor in discriminating against a Doll? I am offering a sanctuary to all Golliwogs that are no longer loved or cared for with the hope that one day we can say again “I have a Golliwog and I am Proud” remember “a Golliwog is not just for Christmas it is for life”
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Saturday, January 31, 2009
My 6 year Journey to a Knee replacement
Way back in 1976 I injured my Knee in a Judo Demonstration little did I know what problems that injure would cause me in later years. Throughout my Judo and Sambo career the knee would cause me problems most of that time I used a moped tyre cut in half and strapped it to the sides of my knee to stop any sideward movement as orthopaedic strapping improved I move on to a proper knee support rather them an improvised one. In my late 40’s I had key hole surgery to clean my knee this helped for a while but I still managed to train as I want ed to win a World Gold I had won 3 World Silvers in Sambo and 1 in Jiu Jitsu, this I was to achieve in 2001 when I won the World Master’s Super heavyweight Championships in the USA. After this event I decided to have a 6 month break from competition but it would be the last Judo Match I was to ever have, my knee deteriorated rapidly. In approx 2002 I was sent to a specialist and was told I was too young at 52 to have a Knee replacement, my knee was painful but not enough to stop me walking and teaching so I thought it is something I will have to live with. 6 months on the pain had increased to a level where I could no longer demonstrate Judo/Sambo techniques and I had to take painkillers so another visit to the Doctor and an appointment was made with yet another consultant which I had to wait 3 months for. Once again I was told I was too young and I was told I was 8 stone over weight. The surgeon wanted me to drop to 15 stone, the last time I was that weight was when I was 15 years old, asking why this made a difference many excuses were used but the main one being when I was under anaesthetic my stomach could lay on my chest and prevent me breathing, I tried to explain that my chest was still far bigger then my waist and yes I was big man but I still kept myself fit as much as I could and throughout my International competitive career my weight had been between 21 stone and 24 stone, a career that that had lasted 34 years. So refusal again now I had to buy a £450 knee harness out of my own money as by now I could not walk without it and a stick.
Months later I returned to my doctor and asked for yet another appointment, while there I explained I had great deal of difficulty in walking he then suggested I should claim for Driving disability and get a Blue Badge which I did, with the blue Badge came £46 per week as I had been paying between £40 and £80 for acupuncture from my own money I felt justified in taking it. Then several months later I had a result they were prepared to operate I had a date but this was to be cancelled a few days before the operation why because Medway Hospital did not have a Bed big enough for me!
So we are the back of the queue my next appointment would be in the beginning of 2006, these consultants told me I was too heavy and they did not make Knee replacements big enough for me and if they did they would only last a year. A year later I made an appointment to see a surgeon privately and yes he would operate and through a NHS referral system I was to have the operation at the Alexander BUPA Hospital at last my problem was to be solved and in a nice clean private hospital, I went for pre op assessment and my date for the operation was fixed only to be told 24 hours before the operation it had been cancelled why? They did not have a bed big enough and they did not have the after care facilities.
My polite patient attitude now gave way to making complaints and harassing people and I had another appointment with yet another surgeon at the Memorial Hospital in August of 2008, this time I came prepared I had been on the internet to check every detail of this Knee replacement procedure and I turned up ready for a fight but there was no need this surgeon said of course he would operate Hallelujah but as he was leaving the area the following day all he could do was refer me to Medway my next and final appointment was in October 2008 with Surgeon Mr Samsami, I arrived with the same documentation again prepared for a fight but here was no need he looked at me then the knee and said “ I can see you are in great pain and can not walk properly so I will operate” at long last a certain operation but my trouble did not stop there my pre op was arranged for November this was cancelled 4 times and eventually was seen on December 30th only to be told I could wait another 4 months. No way I made an official complaint to the Chief Executive of the Medway NHS trust contacted our MEP Daniel Hannan and Parliamentary candidate Gordon Henderson and low and behold there was a cancellation and I was given a date of January 26th 2009.
My wife took me to the hospital on the morning of the 26th January I had to be there at 7am, we did not talk on the journey I was extremely nervous I had been waiting for 6 years to have this operation in that time I had been convinced by the various medical experts that my weight could cost me my life under operation, I had been lied to on numerous occasions i.e. Beds not big enough, Knee replacement not my size, they could not guarantee I would not get a Blood clot or MRSA. Two cancelled operations numerous cancelled appointments all this and going to Medway Maritime Hospital with a bad reputation for not being clean, yet I was prepared to take this all on because I could no longer take the pain, could no longer walk and most importantly the depression was getting to me.
Yet all my doubts and worries were to be expelled on reaching the pre op are a I notice how clean everything was, the nurses continually washing their hands and how they continued to try and reassure patients. With in 1 hour of arriving the anaesthetist visited me and explained in great detail how was to anaesthetised, explaining that I would have an epidural and would be put into a light sleep, I asked was my weight a problem? No he replied next came the main man Mr Samsami the surgeon he went through the whole procedure and talked to me as a human being not some inert object by the time I went down for operation at 11.30pm I was at total ease I knew I would not die under the knife and I knew I was in expert hands. When I came round I was being wheeled to Pembroke Ward I do not if I was lucky but I must have been put in the best ward in the country, the nurses, doctors, physiotherapists could not do enough for you, During that first 24 hours when the pain was at worst they the nurses would be there with the pain killers, reassuring words and on one occasion a cup of tea. The cleanliness of the wards were impeccable, beds were continually washed down as were the floors they even wiped the tops of the curtain rails all I can say is marvellous. The surgeon told me my knee could last up to 25 years if I am sensible, I went in on the Monday and came out on the Thursday and yes the knee is very painful, it will be months before it is completely healed but that operation has given me a new optimism for life.
I still think the administration of the NHS is rubbish and a disgrace to this country but once you get pass the bureaucrats the whole thing changes If Mr Samsami team and the staff of Pembroke Ward were to be the norm in British Hospitals we would have the best Health Service in the world.
Thank you to all who helped with my operation you deserves the thanks of the nation.
Martin Clarke
Months later I returned to my doctor and asked for yet another appointment, while there I explained I had great deal of difficulty in walking he then suggested I should claim for Driving disability and get a Blue Badge which I did, with the blue Badge came £46 per week as I had been paying between £40 and £80 for acupuncture from my own money I felt justified in taking it. Then several months later I had a result they were prepared to operate I had a date but this was to be cancelled a few days before the operation why because Medway Hospital did not have a Bed big enough for me!
So we are the back of the queue my next appointment would be in the beginning of 2006, these consultants told me I was too heavy and they did not make Knee replacements big enough for me and if they did they would only last a year. A year later I made an appointment to see a surgeon privately and yes he would operate and through a NHS referral system I was to have the operation at the Alexander BUPA Hospital at last my problem was to be solved and in a nice clean private hospital, I went for pre op assessment and my date for the operation was fixed only to be told 24 hours before the operation it had been cancelled why? They did not have a bed big enough and they did not have the after care facilities.
My polite patient attitude now gave way to making complaints and harassing people and I had another appointment with yet another surgeon at the Memorial Hospital in August of 2008, this time I came prepared I had been on the internet to check every detail of this Knee replacement procedure and I turned up ready for a fight but there was no need this surgeon said of course he would operate Hallelujah but as he was leaving the area the following day all he could do was refer me to Medway my next and final appointment was in October 2008 with Surgeon Mr Samsami, I arrived with the same documentation again prepared for a fight but here was no need he looked at me then the knee and said “ I can see you are in great pain and can not walk properly so I will operate” at long last a certain operation but my trouble did not stop there my pre op was arranged for November this was cancelled 4 times and eventually was seen on December 30th only to be told I could wait another 4 months. No way I made an official complaint to the Chief Executive of the Medway NHS trust contacted our MEP Daniel Hannan and Parliamentary candidate Gordon Henderson and low and behold there was a cancellation and I was given a date of January 26th 2009.
My wife took me to the hospital on the morning of the 26th January I had to be there at 7am, we did not talk on the journey I was extremely nervous I had been waiting for 6 years to have this operation in that time I had been convinced by the various medical experts that my weight could cost me my life under operation, I had been lied to on numerous occasions i.e. Beds not big enough, Knee replacement not my size, they could not guarantee I would not get a Blood clot or MRSA. Two cancelled operations numerous cancelled appointments all this and going to Medway Maritime Hospital with a bad reputation for not being clean, yet I was prepared to take this all on because I could no longer take the pain, could no longer walk and most importantly the depression was getting to me.
Yet all my doubts and worries were to be expelled on reaching the pre op are a I notice how clean everything was, the nurses continually washing their hands and how they continued to try and reassure patients. With in 1 hour of arriving the anaesthetist visited me and explained in great detail how was to anaesthetised, explaining that I would have an epidural and would be put into a light sleep, I asked was my weight a problem? No he replied next came the main man Mr Samsami the surgeon he went through the whole procedure and talked to me as a human being not some inert object by the time I went down for operation at 11.30pm I was at total ease I knew I would not die under the knife and I knew I was in expert hands. When I came round I was being wheeled to Pembroke Ward I do not if I was lucky but I must have been put in the best ward in the country, the nurses, doctors, physiotherapists could not do enough for you, During that first 24 hours when the pain was at worst they the nurses would be there with the pain killers, reassuring words and on one occasion a cup of tea. The cleanliness of the wards were impeccable, beds were continually washed down as were the floors they even wiped the tops of the curtain rails all I can say is marvellous. The surgeon told me my knee could last up to 25 years if I am sensible, I went in on the Monday and came out on the Thursday and yes the knee is very painful, it will be months before it is completely healed but that operation has given me a new optimism for life.
I still think the administration of the NHS is rubbish and a disgrace to this country but once you get pass the bureaucrats the whole thing changes If Mr Samsami team and the staff of Pembroke Ward were to be the norm in British Hospitals we would have the best Health Service in the world.
Thank you to all who helped with my operation you deserves the thanks of the nation.
Martin Clarke
A trip to pakistan
Now here's a thought . . . . If you are ready for the adventure of a lifetime, try this:
A.. Go to Pakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq illegally. Never mind immigration quotas, visas, international law, or any of that nonsense.
B.. Once there, demand that the local government provide free medical care for you and your entire family.
C.. Demand that all nurses and doctors be fluent in English, and that all food be cooked according to your special specifications in the hospital
D. Demand free local government forms, bulletins, etc. be printed in English.E.. Procreate abundantly.
F.. Deflect any criticism of this allegedly irresponsible reproductive behaviour with, 'It is a cultural thing; you wouldn't understand.'
