Political musings...
In the middle of Christmas the local free sheet has arrived and alongside the same delivery is the so called publication our borough council insists on thrusting through the letterbox monthly. In general both go from the front door...straight out of the back door and into the recycle crate and if it co-incides with the day of the collection for the crate, I have seen it happen within a minute of the newpaper arriving being put into the recycling truck and the delivery person only be a couple of doors away still putting it in the neighbours letter boxes.
This publication is all written with a positive spin so even bad news looks good.
Inside, the Leader Of The Council has a kind of agony aunt page which is so lame. But I notice that he says the following:I live in property that is valued in Band B regarding Council Tax. The total bill for 2006/2007 was £1,176.59. Then he breaks the expenditure down making it clear that the council he leads only actually gets £140.68. I don't care, the total bill still stands at £1.176.59. The news is then slipped in that they expect the rise for the coming year only to be £4...but that the County Council is expected to rise by 5% so altogether we're talking of approx an increase of £38.
Let us not forget this is not a definite figure, the article actually says "which would add about £38" So in reality we have gone over the £2,000 barrier. Lets us also not forget that many of us are not in the best paid work and we all still have to find money to eat, pay ever increasing mortgages or rent, utility bills, usually have to travel to work so require so much money put aside to pay fares on public transport or run a car not forgetting the cost of food, clothes and hopefully a little put aside for leisure otherwise what fun is life if all you do is eat, sleep and work? And I have yet to see the income in this household increase so in effect all we are constantly doing is cutting back still further.
How much longer can we continue to cut back before we have to say we are unable to continually dip into our income or savings? I suspect that our Council leader owns his own property and over the years like many politicians has built up quite a good contact list and the fees from the council are either affording a decent living standard or if he is able to do other work, its a nice supplement to the main income. I know what he's talking about because(I'll whisper this)he lives only two streets away.
As I was about to post this it also dawned on me that this tax could increase considerably in the next few years because, there is a plan(and they've already tested the plan in N. Ireland)of re-valuing property again and some houses in one band could move out of the present band into a higher one which will automatically see the tax rise. The officials carrying out the work have the right to enter homes and take photographs. They are also looking at extensions, conservatories, loft conversions and anything else done to property to improve it(even by a neighbour)and what they have done could affect the tax that you pay even if you've decided to leave things a they are. This may be an idea from Government but it becomes a local problem once implemented and if it receives little or no publicity suddenly its been passed with virtually no opposition.
A builder who erected a wall for neighbours when they moved in said to us "This will increase the value of your property too" Thanks a lot! That's all I want is to see, myself paying more of the little disposable income I have which I know will decrease still further the older I am. I'm not sure why if a person improves their own property at their cost the Council Tax should increase as this means that the householder is saving the local services and authorities money. Especially if they are also adding fire and burgler alarms, security etc...
I'm probably missing something and my view is too simplistic...
This publication is all written with a positive spin so even bad news looks good.
Inside, the Leader Of The Council has a kind of agony aunt page which is so lame. But I notice that he says the following:I live in property that is valued in Band B regarding Council Tax. The total bill for 2006/2007 was £1,176.59. Then he breaks the expenditure down making it clear that the council he leads only actually gets £140.68. I don't care, the total bill still stands at £1.176.59. The news is then slipped in that they expect the rise for the coming year only to be £4...but that the County Council is expected to rise by 5% so altogether we're talking of approx an increase of £38.
Let us not forget this is not a definite figure, the article actually says "which would add about £38" So in reality we have gone over the £2,000 barrier. Lets us also not forget that many of us are not in the best paid work and we all still have to find money to eat, pay ever increasing mortgages or rent, utility bills, usually have to travel to work so require so much money put aside to pay fares on public transport or run a car not forgetting the cost of food, clothes and hopefully a little put aside for leisure otherwise what fun is life if all you do is eat, sleep and work? And I have yet to see the income in this household increase so in effect all we are constantly doing is cutting back still further.