G.. Keep your original identity strong. Fly your previous country's national flag from your rooftop, or proudly display it in your front window, or on your car bumper.
H.. Speak only English at home and in public, and make sure that your children do likewise.
I.. Demand classes on English culture in the Muslim school system.
J.. Demand a local country driver license or national insurance number equivalent
K.. This will afford other legal rights and will go far to legitimise your unauthorised, illegal, presence inPakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq
L.. Drive around with no MOT, tax or insurance and ignore local traffic laws.
M.. Insist that local country law enforcement teaches English to all its officers..
N.. Organise protest marches against your host country, inciting violence against non-white, non-Christians, and the government that let you in.
Good luck! You'll soon be dead.
It would never happen in Pakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq (or any other country in the world for that matter) except in the UK , US, Canada or Australia , because we are run by soft, politically correct politicians that are too scared to 'offend' anyone.If you agree, pass it on.
If you don't, go ahead and try the above in Pakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq
A.. Go to Pakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq illegally. Never mind immigration quotas, visas, international law, or any of that nonsense.
B.. Once there, demand that the local government provide free medical care for you and your entire family.
C.. Demand that all nurses and doctors be fluent in English, and that all food be cooked according to your special specifications in the hospital
D. Demand free local government forms, bulletins, etc. be printed in English.E.. Procreate abundantly.
F.. Deflect any criticism of this allegedly irresponsible reproductive behaviour with, 'It is a cultural thing; you wouldn't understand.'
G.. Keep your original identity strong. Fly your previous country's national flag from your rooftop, or proudly display it in your front window, or on your car bumper.
H.. Speak only English at home and in public, and make sure that your children do likewise.
I.. Demand classes on English culture in the Muslim school system.
J.. Demand a local country driver license or national insurance number equivalent
K.. This will afford other legal rights and will go far to legitimise your unauthorised, illegal, presence inPakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq
L.. Drive around with no MOT, tax or insurance and ignore local traffic laws.
M.. Insist that local country law enforcement teaches English to all its officers..
N.. Organise protest marches against your host country, inciting violence against non-white, non-Christians, and the government that let you in.
Good luck! You'll soon be dead.
It would never happen in Pakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq (or any other country in the world for that matter) except in the UK , US, Canada or Australia , because we are run by soft, politically correct politicians that are too scared to 'offend' anyone.If you agree, pass it on.
If you don't, go ahead and try the above in Pakistan , Afghanistan or Iraq
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Immigration the facts
According to Government figures, immigration at current levels will add about 7 million to the population of England by 2031 – equivalent to 7 cities the size of Birmingham.
In 2009 England is expected to overtake Holland as the most crowded country in Europe.
According to Government statistics, a new home for immigrants needs to be built every six minutes.
Immigration directly added a million people to the UK's population in just five years - 2003 to 2007.
There was a net inflow of 2.3 million people to the UK between 1991 and 2006. 8% came from the new East European members of the EU
Response to unemployment figures21-Jan-2009Commenting on today’s unemployment figures, the Co-Chairmen of the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, Nicholas Soames MP and Frank Field MP said:
Immigration Bill fails "litmus test"14-Jan-2009Commenting on the Bill's publication, Frank Field said: There are two litmus tests for immigration policy. First, it needs to tighten up immigration controls so that British unemployed people...
PM'S 100,000 JOBS PLEDGE UNDERMINED BY JOBS FOR IMMIGRANTS 12-Jan-2009In advance of Monday's jobs summit at No 10, Frank Field MP and Nicholas Soames MP, Co-Chairmen....
RESPONSE FROM FRANK FIELD TO COMMENTS BY HAZEL BLEARS ON WHITE WORKING CLASS 06-Jan-2009Commenting on Hazel Blears’ reaction to a report on white working class perceptions of ethnic minorities, Frank Field said...
New research shows the Government has no hope of keeping the UK's population below 70 million04-Jan-2009Cross Party Group issues new call for immediate action New research published today reveals the UK's ticking population timebomb...
GOVERNMENT MUST DO MORE THAN RESTRICT BULGARIAN AND ROMANIAN WORKERS18-Dec-2008Commenting on the Written Ministerial Statement today by Immigration Minister Phil Woolas that the Government is to...
In 2009 England is expected to overtake Holland as the most crowded country in Europe.
According to Government statistics, a new home for immigrants needs to be built every six minutes.
Immigration directly added a million people to the UK's population in just five years - 2003 to 2007.
There was a net inflow of 2.3 million people to the UK between 1991 and 2006. 8% came from the new East European members of the EU
Response to unemployment figures21-Jan-2009Commenting on today’s unemployment figures, the Co-Chairmen of the Cross Party Group on Balanced Migration, Nicholas Soames MP and Frank Field MP said:
Immigration Bill fails "litmus test"14-Jan-2009Commenting on the Bill's publication, Frank Field said: There are two litmus tests for immigration policy. First, it needs to tighten up immigration controls so that British unemployed people...
PM'S 100,000 JOBS PLEDGE UNDERMINED BY JOBS FOR IMMIGRANTS 12-Jan-2009In advance of Monday's jobs summit at No 10, Frank Field MP and Nicholas Soames MP, Co-Chairmen....
RESPONSE FROM FRANK FIELD TO COMMENTS BY HAZEL BLEARS ON WHITE WORKING CLASS 06-Jan-2009Commenting on Hazel Blears’ reaction to a report on white working class perceptions of ethnic minorities, Frank Field said...
New research shows the Government has no hope of keeping the UK's population below 70 million04-Jan-2009Cross Party Group issues new call for immediate action New research published today reveals the UK's ticking population timebomb...
GOVERNMENT MUST DO MORE THAN RESTRICT BULGARIAN AND ROMANIAN WORKERS18-Dec-2008Commenting on the Written Ministerial Statement today by Immigration Minister Phil Woolas that the Government is to...
Tuesday, January 20, 2009
January 20th 2009 a Day to remember
January 2oth 2009 will be a day to remember because Barrack Obama will become the USA first coloured President and to think 40 years ago in certain states of the USA a coloured person was not allowed on Buses, in bars, shops etc with a white person, hopefully some of those bigots are alive today to see this event. Once again I say only in the USA would this happen, if like me you do not agree with his politics, this should not stop realising it is a momentous occasion.
One thing a lot of commentators have not mentioned is the fact that he got to the position of President on his own volition, he did not need to go on any Positive Discrimination list because he was coloured NO he was his own man and the people of the USA voted for him because they believe he was the best person for the job.
Compare that with some of our own Political parties who want introduce Positive Discrimination ( surely all forms of discrimination are negative), this is where preference is given to Women, Homosexuals and Ethnic Minorities when being selected as a potential Parliamentary Candidate, White Heterosexual Males will be discriminated against. Obama has proved that people want the best not sub standard no matter what ethnic minority, gender, sexual persuasion you are.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
One thing a lot of commentators have not mentioned is the fact that he got to the position of President on his own volition, he did not need to go on any Positive Discrimination list because he was coloured NO he was his own man and the people of the USA voted for him because they believe he was the best person for the job.
Compare that with some of our own Political parties who want introduce Positive Discrimination ( surely all forms of discrimination are negative), this is where preference is given to Women, Homosexuals and Ethnic Minorities when being selected as a potential Parliamentary Candidate, White Heterosexual Males will be discriminated against. Obama has proved that people want the best not sub standard no matter what ethnic minority, gender, sexual persuasion you are.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Wednesday, January 14, 2009
Don’t these people realise the election is over
On Wednesday Radio 4 news programme “TODAY” they have a regular item “Thought for the Day” this is where a Religious speaker puts a point a view forward. On Wednesday a Rev Tom Butler gave an interesting talk about a US Mayor, this Mayor when he was prospective candidate in the Mayoral Election gave an under taking if elected to come along to a Church and just sit and listen to what the people were saying. He was elected and honoured the commitment with one exception when he walked on the stage he said before I listen I will give a 20 minute speech. He was told that was not what was agreed, he then walked of the stage refusing to stay, on reaching the lobby he said to an aid “Don’t these people realise the election is over”. This was overheard and the newspapers got hold of it and a few weeks later, thousands of Church goers made a Silent Vigil out side the mayors Office, he then attended a meeting at the Church and sat and listened. PEOPLE POWER , politician being made to listen to his electorate, what a novelty
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Please call me a PAKI
What is all the fuss about Prince Harry? Some one from Pakistan is a Paki as is some one from Britain a Brit. My mother was German so I was called a Jerry, Kraut or sometimes I was called a Paddy because I had an Irish Grandfather, most of the time it was in fun and sometimes it was meant to insult who cares they are only WORDS. It will not be long before all nicknames will be banned because they are not Politically Correct for example CLARKES are generally known as NOBBY how long will it be before some PC merchant will suggest that using the word NOBBY is wrong because it insinuates it means it means the person is a PENIS.
Finally the word Paki is derived from the word "Pak" which means Pure, so I would be honoured to be called a PAKI
Finally the word Paki is derived from the word "Pak" which means Pure, so I would be honoured to be called a PAKI
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Global Warning & THE PLAN
2008 is the global 10th coldest year since records began in 1850 (source WMO).
Why do I make that statement? I believe GLOBAL WARMING is an excuse to Tax the hilt out of all us and politicians along side their bureaucrats refuse to tell us the truth. Roger Helmer MEP has written alternative article in the “The European Journal” (http://www.europeanfoundation.org/) he brings up the problem of Wind Electricity which will be 14% dearer, its environmental benefits are debatable and in some cases where they dig up peat bogs to erect these monstrosities they release more carbon so that any net carbon benefit from the wind farm is lost. If you go to his web site you will find video speech he gives on the subject which is well worth a look.
My main thrust is one Politicians very rarely, if ever, listen to the voters if they did three things would have happened 1) Hanging would be brought back 2) we would have left the EU 3) There would be more prisons with longer sentences, I personally do not agree with hanging but on every occasion they have a survey a large % vote for its return. Our Government and Parliament treat us like retarded children who do not understand anything, when I was a councillor many years ago I asked a leading politician “was it his job to represent the views of his constituents” his answer was “NO” he maintained it was his duty to do what was best for his constituents. What arrogance best meant what he considered best is that democracy?
Democracy to me is when the Majority decide our destiny. So how can our system of Government be called a Democracy? At the last election 47% of the population voted from that 47%, 37% voted Nu Labour the government of today, a government who has overall majority and can not be voted down. That is to say approx 17% of the population voted for our present Government to me that is a dictatorship, what if we changed to Proportional Representation or made voting compulsory that may make Parliament look different but it still puts total power in the hands of MP’s for a maximum of 5 years with the people having no say in between and the EU is the Ultimate Democratic Dictatorship instead of our Leaders getting power via the Gun they get it by the voting system either way the ordinary man is powerless.
I have but given up on this country and resigned myself that the UK had Europe had slipped into a Kid Glove dictatorship which will eventually implode either by violent revolution or by the corruption of the system itself, that has already started with the credit crunch but I had some cheer when I purchased a book The Plan: Twelve months to renew Britain
by Douglas CarswellDaniel Hannan
THE PLAN
The British state is failing. The government has taken more than £1.2 trillion in additional taxation since 1997, yet still fails to discharge its primary functions competently. Our schoolchildren compare dismally with their contemporaries in other countries; our healthcare system is likelier to kill its charges than any other in the EU; we have the highest prison population in Europe and one of the highest crime rates; we have lost control of our borders; our transport infrastructure is overloaded. The current financial crisis, exacerbated by Britain's indebtedness and by the high spending of the quango state, is just the latest manifestation of a deeper malfunction.
The book goes on to suggest the following:
Scrapping all MPs' expenses except those relating to running an office and travel from the constituency
Selecting candidates through open primaries
Local and national referendums
"People's Bills", to be placed before Parliament if they attract a certain number of signatures
Placing the police under locally elected Sheriffs, who would also set local sentencing guidelines (I wrote suggesting the same thing many months ago)
Appointing heads of quangos, senior judges and ambassadors through open hearings rather than prime ministerial patronage
Devolving to English counties and cities all the powers which were devolved to Edinburgh under the 1998 Scotland Act
Placing social security, too, under local authorities
Making councils self-financing by scrapping VAT and replacing it with a Local Sales Tax
Allowing people to pay their contributions into personal healthcare accounts, with a mandatory insurance component
Letting parents opt out of their Local Education Authority, carrying to any school the financial allocation that would have been spent on their child
Replacing EU membership with a Swiss-style bilateral free trade accord
Requiring all foreign treaties to be ratified by Parliament
Scrapping the Human Rights Act withdrawing from the ECHR and guaranteeing parliamentary legislation against judicial activism
A "Great Repeal Bill" to annul unnecessary and burdensome laws
Now this looks like democracy “For the People by the People” the book can be purchased on Amazon, I hope you all read it but more importantly I hope our Politicians read it
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Sunday, December 28, 2008
Is Prof David Gilborn a Racist?
Last Sunday ( December 28th) there was a programme on Radio 4 where Henry Bonsu investigates current debates about class and poverty in education policy, in the light of calls by Trevor Phillips, head of the Commission for Equalities and Human Rights, for Britain's white working class children to receive special educational funding, alongside other underachieving minorities. The programme was quite enlightening as I expected a diatribe about racist white people and we must feel sorry for our ethnic brothers. This was not the case it was interesting programme about trying to get children to achieve, although race was mentioned on the whole it was not in a racist manner until we heard from Professor David Gilborn who said the following “White identity has only been destructive and violent” he went on to say that to encourage Whiteness is a time bomb, a disaster waiting to happen. This Professor racist views about white people is a disgrace, his views on the Police Force left a lot to be desired as well, it seems that the BBC pander to these extremist and never give an alternative view.
Listen to the programme go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00fzw11
Listen to the programme go to http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b00fzw11
CLEAR OFF 2008
Good Bye 2008 Thank God
I can honestly say that 2008 has been the worst year I have ever experienced why?
1) Lost my wallet losing several hundreds of pounds
2) Turned my Caravan over on the motorway nearly losing my life along side my wife
3) Insurance company refusing to pay out because they maintain I did not inform them of a change of Address.
4) Complained to Ombudsman in July still waiting for a decision
5) Damage to car £4700 Insurance paid approx £600 still awaiting a further £1700 some hope
6) Joint Replacement operation cancelled in May 24 hours before operation 2nd cancellation in 3
Years have been waiting nearly 6 years for operation,
7) New appointment given to see consultant in October agrees to do operation Pre assessment
Check 19th November cancelled till 28th November cancelled again till early part of December
Eventually given December 30th
8) Had flu jab but still got Flu
9) Can not walk more the 20 yards with out Knee pain and now keeps me awake at night
GOOD RIDDANCE TO 2008
I can honestly say that 2008 has been the worst year I have ever experienced why?
1) Lost my wallet losing several hundreds of pounds
2) Turned my Caravan over on the motorway nearly losing my life along side my wife
3) Insurance company refusing to pay out because they maintain I did not inform them of a change of Address.
4) Complained to Ombudsman in July still waiting for a decision
5) Damage to car £4700 Insurance paid approx £600 still awaiting a further £1700 some hope
6) Joint Replacement operation cancelled in May 24 hours before operation 2nd cancellation in 3
Years have been waiting nearly 6 years for operation,
7) New appointment given to see consultant in October agrees to do operation Pre assessment
Check 19th November cancelled till 28th November cancelled again till early part of December
Eventually given December 30th
8) Had flu jab but still got Flu
9) Can not walk more the 20 yards with out Knee pain and now keeps me awake at night
GOOD RIDDANCE TO 2008
Monday, December 22, 2008
Fat Cats Banker, City Spivs and Nu Labour
Who wants to live in Nu Labour UK
My wife runs a small HMO 4 Bedsits over the year she earns approx £9000 plus £1455 Senior Citizen Pension obviously out of this she has to pay expenses Gas, water, electric plus sundries. Not a massive amount, yet she has just been clobbered with a £1451.55p tax bill so all her pension has gone to fund Gordon Browns Coffers. One wonders why she bothers with the Bedsits she just as well shut down 2 make the occupants homeless and not pay any Tax, this will not happen because she has a conscience. Something Gordon Brown does not have , will he be bailing out all those who will lose their houses because they can no longer afford the mortgages NO but he is happy to Bail out Banks who along with him and his government are responsible for the mess we are in, the same Bank executives who earn in a week what my wife does in a year and will Gordon and his ministers plus all the MP’s suffer because of the credit crunch NO they will still get their salaries, their perks, their expenses and when they retire they will get their index linked pensions, oh and we must not forget all those Civil Servants who have guaranteed jobs for life at inflated pay. I was returning from St Petersburg Russia I had attended the World Sambo Championships (paid for by myself) and I overheard some Civil servants who had been to the City for a fact finding mission boasting because of the credit crunch they going to have a cheap Christmas. Next year you will see more and more people homeless, there will be more family break ups, crime will increase, more suicides all because of greedy incompetent bankers and a Government who was not prepared and did not save for the future.
Maybe I can make a suggestion every homeowner who can not afford the mortgage repayments should be allowed to hand back their house to the Mortgage Company with no penalty and then the mortgage company will allow them to stay at a reasonable rent. This will allow the occupants to live in a house they have built up, plus prevent a family breakdown, the mortgage company would be a winner because they now own the house and are collecting an income on the property and in 5 or 6 years time when the value of the house goes to what is owed they can sell it back to the owner. The original owner becomes a tenant and could be illegible for Housing Benefit which would be paid for by National Government not local Councils at least this way Nu Labour could be helping the ordinary working man rather then lining the pockets of Banking and City Spivs.
Martin Clarke East Street Sittingbourne
My wife runs a small HMO 4 Bedsits over the year she earns approx £9000 plus £1455 Senior Citizen Pension obviously out of this she has to pay expenses Gas, water, electric plus sundries. Not a massive amount, yet she has just been clobbered with a £1451.55p tax bill so all her pension has gone to fund Gordon Browns Coffers. One wonders why she bothers with the Bedsits she just as well shut down 2 make the occupants homeless and not pay any Tax, this will not happen because she has a conscience. Something Gordon Brown does not have , will he be bailing out all those who will lose their houses because they can no longer afford the mortgages NO but he is happy to Bail out Banks who along with him and his government are responsible for the mess we are in, the same Bank executives who earn in a week what my wife does in a year and will Gordon and his ministers plus all the MP’s suffer because of the credit crunch NO they will still get their salaries, their perks, their expenses and when they retire they will get their index linked pensions, oh and we must not forget all those Civil Servants who have guaranteed jobs for life at inflated pay. I was returning from St Petersburg Russia I had attended the World Sambo Championships (paid for by myself) and I overheard some Civil servants who had been to the City for a fact finding mission boasting because of the credit crunch they going to have a cheap Christmas. Next year you will see more and more people homeless, there will be more family break ups, crime will increase, more suicides all because of greedy incompetent bankers and a Government who was not prepared and did not save for the future.
Maybe I can make a suggestion every homeowner who can not afford the mortgage repayments should be allowed to hand back their house to the Mortgage Company with no penalty and then the mortgage company will allow them to stay at a reasonable rent. This will allow the occupants to live in a house they have built up, plus prevent a family breakdown, the mortgage company would be a winner because they now own the house and are collecting an income on the property and in 5 or 6 years time when the value of the house goes to what is owed they can sell it back to the owner. The original owner becomes a tenant and could be illegible for Housing Benefit which would be paid for by National Government not local Councils at least this way Nu Labour could be helping the ordinary working man rather then lining the pockets of Banking and City Spivs.
Martin Clarke East Street Sittingbourne
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
Home Information Packs a Waste of Time
PRESS RELEASE
Date: 15th December 2008
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Swale’s property market hit even harder
Local Conservative Candidate, Gordon Henderson, says he is worried that Government action is harming Swale’s already seriously depressed housing market.
Mr Henderson’s comments follow an announcement by the Government that Home Information Pack (HIPs) regulations will be tightened, pushing up the costs for those Swale’s residents who are trying to sell their home. This will include forcing town halls to become more aggressive in issuing fines for breaching the burdensome rules. Home Information Packs became compulsory for all homes on 14 December 2007.
Government research into HIPs has recently found that there is minimal public knowledge and interest in HIPs; that the industry thinks they are a waste of time; that they duplicate costs and that buyers are not bothering to consult HIPs; yet bizarrely the Government has announced the following changes:-
· Heavy-handed fines: Town halls will be instructed to “identify specific cases of non-compliance and enforce the requirements”. This raises the prospect that Kent County Council will be forced to start fining Swale home owners £200 a time if they do not follow the rules.
· Making it more difficult to advertise your home: From April 2009, the Government is cancelling the “first day marketing” provisions. These allow sellers to place their home on the market if a HIP has been ordered, but has not yet been completed. The cancellation will be mean that sellers will have to wait longer before they can put their home on the market. They will be fined if they advertise their property without a HIP.