How much longer can we continue to cut back before we have to say we are unable to continually dip into our income or savings? I suspect that our Council leader owns his own property and over the years like many politicians has built up quite a good contact list and the fees from the council are either affording a decent living standard or if he is able to do other work, its a nice supplement to the main income. I know what he's talking about because(I'll whisper this)he lives only two streets away.
As I was about to post this it also dawned on me that this tax could increase considerably in the next few years because, there is a plan(and they've already tested the plan in N. Ireland)of re-valuing property again and some houses in one band could move out of the present band into a higher one which will automatically see the tax rise. The officials carrying out the work have the right to enter homes and take photographs. They are also looking at extensions, conservatories, loft conversions and anything else done to property to improve it(even by a neighbour)and what they have done could affect the tax that you pay even if you've decided to leave things a they are. This may be an idea from Government but it becomes a local problem once implemented and if it receives little or no publicity suddenly its been passed with virtually no opposition.
A builder who erected a wall for neighbours when they moved in said to us "This will increase the value of your property too" Thanks a lot! That's all I want is to see, myself paying more of the little disposable income I have which I know will decrease still further the older I am. I'm not sure why if a person improves their own property at their cost the Council Tax should increase as this means that the householder is saving the local services and authorities money. Especially if they are also adding fire and burgler alarms, security etc...
I'm probably missing something and my view is too simplistic...
posted by The Great Gildersleeve | 3:23 pm
6 Comments:
Gildy, I think you should get a tax rebate for the monstrosity your neighbour's built.
Thanks :-)
It was used during the Christmas period but not as much as I thought, though it looks big outside, in reality it is quite tiny inside. They have a Christmas tree inside and two wicker chairs and a two seater wicker sofa and once that is inside, there is very little room. In fact considering the singing earlier in the week it has been remarkably quiet...unless they are saving everything until New Year's Eve.
I think it may be used more when Summer comes around but then if so why bother with such a large patio? Whilst filling the peanut feeders at the back of the garden looking towards our houses it did cross my mind how much of their own view is now obscured as to see what is left of the garden they will have to walk into the conservatory as you do not get the clear view you once had from the dining room window. And when in the kitchen you get a narrow view of the garden because to the right all you can see is the conservatory. So even their view is lost. They would've been better installing patio style windows to their home and being able to open those doors onto their garden stepping out but when closed being able to see the whole garden.
And when in the conservatory one side is so close to the dividing panel fencing they built between our property they have no view along that side.
Too much money has been spent but we actually think they may be regretting the decision to build it. I wish we could get a reduction...
Hi Gildy,
The Leader of your Council is flogging a dead horse (if that's the right expression); in a few years Durham will be "served" by unitary authorities and politicians in the current second tier of government won't be able to blame the big bad County Council anymore. If it wasn't so important it would be fun to see how it all works out. No doubt Council tax bills will rise and people like me could get made redundant.
Shy, I think what you say is correct and the Council Tax bills will continue to rise and should the unitary authority argument win, if I read things correctly, we may be worse off. It is almost like another way of bringing in what the people of this area rejected last time around when they wanted an assembly of sorts run by County Hall. The fear was that the populaton of the North would be paying for this extra tier of politicians with little or no power. In theory this idea will mean that they can take action and also raise more money from the community so it will still cost us dearly and as you say, how safe will that make your position in the job market.
I wonder what the time frame is for the changes?
Would a change of Government in the meantime alter things?
Hi Gildy!
To me it seems that this Unitary business is being pushed onto everyone when the result of the vote was "No!".
The time frame, and I'm not sure it's realistic, is that the new authority will start in April 2009. We're not due a general election until 2010 so I don't think any change in government is likely. I must admit to being a tad mercenary, actually. The thought of potentially having to apply for my own job when I'll be approaching 54 is not something I welcome.
Anyway, A happy New Year to you and yours!
Gildy, those people doing the revaluation and rebading don't even leave their desks. In fact they don't even really do any work. All information about sales, planning applications etc etc are fed into the computer and bingo, your new badning. Just remember to appeal as a matter of course!
Happy New Year and I hope that the 'singing' hasn't kept you awake too often.
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