· Gold-plating the Packs: The time to complete a Pack will increase, as sellers must personally fill out a detailed new ‘Property Information Questionnaire’ as part of the Home Information Pack. Yet this will be of little interest to buyers, who will instinctively treat information provided by the seller with a touch of scepticism.
Mr Henderson said:
‘I am deeply worried about the local housing market. You only have to look in our local newspapers to see the crisis engulfing Swale. There are fewer houses for sale than I can ever remember and the value has plummeted for those that are advertised.
‘Not only are home owners being hit, but estate agents and local newspapers, who rely on property advertising for their survival, are going through a really tough time.
‘Information Packs have already harmed the market and discouraged sellers. The last thing Swale needs is the prospect of heavy-handed fines being levied on home owners.
‘The housing market is on its knees and Labour’s response is to make it more difficult and expensive to sell your home. That is absolute madness.
‘I honestly believe ministers should suspend HIPs. Such action would provide a shot in the arm to Swale’s ailing market, which is why I welcome the commitment by David Cameron that he will scrap Home Information Packs altogether if he becomes Prime Minister.’
Notes to Editors
Home Information Packs became compulsory for all homes in England & Wales on 14 December 2007. The Government’s latest plans for Home Information Packs were announced on 8 December 2008.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm081208/wmstext/81208m0001.htm#0812089001094
HIPS ARE A “WASTE OF TIME” SAYS GOVERNMENT RESEARCH
Parliamentary Questions have compelled Ministers to publish opinion research into Home Information Packs provided by polling firm GFK NOP, at a cost of £60,000. Almost 4,000 buyers, sellers and estate agents across the country were surveyed. It shows:
Alarm over the worsening economy and rising cost of living: The report reveals:
· “Uncertainty and lack of confidence in economy and housing market was top of mind for buyers and sellers” (p.6).
· “Economic concern felt across South, Midlands and North: Caution – fear of negative equity; concern over ability to repay; Concern regarding economic climate, impact now being felt; recession anticipated; cost of everyday living increasing” (p.8).
Minimal public knowledge and interest in HIPs:
· “Amongst buyers and sellers: awareness, knowledge and understanding of HIPs poor; lack of engagement, experience and interest in the HIPs process” (p.6).
· “Superficial awareness of HIPS; minimal knowledge and understanding; not sufficiently aware / interested enough to ask to see HIP; rarely shown HIP; not seeing advantages of seller paying; In London, concern over HIP cost when selling property in future” (p.11).
· “Dismissive: don’t see purpose… Neither buyers or sellers are proactively enquiring about HIPs” (p.13).
Packs are a waste of time:
· “[Amongst estate agents] Attitude: resigned… Majority perceive no benefit / tend to be negative / waste of time” (p.15).
· “Estate agents struggled to think of positive comments about HIPS” (p.17).
Buyers not consulting HIPs:
· “First time buyers: Little knowledge / indifferent… Buyers and sellers: More knowledge / dismissive… Estate agents: High understanding / resigned” (p.19).
· “Buyers/first time buyers: Majority not offered to see HIP; majority not asked to look at HIP; seen as … long, boring, technical” (p.21).
Duplicating costs
· “Estate agents… Concern over houses being on market for an extended length of time and HIP becoming out of date before sale agreed” (p.26).
· “Portability of HIPs raises potential problems… Sellers may have to pay for multiple HIPs, if they change estate agents” (p.34).
Full HIPs presentation: http://www.conservatives.com/pdf/SecretHIPsResearch.pdf
MORE WOES FOR HOME INFORMATION PACKS
· The independent Carsberg Review in June warned that HIPs were the “worst of both worlds”, adding to red tape and costs, but not providing reliable information. It warned that they were duplicating costs, since “a substantial number of conveyancers ignore its existence and recommission searches on receiving instructions from their buyer client”.
RICS, Sir Bryan Carsberg’s Review of Residential Property, June 2008, p.42.
http://www.rics.org/Practiceareas/Property/Residential/Market/spotlight.htm
· In May, property firm MDA estimated that over half of all buyers' solicitors ignore the HIPs searches and commission their own “to maintain due diligence for their client” and make up for the deficiencies in the HIP – much of the search information is voluntary, meaning the seller has no financial incentive to pay to include potentially negative information about the property.
MDA Press Release, 22 May 2008.
http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/May2008/22/c3008.html
· The Council of Mortgage Lenders requires mortgage lenders to ensure that a search is not more than six months old at completion. Hence, any search in a HIP practically has an extremely short shelf-life, requiring buyers to commission their own, even if they did trust the selective information in the HIP. In a falling market, when it is takes longer to sell a home, this is a particular problem.
http://www.cml.org.uk/handbook/Overview.aspx
· Analysis of the Government's own ‘area trials’ of the Packs, shows that a mere 8% of home buyers felt that HIPs had sped up the home buying process. Three-quarters of buyers felt that the Pack had no effect on their decision on what home to buy. The research by Ipsos-MORI reveals that buyers' solicitors felt that HIPs' “quality could not be trusted” and failed to offer buyers “sufficient protection”. This survey research was suppressed by embarrassed Government Ministers for months.
DCLG, Home Information Pack Area Trials - Research Report, March 2008.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hipareatrials
· HIPs increase the cost of moving home, acting as a disincentive to sell. Ministers were warned by Oxford Economic Forecasting back in 2006 that HIPs would deter sellers and curtail the number of housing transactions, harming the economy (OEF, The Impact of Home Information Packs, 27 June 2006).
ENDS
Date: 15th December 2008
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Swale’s property market hit even harder
Local Conservative Candidate, Gordon Henderson, says he is worried that Government action is harming Swale’s already seriously depressed housing market.
Mr Henderson’s comments follow an announcement by the Government that Home Information Pack (HIPs) regulations will be tightened, pushing up the costs for those Swale’s residents who are trying to sell their home. This will include forcing town halls to become more aggressive in issuing fines for breaching the burdensome rules. Home Information Packs became compulsory for all homes on 14 December 2007.
Government research into HIPs has recently found that there is minimal public knowledge and interest in HIPs; that the industry thinks they are a waste of time; that they duplicate costs and that buyers are not bothering to consult HIPs; yet bizarrely the Government has announced the following changes:-
· Heavy-handed fines: Town halls will be instructed to “identify specific cases of non-compliance and enforce the requirements”. This raises the prospect that Kent County Council will be forced to start fining Swale home owners £200 a time if they do not follow the rules.
· Making it more difficult to advertise your home: From April 2009, the Government is cancelling the “first day marketing” provisions. These allow sellers to place their home on the market if a HIP has been ordered, but has not yet been completed. The cancellation will be mean that sellers will have to wait longer before they can put their home on the market. They will be fined if they advertise their property without a HIP.
· Gold-plating the Packs: The time to complete a Pack will increase, as sellers must personally fill out a detailed new ‘Property Information Questionnaire’ as part of the Home Information Pack. Yet this will be of little interest to buyers, who will instinctively treat information provided by the seller with a touch of scepticism.
Mr Henderson said:
‘I am deeply worried about the local housing market. You only have to look in our local newspapers to see the crisis engulfing Swale. There are fewer houses for sale than I can ever remember and the value has plummeted for those that are advertised.
‘Not only are home owners being hit, but estate agents and local newspapers, who rely on property advertising for their survival, are going through a really tough time.
‘Information Packs have already harmed the market and discouraged sellers. The last thing Swale needs is the prospect of heavy-handed fines being levied on home owners.
‘The housing market is on its knees and Labour’s response is to make it more difficult and expensive to sell your home. That is absolute madness.
‘I honestly believe ministers should suspend HIPs. Such action would provide a shot in the arm to Swale’s ailing market, which is why I welcome the commitment by David Cameron that he will scrap Home Information Packs altogether if he becomes Prime Minister.’
Notes to Editors
Home Information Packs became compulsory for all homes in England & Wales on 14 December 2007. The Government’s latest plans for Home Information Packs were announced on 8 December 2008.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200809/cmhansrd/cm081208/wmstext/81208m0001.htm#0812089001094
HIPS ARE A “WASTE OF TIME” SAYS GOVERNMENT RESEARCH
Parliamentary Questions have compelled Ministers to publish opinion research into Home Information Packs provided by polling firm GFK NOP, at a cost of £60,000. Almost 4,000 buyers, sellers and estate agents across the country were surveyed. It shows:
Alarm over the worsening economy and rising cost of living: The report reveals:
· “Uncertainty and lack of confidence in economy and housing market was top of mind for buyers and sellers” (p.6).
· “Economic concern felt across South, Midlands and North: Caution – fear of negative equity; concern over ability to repay; Concern regarding economic climate, impact now being felt; recession anticipated; cost of everyday living increasing” (p.8).
Minimal public knowledge and interest in HIPs:
· “Amongst buyers and sellers: awareness, knowledge and understanding of HIPs poor; lack of engagement, experience and interest in the HIPs process” (p.6).
· “Superficial awareness of HIPS; minimal knowledge and understanding; not sufficiently aware / interested enough to ask to see HIP; rarely shown HIP; not seeing advantages of seller paying; In London, concern over HIP cost when selling property in future” (p.11).
· “Dismissive: don’t see purpose… Neither buyers or sellers are proactively enquiring about HIPs” (p.13).
Packs are a waste of time:
· “[Amongst estate agents] Attitude: resigned… Majority perceive no benefit / tend to be negative / waste of time” (p.15).
· “Estate agents struggled to think of positive comments about HIPS” (p.17).
Buyers not consulting HIPs:
· “First time buyers: Little knowledge / indifferent… Buyers and sellers: More knowledge / dismissive… Estate agents: High understanding / resigned” (p.19).
· “Buyers/first time buyers: Majority not offered to see HIP; majority not asked to look at HIP; seen as … long, boring, technical” (p.21).
Duplicating costs
· “Estate agents… Concern over houses being on market for an extended length of time and HIP becoming out of date before sale agreed” (p.26).
· “Portability of HIPs raises potential problems… Sellers may have to pay for multiple HIPs, if they change estate agents” (p.34).
Full HIPs presentation: http://www.conservatives.com/pdf/SecretHIPsResearch.pdf
MORE WOES FOR HOME INFORMATION PACKS
· The independent Carsberg Review in June warned that HIPs were the “worst of both worlds”, adding to red tape and costs, but not providing reliable information. It warned that they were duplicating costs, since “a substantial number of conveyancers ignore its existence and recommission searches on receiving instructions from their buyer client”.
RICS, Sir Bryan Carsberg’s Review of Residential Property, June 2008, p.42.
http://www.rics.org/Practiceareas/Property/Residential/Market/spotlight.htm
· In May, property firm MDA estimated that over half of all buyers' solicitors ignore the HIPs searches and commission their own “to maintain due diligence for their client” and make up for the deficiencies in the HIP – much of the search information is voluntary, meaning the seller has no financial incentive to pay to include potentially negative information about the property.
MDA Press Release, 22 May 2008.
http://www.cnw.ca/fr/releases/archive/May2008/22/c3008.html
· The Council of Mortgage Lenders requires mortgage lenders to ensure that a search is not more than six months old at completion. Hence, any search in a HIP practically has an extremely short shelf-life, requiring buyers to commission their own, even if they did trust the selective information in the HIP. In a falling market, when it is takes longer to sell a home, this is a particular problem.
http://www.cml.org.uk/handbook/Overview.aspx
· Analysis of the Government's own ‘area trials’ of the Packs, shows that a mere 8% of home buyers felt that HIPs had sped up the home buying process. Three-quarters of buyers felt that the Pack had no effect on their decision on what home to buy. The research by Ipsos-MORI reveals that buyers' solicitors felt that HIPs' “quality could not be trusted” and failed to offer buyers “sufficient protection”. This survey research was suppressed by embarrassed Government Ministers for months.
DCLG, Home Information Pack Area Trials - Research Report, March 2008.
http://www.communities.gov.uk/publications/housing/hipareatrials
· HIPs increase the cost of moving home, acting as a disincentive to sell. Ministers were warned by Oxford Economic Forecasting back in 2006 that HIPs would deter sellers and curtail the number of housing transactions, harming the economy (OEF, The Impact of Home Information Packs, 27 June 2006).
ENDS
IS Womens Hour Propaganda for Womens Lib?
I quite often listen to the Radio, I like current affairs programmes and telephone call in programs like the A.M production of TalkSport , mind you the latter programme has become really tame now that presenter John Gaunt was sacked for voicing his opinion so much for free speech. On Saturday I switched on a Review of the weeks “Women’s Hour” my first thought I can not listen to this but am glad I did.
First we had a Top American lady who was on John McCain’s Presidential Team a Carly Feriman (not sure of the spelling) she was asked whether women still had an up hill struggle when it cam to top jobs, she replied yes but instead of making excuses and condemning men she went on to say “So I had to work harder” Her best reply was “You want the best people for the job no matter what packaging it comes in” now there is a women to respect but I must add caveat: Could it be that some women are not good enough for the job? One thing she mentioned that business deals are done in Lap dancing Clubs and she felt it degrading that as women she was expected to attend clients at these venues, I think it is degrading for anyone to attend a place like this and the tax man she should not allow this type of cooperate entertainment as a legitimate tax deduction
Next came a piece featuring Rachel Cooke a reporter from the Observer, she was beside herself that 30% of women between 15 & 30 thought that women should stay at home and look after their home worse still 40% of all women said the same thing she felt flummoxed! I personally thought the figure would have or should have been higher. Then some other women complained it was taken for granted that women should look after children, she then inferred why men could not do it instead. Maybe she has never heard of the bond between Mother and Child something a man will never replace, a child needs it mother at those young years not a nanny. What annoyed me most was that I took this as insult to my own wife, I have been married for 38 years in that time we have had 3 children, 5 grandchildren, a nice house, a good business renting property and all of this has been done as a partnership (not the soppy name for people who live together and will not marry) a true partnership. The strength of our partnership was we both worked to our strengths my wife is an excellent home maker, mother and grandmother while I have a better eye for business, without the others strength we would not have succeeded. On many occasions her skills in being a homemaker has helped in the business.
The next was the funniest they had some of the Greenham Common women on, for those who can not remember them they were a bunch of women who lived in make do shelters for years around USA Cruise missile base at Greenham Common 25 years ago, their idea was to stop the Cruise Missiles with the hope that war would stop and mankind could live in peace. A worthy ideal and peaceful protest is a good thing but to stay for years and having the ignominy of failing is something else. Cruise Missiles were eventually removed from Greenham because of the collapse of the Soviet Union and Communism, the threat of the missiles helped do that, whether the collapse of the Soviet Union and all the problems that have gone with it, is for the betterment of mankind is for history to decide. Policing these women cost millions of pounds money which could have been spent on far better things. The funny part was when an archaeologist came on stating that they were excavating the site? after only 25 years. I expect they have even got a government grant for this important fact finding mission into our history so they can understanding the people of that era? Dare I make a suggestion that they look at TV reports, listen to archive radio talk to the people who were there. Yet they did have one interesting find it seems this strange tribe of women had different camps and one was for vegans, at the vegan camp they found an empty milk bottle! Could it have left by the Vegan Tribe or could it have been tossed out of a car window? Finally one of the Greenham Common women bragged how she stopped there for 5 years, where did she get the money to eat? THE DOLE who knows and to bring up children in those conditions was at best irresponsible, where were the Social Services when they are really needed
It was interesting to listen but once again a typical BBC programme with no balance
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
First we had a Top American lady who was on John McCain’s Presidential Team a Carly Feriman (not sure of the spelling) she was asked whether women still had an up hill struggle when it cam to top jobs, she replied yes but instead of making excuses and condemning men she went on to say “So I had to work harder” Her best reply was “You want the best people for the job no matter what packaging it comes in” now there is a women to respect but I must add caveat: Could it be that some women are not good enough for the job? One thing she mentioned that business deals are done in Lap dancing Clubs and she felt it degrading that as women she was expected to attend clients at these venues, I think it is degrading for anyone to attend a place like this and the tax man she should not allow this type of cooperate entertainment as a legitimate tax deduction
Next came a piece featuring Rachel Cooke a reporter from the Observer, she was beside herself that 30% of women between 15 & 30 thought that women should stay at home and look after their home worse still 40% of all women said the same thing she felt flummoxed! I personally thought the figure would have or should have been higher. Then some other women complained it was taken for granted that women should look after children, she then inferred why men could not do it instead. Maybe she has never heard of the bond between Mother and Child something a man will never replace, a child needs it mother at those young years not a nanny. What annoyed me most was that I took this as insult to my own wife, I have been married for 38 years in that time we have had 3 children, 5 grandchildren, a nice house, a good business renting property and all of this has been done as a partnership (not the soppy name for people who live together and will not marry) a true partnership. The strength of our partnership was we both worked to our strengths my wife is an excellent home maker, mother and grandmother while I have a better eye for business, without the others strength we would not have succeeded. On many occasions her skills in being a homemaker has helped in the business.
The next was the funniest they had some of the Greenham Common women on, for those who can not remember them they were a bunch of women who lived in make do shelters for years around USA Cruise missile base at Greenham Common 25 years ago, their idea was to stop the Cruise Missiles with the hope that war would stop and mankind could live in peace. A worthy ideal and peaceful protest is a good thing but to stay for years and having the ignominy of failing is something else. Cruise Missiles were eventually removed from Greenham because of the collapse of the Soviet Union and Communism, the threat of the missiles helped do that, whether the collapse of the Soviet Union and all the problems that have gone with it, is for the betterment of mankind is for history to decide. Policing these women cost millions of pounds money which could have been spent on far better things. The funny part was when an archaeologist came on stating that they were excavating the site? after only 25 years. I expect they have even got a government grant for this important fact finding mission into our history so they can understanding the people of that era? Dare I make a suggestion that they look at TV reports, listen to archive radio talk to the people who were there. Yet they did have one interesting find it seems this strange tribe of women had different camps and one was for vegans, at the vegan camp they found an empty milk bottle! Could it have left by the Vegan Tribe or could it have been tossed out of a car window? Finally one of the Greenham Common women bragged how she stopped there for 5 years, where did she get the money to eat? THE DOLE who knows and to bring up children in those conditions was at best irresponsible, where were the Social Services when they are really needed
It was interesting to listen but once again a typical BBC programme with no balance
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Thursday, December 11, 2008
common sense
So the German Treasury Minister now agrees with David Cameron that when your in debt you pay of your debt by not spending COMMON SENSE one would have thought
Yet Gordon Brown tells us that we should spend spend IDIOT Of course he then tells the Germans they do not know what they are doing and the rest of the countries agree with him. Is that the rest of these countries who supposedly got us into this mess in the first place so their record is far from sound! Time for a change around.
Why is that Switzerland which is independent from all the various groups i.e. EU & USA and is very small country yet their economy grew by 3.1% last year and is expected to grow even more next year. So why Cannot GB and island Nation do exactly the same some hope their are to many people who are on the EU gravy train for that to happen
Yet Gordon Brown tells us that we should spend spend IDIOT Of course he then tells the Germans they do not know what they are doing and the rest of the countries agree with him. Is that the rest of these countries who supposedly got us into this mess in the first place so their record is far from sound! Time for a change around.
Why is that Switzerland which is independent from all the various groups i.e. EU & USA and is very small country yet their economy grew by 3.1% last year and is expected to grow even more next year. So why Cannot GB and island Nation do exactly the same some hope their are to many people who are on the EU gravy train for that to happen
Monday, December 08, 2008
Pubs can Claim
PRESS RELEASE
Date: 7th December 2008
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Swale’s pubs could claim rate relief – but don’t know it!
Local Parliamentary Candidate, Gordon Henderson, this week warned that local pubs are being denied business rate cuts by the Government. Pub landlords could be paying thousands of pounds over the odds in tax, but are being kept in the dark by Government tax inspectors who want to avoid paying out tax refunds.
Mr Henderson’s warning follows a revelation earlier this year that tax inspectors were hiding the fact that hundreds of thousands of homes could be paying too much council tax. The tax officials kept quiet about the information to save money and save face.
· Five pubs closing every day: The British Beer & Pub Association has estimated that pubs are now closing at the rate of 36 a week - five a day and a number of local licensees have complained about a dramatic fall in income. Pubs are paying a heavy price for the smoking ban, fragile consumer confidence, higher beer taxes and increased competition from supermarkets.
· Government guidance on taxing pubs: Parliamentary Questions have brought to light unpublished internal guidance by the Valuation Office Agency (an arm of HM Revenue & Customs) on how local firms should be charged business rates. It admits that they have been giving out the wrong advice to firms on the effect of the smoking ban. Until recently, tax inspectors refused to give any business rate reduction for the loss of custom due to the ban. Their latest guidance now admits – thanks to advice from top lawyers – that the smoking ban represents a ‘material change’. Pubs can use this to make a claim for a lower ‘rateable value’ and so cut their yearly rates bill. For example, a £5,000 reduction in rateable value would save publicans £2,300 a year in tax.
· Local firms kept in the dark: Pubs can only apply for this tax cut if they make an appeal and fill out complex paperwork. The Government has made no announcement about potential refunds to local pubs across England and Wales.
Mr Henderson said:
‘Local pubs are a vital part of our social fabric and community life. Whilst big pub chains may be making money out of Labour’s new drinking laws, small everyday pubs are suffering from the combined onslaught of higher beer taxes, a weakening economy, supermarkets selling alcohol below cost price and the smoking ban.
‘Whatever people’s views on the smoking ban, it has had a major impact on many pubs. The Government’s own tax inspectors have now admitted that pubs may be eligible for refunds on their business rates, but Swale’s pub owners are being intentionally kept in the dark about this U-turn. This is yet another tax cover-up from the same inspectors who have conspired to hide council tax errors.
‘The least the Government could do is let people know when they can legitimately claim rate relief. Business rates are the third biggest cost to local firms after rent and staff costs. ’
Any local publican who wants more information can contact Mr Henderson on 01795 665251.
…ends…
Notes to Editors – see below
NEW TAX COVER-UP EXPOSED
Parliamentary Questions by Conservatives have forced the Government to publish its previously secret guidance on the effect of the smoking ban, and how premises should be rated for business rates.
“Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency’s non-domestic rating guidance, RAT IA, as amended to include advice on the smoking ban.
Mr. Timms: A copy of the Valuation Office Agency’s Rating Instruction and Advice reference 260106, which was updated to include advice on the Smoking Ban in June 2008, has been placed in the Library.”
Hansard, 28 October 2008, col. 888W.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm081028/text/81028w0021.htm#08102878005871
Full document: http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-2542.pdf
Unlike council tax, business rates are based on the ‘rateable value’ of the property. For every pound that this rateable value is increased, the final business rates bill will be increased by 46% (the ‘multiplier’).
http://www.voa.gov.uk/Business_rates/rating-multipliers.htm
The Valuation Office Agency will consider a change in a firm’s rateable value if there has been a ‘material change of circumstance’. This guidance outlines to what extent the smoking ban constitutes such a material change:
“It was not considered that this change [the smoking ban] could constitute a MCC [material change of circumstance] and earlier versions of this advice reflected this. Advice from counsel now shows this view to be wrong that the ban on smoking can be a matter affecting the physical enjoyment of a hereditament” (Valuation Office Agency, MCCs and physical manifest, para 5.14)
“The previous CEO advice was that the ban does not represent a matter affecting the physical enjoyment of the public house because it can still be physically enjoyed as a public house. Smoking being merely an incidential activity by customers and not something which went to the heart of the beneficial use of a public house which would be the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises. However counsel advises that this is not the test.” (para 5.16)
“Given the ban affects the physical enjoyment of the premises, it would seem to follow that whilst it does not affect the physical state of other properties, i.e. those in the locality, it must, as if affects the physical enjoyment of the premises also be physically manifest there. In considering smoking ban proposals, VOs [valuation officers] need to envisage what rent would be have been paid for the hereditament at the AVD [original valuation date] assuming the ban was then in place affecting both the subject premises and other premises “ (para 5.18).
“Proposals citing the ban on smoking should be re-examined to see if they satisfy the general requirement for validity (including sufficient wording to identify the nature and date of the change, and, if so, it is recommended invalidity notices should now be withdrawn allowing discussions to proceed with a view to resolving the proposals” (para 5.19)
Hence, if a pub’s rateable value was decreased by, say, £5,000 due to the effect of the smoking ban, then the business rates bill would fall by £2,300 a year.
The British Beer & Pub Association has warned that pubs are now closing at the rate of 36 a week (BBPA press release, 8 September 2008).
http://www.beerandpub.com/newsList_detail.aspx?newsId=255
COUNCIL TAX COVER UP
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Labour Ministers and the Valuation Office Agency were intentionally hiding council tax banding errors to save money and save face. The delayed council tax revaluation exercise flagged up that many homes were currently wrongly banded and are paying over the odds (so-called ‘consequentials’). These errors could be corrected without a revaluation (as already happens if someone actively makes a council tax appeal).
Yet Ministers covered up this information – as the Government would lose money and have to pay tax refunds, and since it would generate “adverse press coverage” for Labour “in the current climate”. Blacked-out minutes, uncovered by Conservatives, explained:
“MJ questioned what action should be taken by Groups on consequentials identified following data enhancement. Concern was expressed about the possible knock on implications for billing authorities and adverse press coverage this could generate in the current climate. Action Point – TE to establish potential numbers involved with GVOs. Action will then be agreed with ODPM and Ministers”. (This item has been redacted, as it remains an ongoing policy issue).
Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Revaluation Programme Board (England) of 22 November 2005.
http://www.conservatives.com/pdf/DEP2008-0478-withfulltext.pdf
Obtained via Hansard, 19 February 2008, col. 613W.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080219/text/80219w0031.htm#0802211001653
Date: 7th December 2008
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Swale’s pubs could claim rate relief – but don’t know it!
Local Parliamentary Candidate, Gordon Henderson, this week warned that local pubs are being denied business rate cuts by the Government. Pub landlords could be paying thousands of pounds over the odds in tax, but are being kept in the dark by Government tax inspectors who want to avoid paying out tax refunds.
Mr Henderson’s warning follows a revelation earlier this year that tax inspectors were hiding the fact that hundreds of thousands of homes could be paying too much council tax. The tax officials kept quiet about the information to save money and save face.
· Five pubs closing every day: The British Beer & Pub Association has estimated that pubs are now closing at the rate of 36 a week - five a day and a number of local licensees have complained about a dramatic fall in income. Pubs are paying a heavy price for the smoking ban, fragile consumer confidence, higher beer taxes and increased competition from supermarkets.
· Government guidance on taxing pubs: Parliamentary Questions have brought to light unpublished internal guidance by the Valuation Office Agency (an arm of HM Revenue & Customs) on how local firms should be charged business rates. It admits that they have been giving out the wrong advice to firms on the effect of the smoking ban. Until recently, tax inspectors refused to give any business rate reduction for the loss of custom due to the ban. Their latest guidance now admits – thanks to advice from top lawyers – that the smoking ban represents a ‘material change’. Pubs can use this to make a claim for a lower ‘rateable value’ and so cut their yearly rates bill. For example, a £5,000 reduction in rateable value would save publicans £2,300 a year in tax.
· Local firms kept in the dark: Pubs can only apply for this tax cut if they make an appeal and fill out complex paperwork. The Government has made no announcement about potential refunds to local pubs across England and Wales.
Mr Henderson said:
‘Local pubs are a vital part of our social fabric and community life. Whilst big pub chains may be making money out of Labour’s new drinking laws, small everyday pubs are suffering from the combined onslaught of higher beer taxes, a weakening economy, supermarkets selling alcohol below cost price and the smoking ban.
‘Whatever people’s views on the smoking ban, it has had a major impact on many pubs. The Government’s own tax inspectors have now admitted that pubs may be eligible for refunds on their business rates, but Swale’s pub owners are being intentionally kept in the dark about this U-turn. This is yet another tax cover-up from the same inspectors who have conspired to hide council tax errors.
‘The least the Government could do is let people know when they can legitimately claim rate relief. Business rates are the third biggest cost to local firms after rent and staff costs. ’
Any local publican who wants more information can contact Mr Henderson on 01795 665251.
…ends…
Notes to Editors – see below
NEW TAX COVER-UP EXPOSED
Parliamentary Questions by Conservatives have forced the Government to publish its previously secret guidance on the effect of the smoking ban, and how premises should be rated for business rates.
“Mr. Pickles: To ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer if he will place in the Library a copy of the Valuation Office Agency’s non-domestic rating guidance, RAT IA, as amended to include advice on the smoking ban.
Mr. Timms: A copy of the Valuation Office Agency’s Rating Instruction and Advice reference 260106, which was updated to include advice on the Smoking Ban in June 2008, has been placed in the Library.”
Hansard, 28 October 2008, col. 888W.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm081028/text/81028w0021.htm#08102878005871
Full document: http://www.parliament.uk/deposits/depositedpapers/2008/DEP2008-2542.pdf
Unlike council tax, business rates are based on the ‘rateable value’ of the property. For every pound that this rateable value is increased, the final business rates bill will be increased by 46% (the ‘multiplier’).
http://www.voa.gov.uk/Business_rates/rating-multipliers.htm
The Valuation Office Agency will consider a change in a firm’s rateable value if there has been a ‘material change of circumstance’. This guidance outlines to what extent the smoking ban constitutes such a material change:
“It was not considered that this change [the smoking ban] could constitute a MCC [material change of circumstance] and earlier versions of this advice reflected this. Advice from counsel now shows this view to be wrong that the ban on smoking can be a matter affecting the physical enjoyment of a hereditament” (Valuation Office Agency, MCCs and physical manifest, para 5.14)
“The previous CEO advice was that the ban does not represent a matter affecting the physical enjoyment of the public house because it can still be physically enjoyed as a public house. Smoking being merely an incidential activity by customers and not something which went to the heart of the beneficial use of a public house which would be the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises. However counsel advises that this is not the test.” (para 5.16)
“Given the ban affects the physical enjoyment of the premises, it would seem to follow that whilst it does not affect the physical state of other properties, i.e. those in the locality, it must, as if affects the physical enjoyment of the premises also be physically manifest there. In considering smoking ban proposals, VOs [valuation officers] need to envisage what rent would be have been paid for the hereditament at the AVD [original valuation date] assuming the ban was then in place affecting both the subject premises and other premises “ (para 5.18).
“Proposals citing the ban on smoking should be re-examined to see if they satisfy the general requirement for validity (including sufficient wording to identify the nature and date of the change, and, if so, it is recommended invalidity notices should now be withdrawn allowing discussions to proceed with a view to resolving the proposals” (para 5.19)
Hence, if a pub’s rateable value was decreased by, say, £5,000 due to the effect of the smoking ban, then the business rates bill would fall by £2,300 a year.
The British Beer & Pub Association has warned that pubs are now closing at the rate of 36 a week (BBPA press release, 8 September 2008).
http://www.beerandpub.com/newsList_detail.aspx?newsId=255
COUNCIL TAX COVER UP
Earlier this year, it was revealed that Labour Ministers and the Valuation Office Agency were intentionally hiding council tax banding errors to save money and save face. The delayed council tax revaluation exercise flagged up that many homes were currently wrongly banded and are paying over the odds (so-called ‘consequentials’). These errors could be corrected without a revaluation (as already happens if someone actively makes a council tax appeal).
Yet Ministers covered up this information – as the Government would lose money and have to pay tax refunds, and since it would generate “adverse press coverage” for Labour “in the current climate”. Blacked-out minutes, uncovered by Conservatives, explained:
“MJ questioned what action should be taken by Groups on consequentials identified following data enhancement. Concern was expressed about the possible knock on implications for billing authorities and adverse press coverage this could generate in the current climate. Action Point – TE to establish potential numbers involved with GVOs. Action will then be agreed with ODPM and Ministers”. (This item has been redacted, as it remains an ongoing policy issue).
Valuation Office Agency's Council Tax Revaluation Programme Board (England) of 22 November 2005.
http://www.conservatives.com/pdf/DEP2008-0478-withfulltext.pdf
Obtained via Hansard, 19 February 2008, col. 613W.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm200708/cmhansrd/cm080219/text/80219w0031.htm#0802211001653
NULABOUR
There must be an election soon as the NUlabour government have just announced 2 policy statements which make sense. Jack Straw the person who brought us the HUMAN RIGHTS act has now realised it doesn’t work and has decided to try and change it to incorporate a HUMAN RESPONSIBILITY clause and they also have decided to clamp down on giving Council house to immigrants, they will have to wait 10 years. When will these reforms be introduced your guess is as good as mine NEVER I expect.
We are in recession due to two factors 1) The government did not put enough by for a rainy day 2) It is global problem. If we accept the latter why are there rumours flying about instigated by government sources that we are going into the Euro and accepting the EU Constitution. Surely the lesson learnt has been that we have been too reliant on outsiders i.e. USA and EU, to get out of this mess we must look to ourselves start becoming more self sufficient, start clawing back our utilities from foreign ownership etc Yes put GB before any other country.
The Banking crisis is built on greed and inefficiency and what do Government throughout the World do Reward those who started the Problem , you will not see One banker, Government Minister, MP, MEP or civil servant go with out this Christmas, the public should think of that when they sit down for the Christmas Dinner some for the last time in the house they are in.
We are in recession due to two factors 1) The government did not put enough by for a rainy day 2) It is global problem. If we accept the latter why are there rumours flying about instigated by government sources that we are going into the Euro and accepting the EU Constitution. Surely the lesson learnt has been that we have been too reliant on outsiders i.e. USA and EU, to get out of this mess we must look to ourselves start becoming more self sufficient, start clawing back our utilities from foreign ownership etc Yes put GB before any other country.
The Banking crisis is built on greed and inefficiency and what do Government throughout the World do Reward those who started the Problem , you will not see One banker, Government Minister, MP, MEP or civil servant go with out this Christmas, the public should think of that when they sit down for the Christmas Dinner some for the last time in the house they are in.
Friday, November 28, 2008
How The Tax System Works
HOW THE TAX SYSTEM WORKS> > Suppose that every day, ten men go out for beer and the bill for all ten comes to £100. If they paid their bill the way we pay our taxes, it would go something like this:> > The first four men (the poorest) would pay nothing.> The fifth would pay £1.> The sixth would pay £3.> The seventh would pay £7.> The eighth would pay £12.> The ninth would pay £18.> The tenth man (the richest) would pay £59.> > So, that's what they decided to do.> > The ten men drank in the bar every day and seemed quite happy with the arrangement, until one day, the owner threw them a curve. 'Since you are all such good customers,' he said, 'I'm going to reduce the cost of your daily beer by £20.' Drinks for the ten now cost just £80.> > The group still wanted to pay their bill the way we pay our taxes so the first four men were unaffected. They would still drink for free. But what about the other six men - the paying customers? How could they divide the £20 windfall so that everyone would get his 'fair share?'> > They realized that £20 divided by six is £3.33. But if they subtracted that from everyone's share, then the fifth man and the sixth man would each end up being paid to drink his beer. So, the bar owner suggested that it would be fair to reduce each man's bill by roughly the same amount, and he proceeded to work out the amounts each should pay.> > And so:> > The fifth man, like the first four, now paid nothing (100% savings).> The sixth now paid £2 instead of £3 (33%savings).> The seventh now pay £5 instead of £7 (28%savings).> The eighth now paid £9 instead of £12 (25% savings).> The ninth now paid £14 instead of £18 (22% savings).> The tenth now paid £49 instead of £59 (16% savings).> > Each of the six was better off than before. And the first four continued to drink for free. But once outside the restaurant, the men began to compare their savings.> > 'I only got a pound out of the £20,' declared the sixth man. He pointed to the tenth man, 'but he got £10!'> > 'Yes, that's right,' exclaimed the fifth man. 'I only saved a pound, too. It's unfair that he got ten times more than I did'> > 'That's true!!' shouted the seventh man. 'Why should he get £10 back when I got only two? The wealthy get all the breaks'> > 'Wait a minute,' yelled the first four men in unison. 'We didn't get anything at all. The system exploits the poor'> > The nine men surrounded the tenth and beat him up.> > The next night the tenth man didn't show up for drinks, so the nine sat down and had beers without him. But when it came time to pay the bill, they discovered something important. They didn't have enough money between all of them for even half of the bill.> > And that, ladies and gentlemen, journalists and college professors, is how our tax system works. The people who pay the highest taxes get the most benefit from a tax reduction. Tax them too much, attack them for being wealthy, and they just may not show up anymore. In fact, they might start drinking overseas where the atmosphere is somewhat friendlier.> > David R. Kamerschen, Ph.D.> Professor of Economics> > For those who understand, no explanation is needed.> For those who do not understand, no explanation is possible.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
IHerb do not pay Import Duty
In February I purchased some vitamin tablets from a company called Iherb, after a while I started getting demands from DHL for import taxes, they never put the details down so I thought it was a scam. Several weeks ago I had warning letter from a debt recovery agency saying I owed DHL £10.97 although only a small amount I still thought no I had paid for all delivery charges but its seems I was incorrect this is IHerb reponse
Dear Customer, > > We regret the misunderstanding; but the shipping charges in our order system> > do not include duties and taxes for international customers.
I expect some where in the small print it states this but I feel I was mislead by this company which I might add I shall not use again.
The lesson is, do not be fooled by low prices from the USA expect hidden charges
I have paid the amount.
Dear Customer, > > We regret the misunderstanding; but the shipping charges in our order system> > do not include duties and taxes for international customers.
I expect some where in the small print it states this but I feel I was mislead by this company which I might add I shall not use again.
The lesson is, do not be fooled by low prices from the USA expect hidden charges
I have paid the amount.
Thursday, November 20, 2008
Should we spend
When any normal person gets into debt what advice would you give them? I would suggest they cut back on their spending cut out things that are not essential i.e. Holidays etc maybe even sell a few things. Yet the Government now tells us that the best way forward is to spend money therefore increasing your debt this will be good for the economy we are told. MAYBE but will it be good for us NO unlike Banks and Civil Servants who get into debt we will not be bailed out by this government or any government come to that, have look at last weeks paper where there were 6 houses repossessed and now up for sale at a Bargain price. Where was the Government when these people needed help? There was an old saying “Money goes to Money” it seems if your Debt is big enough i.e. millions the government will help you but if your debt is thousands you can become destitute, who would have believed it would be Labour Government helping the rich and famous while treading down the working man into the ground. Our Prime Minister says” Do not blame me it’s those horrible Americans who started it” sounding just like the little boy caught doing something wrong and says “wasn’t me mum”. I expect Government Ministers, Banks and Civil Servants will have a good Christmas but blow the rest of us.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Tuesday, November 11, 2008
Electric Gas Rip Off
PRESS RELEASE
Date: 11th November 2008
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Energy companies “ripping off” consumers
Local Tory Parliamentary Candidate, Gordon Henderson, has accused big energy companies of “ripping off” consumers in Sittingbourne & Sheppey.
The accusation follows news that the wholesale prices of gas and electricity have fallen by around 30% in the past couple of months. It is estimated that if energy companies were to drop the retail price of gas by just 10% consumers would save between £80 and £90 in a year.
The justification used by the Energy Retail Association for no reduction in prices is that the industry buys its gas and electricity many months in advance, so changes in wholesale prices take about six months to feed through to household bills.
Mr Henderson said:
‘Quite honestly the energy companies are ripping off consumers. Their excuse for not passing on the drop in wholesale prices simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
‘If we accept on face value the statement by the ERA that it takes six months for a fall in the wholesale price of gas to be reflected in the retail prices, then why was it that when the wholesale price went up in March, April and May, that those increases were passed on to consumers in June, July and August?
‘So the big question is this: If it only takes three months for price rises to kick in, why should it take six months to pass on a cut when prices drop?
‘Unless the Industry can come up with a very good explanation for that discrepancy, consumers have every right to carry on feeling they are being ripped off.’
…ends…
Attached chart showing last 12 months natural gas wholesale price fluctuation which can be found at http://www.rigzone.com/news/finance.asp?cid=7&tp=1Y
Date: 11th November 2008
Release date: Immediate
Subject: Energy companies “ripping off” consumers
Local Tory Parliamentary Candidate, Gordon Henderson, has accused big energy companies of “ripping off” consumers in Sittingbourne & Sheppey.
The accusation follows news that the wholesale prices of gas and electricity have fallen by around 30% in the past couple of months. It is estimated that if energy companies were to drop the retail price of gas by just 10% consumers would save between £80 and £90 in a year.
The justification used by the Energy Retail Association for no reduction in prices is that the industry buys its gas and electricity many months in advance, so changes in wholesale prices take about six months to feed through to household bills.
Mr Henderson said:
‘Quite honestly the energy companies are ripping off consumers. Their excuse for not passing on the drop in wholesale prices simply doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
‘If we accept on face value the statement by the ERA that it takes six months for a fall in the wholesale price of gas to be reflected in the retail prices, then why was it that when the wholesale price went up in March, April and May, that those increases were passed on to consumers in June, July and August?
‘So the big question is this: If it only takes three months for price rises to kick in, why should it take six months to pass on a cut when prices drop?
‘Unless the Industry can come up with a very good explanation for that discrepancy, consumers have every right to carry on feeling they are being ripped off.’
…ends…
Attached chart showing last 12 months natural gas wholesale price fluctuation which can be found at http://www.rigzone.com/news/finance.asp?cid=7&tp=1Y
Thursday, November 06, 2008
God Bless America
The United States of America comes in for a lot of criticism from the rest of the World most of the time through jealousy but this latest election does show that is a land of opportunity. I do not care for the Democratic Party but where else could a man who because of the colour of his skin was not allowed to vote back in the 1960’s a time when the Klu Klux Klan was murdering people because of their colour, can become President only in the USA. Where else in the Democratic World do the Voters get so involved in an Election only in the USA, I do not want to live in the US but I do admire them. Both McClain and Obama when they finished their speeches said “The USA is the greatest Country in the World and God Bless America” can you imagine a British Politician saying “Britain is the Greatest Country in the World and God Bless the British People” NO because someone will say that it will offend those who do not believe in God, or offend some one who doesn’t think we are the Greatest Country in the World or offend some one who is not British can you imagine the compensation claims for hurt feelings, yet the title of our Country is “The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland” notice the word GREAT.
I have been involved in politics for some time but as I get older I am getting more and more disillusioned with Politicians, not local councillors on the whole I believe they do a reasonably good job for very little reward and they are in contact with local a person that’s their raison-detre. It is national Politicians who never listen to the Public, take three examples 1) Hanging. Every time there is a survey the majority of the Public are favour for the return of hanging, the same goes for coming out of the European Union, harsher punishment for criminals, curb immigration, remove the Human rights Act, I could go on . Do they listen to us NO, they will reply “they know not what they say” or “we know better” or “you do not know the full picture” how patronising! What do they think we are children? Maybe it is time for an MP to be allowed only a certain amount of time in Parliament maybe a maximum of 10 years, this will stop so called Career Politicians who do not have a clue what life is outside Parliament and what about having referendums on every important issue like they do in Switzerland. I wait with bated breath for a politician who enters Parliament and doesn’t turn native, the sort of MP I want some one in his fifties, worked all his life and worked for the community he wants to represent, plus lives in the area an MP who will listen to the people and represent their wishes.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
I have been involved in politics for some time but as I get older I am getting more and more disillusioned with Politicians, not local councillors on the whole I believe they do a reasonably good job for very little reward and they are in contact with local a person that’s their raison-detre. It is national Politicians who never listen to the Public, take three examples 1) Hanging. Every time there is a survey the majority of the Public are favour for the return of hanging, the same goes for coming out of the European Union, harsher punishment for criminals, curb immigration, remove the Human rights Act, I could go on . Do they listen to us NO, they will reply “they know not what they say” or “we know better” or “you do not know the full picture” how patronising! What do they think we are children? Maybe it is time for an MP to be allowed only a certain amount of time in Parliament maybe a maximum of 10 years, this will stop so called Career Politicians who do not have a clue what life is outside Parliament and what about having referendums on every important issue like they do in Switzerland. I wait with bated breath for a politician who enters Parliament and doesn’t turn native, the sort of MP I want some one in his fifties, worked all his life and worked for the community he wants to represent, plus lives in the area an MP who will listen to the people and represent their wishes.
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Monday, November 03, 2008
Death Of Sport
Are we seeing the death of Amateur Sport?
This may seem strange questions after one of our most successful Olympics ever and with the UK hosting the 2012 Olympics. Yet the British Olympic committee have said there has been a drop of 20% participating in Sport and remember the Olympics is now open to Professionals. So the word amateur sportsman is now a defunct name for Sports people? Yes in top sporting events to reach the top of the main sports you have to be professional but there are still people who are participating in Sport whether as a coach, competitor, participants who are at a level where they receive no financial gain in fact doing there sport costs money.
My feeling are that unless things change rapidly Sport participation is to sink to even lower levels especially with the under 16 years. Let give an example:
Ask yourself the question how many local Football teams started with a couple Dads kicking the Ball around a park other lads join in, some weeks down the line some one comes up with the idea let’s form a Team and join a league. A new team is formed which give the youngster discipline, sense of belonging, pride and all the other things sport can give.
Could that happened today? If it can what would they needed
1) Kit
2) Professional Indemnity Insurance to protect the coach
3) Accident Insurance for all the players
4) Public Liability Insurance
5) Coach Qualification
6) Club Mark
7) Join a league
Club Mark what is that I hear you say? Surely that is not a legal requirement No not yet but without a Club Mark you will most probably get no grant aid, it will be difficult to get insurance cover and the local schools will not recommend your club. Recently a member of my Judo Club the Young Judo Club asked the Person in charge of all the local SSCo (School Sports coordinator) why we were not on the recommended list she informed him that the Government has told them not to recommend any Club without a Club Mark! Yet our Club is over 50 years Old and is World Famous and never had a visit from this person, someone I might add who is paid by the local Tax Payer so much for Democracy in the UK. Our Club is lucky it has sufficient funds and expertise to get a Club Mark from both the British Judo Association and Kent County Council.
What is a Club Mark this basically a Kite Mark so people can recognise a Club has some basic standards, this in itself is not a bad idea but why do we need the HEAVY HAND of a dictatorial state
Here are some of the things require for a Club Mark Must have two qualified coaches , Two Volunteers must attend a course on running a club and how to be a volunteer, CRB Check, attend Child protection Course, has an open/non-discriminatory constitution and equity policy , The coaches and volunteers responsible for the programme have job descriptions with
Clear roles and responsibilities assigned. I could go on and this all for a group of people who want to help kids get involved in Sport and doesn’t finish there by 2012 all Coaches will be expected to have United Kingdom Coaching Certificate with prices up to a £1000 I wonder how many people will take up the offer.
All my facts can be checked by going to on the internet, after readings this am I right in saying amateur Sport will soon be dead? Or am I just a cynic but don’t say you have not been warned
Well Dads do you still want start that Football Team?
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
This may seem strange questions after one of our most successful Olympics ever and with the UK hosting the 2012 Olympics. Yet the British Olympic committee have said there has been a drop of 20% participating in Sport and remember the Olympics is now open to Professionals. So the word amateur sportsman is now a defunct name for Sports people? Yes in top sporting events to reach the top of the main sports you have to be professional but there are still people who are participating in Sport whether as a coach, competitor, participants who are at a level where they receive no financial gain in fact doing there sport costs money.
My feeling are that unless things change rapidly Sport participation is to sink to even lower levels especially with the under 16 years. Let give an example:
Ask yourself the question how many local Football teams started with a couple Dads kicking the Ball around a park other lads join in, some weeks down the line some one comes up with the idea let’s form a Team and join a league. A new team is formed which give the youngster discipline, sense of belonging, pride and all the other things sport can give.
Could that happened today? If it can what would they needed
1) Kit
2) Professional Indemnity Insurance to protect the coach
3) Accident Insurance for all the players
4) Public Liability Insurance
5) Coach Qualification
6) Club Mark
7) Join a league
Club Mark what is that I hear you say? Surely that is not a legal requirement No not yet but without a Club Mark you will most probably get no grant aid, it will be difficult to get insurance cover and the local schools will not recommend your club. Recently a member of my Judo Club the Young Judo Club asked the Person in charge of all the local SSCo (School Sports coordinator) why we were not on the recommended list she informed him that the Government has told them not to recommend any Club without a Club Mark! Yet our Club is over 50 years Old and is World Famous and never had a visit from this person, someone I might add who is paid by the local Tax Payer so much for Democracy in the UK. Our Club is lucky it has sufficient funds and expertise to get a Club Mark from both the British Judo Association and Kent County Council.
What is a Club Mark this basically a Kite Mark so people can recognise a Club has some basic standards, this in itself is not a bad idea but why do we need the HEAVY HAND of a dictatorial state
Here are some of the things require for a Club Mark Must have two qualified coaches , Two Volunteers must attend a course on running a club and how to be a volunteer, CRB Check, attend Child protection Course, has an open/non-discriminatory constitution and equity policy , The coaches and volunteers responsible for the programme have job descriptions with
Clear roles and responsibilities assigned. I could go on and this all for a group of people who want to help kids get involved in Sport and doesn’t finish there by 2012 all Coaches will be expected to have United Kingdom Coaching Certificate with prices up to a £1000 I wonder how many people will take up the offer.
All my facts can be checked by going to on the internet, after readings this am I right in saying amateur Sport will soon be dead? Or am I just a cynic but don’t say you have not been warned
Well Dads do you still want start that Football Team?
Martin Clarke Sittingbourne
Sunday, November 02, 2008
Visa, Invalid Buggy,NU Labour recession
I have at long last got our visa from the Russian Embassy to visit St Petersburg for the World Sombo Championships, they certainly make you jump through hoops to get one and the final cost was about £60 and with the Flight costing £381.50p the 4 days there will not be cheap. The recession has hit my Martial Arts Association we had to cancel our British Championships because of lack of entries, most complained that it was to near Christmas and they were unsure of their money circumstances, I expect there will be more to come.
NU Labour are talking about bringing in a test for people using Invalid Buggies and about time to, it is always the few that ruin it for everyone else. Some Buggies drivers are a danger to themselves as they seem to think they have an invisible shield around them and some of them are so rude never a honk on their horn or excuse me NO just bang into your legs and then you get the "CAN'T YOU SEE I AM AN INVALID" "NO! I HAVE NOT EVOLVED ENOUGH TO HAVE EYES IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD" lets insist they have insurance cover as well and go on a course for good manners. Recently a small shop keeper had a complaint from a Buggy driver that she could not get her buggy in the shop, she subsequently complained to the authorities that the shop was in breach of the Disability Act. This could lead to the shop having to spend a lot of money altering his door and shop to comply with the act or he would be forced to close and sell up, I await the outcome. While we are at it make cyclist take a test and get insurance they are a menace on the Road and on the pavement
NU Labour are talking about bringing in a test for people using Invalid Buggies and about time to, it is always the few that ruin it for everyone else. Some Buggies drivers are a danger to themselves as they seem to think they have an invisible shield around them and some of them are so rude never a honk on their horn or excuse me NO just bang into your legs and then you get the "CAN'T YOU SEE I AM AN INVALID" "NO! I HAVE NOT EVOLVED ENOUGH TO HAVE EYES IN THE BACK OF MY HEAD" lets insist they have insurance cover as well and go on a course for good manners. Recently a small shop keeper had a complaint from a Buggy driver that she could not get her buggy in the shop, she subsequently complained to the authorities that the shop was in breach of the Disability Act. This could lead to the shop having to spend a lot of money altering his door and shop to comply with the act or he would be forced to close and sell up, I await the outcome. While we are at it make cyclist take a test and get insurance they are a menace on the Road and on the pavement
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
