Roger Posted June 4, 2014 Report Posted June 4, 2014 Bullshit. Now include all of the money issued by central government. Is this prick putting intentional spin on things or did someone give the job to a complete ******* moron Govt. cash injection has reduced across the board (we all know this) ... But no mention in that piece that the top dog at The Council gets paid more than the PM ...
Biomech Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 I'm sure it has been reduced, however, this tool is claiming that they have no money because the costs outweigh what they get in council tax. I want to see the relationship between costs and how much they get in TOTAL, from CT, government, grants, sales, rents etc It's the same as Richard Branson saying "I can't afford to live, I only get a salary of £650/month"
dippyhippy Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 I recall reading that council tax accounts for 25% of the councils incoming money. According to these figures, That's 81 million. Which would make 81 million = 25%,192 million = 50% and 284 million = 100% Sooooo.......another 243 million???? But factor in "council maths" and it's anybody's guess !!!
flamboyant Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 I don't like Council Math it makes me nauseous!
megilleland Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 I don't like Council Math it makes me nauseous! Flamboyant, here are some advanced maths for you to get your head round, and guess what, Balfour Beatty feature in the equation. The Independent: Wednesday 04 June 2014 How private firms make quick killing from PFI Companies earn hundreds of millions by selling on 25-year contracts for hospitals and schools awarded to them by the last government Private contractors have pocketed hundreds of millions of pounds of profits in the past four years by exploiting deals that were controversially awarded to them by the last Labour government. Companies that were awarded contracts to build and maintain state schools for 25 years have been doubling their money by “flippingâ€, or selling on, the Private Finance Initiative (PFIs) projects just four years after finishing them. The chair of the Commons Public Accounts Committee, Margaret Hodge, described the huge profits as “a total scandal†and said it meant “we have all been ripped offâ€. The Independent’s findings shine a new light on how private companies have made fortunes in pure profit from the rising value of the schools and hospitals they have built – value which critics say could have been retained by the taxpayer. Four contractors alone made profits of more than £300m. Of the companies studied – Balfour Beatty, Carillion, Interserve and Kier – Balfour Beatty is by far the biggest beneficiary of the rising value of its Private Finance Initiative and Public Private Partnership deals. It alone has made profits of £188.9m. Only this week, it flipped the University Hospital of North Durham and seven schools in Knowsley, near Liverpool, generating a gain of £51m. In the case of the schools, it doubled its money from the £19m investment made when the 27-year contracts were awarded in 2007 and 2011. The Durham hospital, which was one of the first hospitals to be built under PFI-style private financing, was dogged with controversy about bed shortages and poor design when it opened. Carillion has made £12.2m, Kier £20.7m and Interserve £90m, according to stock market filings and company documents. Ms Hodge said: “It is a scandal, a total scandal that the public sector has privatised these projects so badly. We have all been ripped off.†The Labour MP acknowledged that many of the worst PFI and PPP cases were negotiated by the Labour government under Tony Blair and Gordon Brown, saying: “I’m afraid we got it wrong. I was a supporter at the time but I have completely gone off the whole concept. We got seduced by PFI.†She added that it was especially “scandalous†that many of the funds that are buying up the contracts are based in tax havens. One of the early arguments in favour of PFIs was that taxpayers would benefit from contractors’ profits due to the corporation taxes they would pay. “But now the profits are going offshore and to shareholders,†she said. One of the biggest so-called infrastructure funds buying the contracts, HICL, has its tax domicile in Guernsey and was specifically set up by HSBC to buy up such contracts. Another, Dalmore Holdings, is run by a team of former bankers and accountants in London with shareholders including a number of Cayman Island investment funds. AMP Capital, an Australian fund manager, is also a major investor in such deals. NHS experts said that, in the case of the hospitals, the profit from selling the contracts could be matched by the amount the companies have made in their annual charges for running the sites. Known as unitary charges, these are fixed with a guaranteed increase every year for the term of the contract. While paid to cover non-clinical service charges like maintenance, they can also be topped up with big profits from revenues from shops and cafes on site, as well as lucrative car parking revenues. Among the most profitable contracts to be flipped were Balfour Beatty’s project to build and run University College London Hospital, which turned a profit of £44m, and Kier’s West Berkshire Hospital and Hinchingbrooke Hospital, which together made a £6.8m profit. Interserve flipped a group of 19 separate investments in schools, hospitals and prisons to Dalmore in one batch bringing in a combined profit of £60m. John Lister, of NHS pressure group Health Emergency, said: “We now have a situation where several major hospitals are in major financial difficulties because of the debts and fixed unitary charges they are saddled with from PFI deals.†Kier Project Investment said in a statement: “The profit that Kier Project Investment has realised over the last three financial years (June 2011 to June 2013) is £20.7m. “This figure was realised across nine different schemes that are all designed to deliver significant benefits to local communities – including schools, hospitals, fire stations, a library and a care home – and reflects the fact that when the initial investment is made we take on significant development risk in designing, building and delivering a bespoke community facility.†Case study: North Durham University Hospital of North Durham was one of the first and most controversial to be built under PFI. Balfour Beatty’s Consort Healthcare PFI division contracted with the local NHS trust to design, build and run the hospital for 30 years under a trailblazing contract signed in 1998. It replaced the local Dryburn hospital in 2001 and was described by the trust chairman Kevin Earley as “an absolutely huge leap in healthcareâ€. But the leap seemed to go backwards – after 14 weeks, the hospital was short of 54 beds. Unison, a union, claimed patients were kept waiting for up to 12 hours in A&E because of staff shortages. Despite its mixed local reputation, University Hospital of North Durham managed to earn Balfour Beatty £51m this week in probably its most successful PFI “flip†to date. How many of these financial scams are our Council involved with and it all starts with someone thinking this is a good idea and signing it off. Must be some loose change here to cut the grass!
Roger Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 I was driving down Broad Street at 18.50 tonight and noticed it was seriously deserted. Half the parking spaces were empty but a Council parking attendant was being paid to seriously check over what was there and as I passed he seemed to be in the process of ticketing a white van outside the Green Dragon. The Council seem to be concentrating on solving non existent problems (issuing tickets to boost their own coffers) but ignoring what is causing grief. Which is the grass. I'm sure visitors to the area, who see a half empty Street in a rural City, would just park up to go for a meal without giving much thought to getting a parking ticket in the evening. The Council are getting all this wrong ...
Cambo Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 It's laughable it really is central government are clueless to wots really going on @ ground level when private firms are making a mint out of taxes payers how any government can think its a good idea for any local government to get into bed with a private firm to deliver services that are essential to everyone is beyond me???!!!!…do they not realise private firms are in it to purely make a profit they don't care about people just there share holders & there bonus package???!!!!
Cambo Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 & as for bramer he maybe rich but he's also soulless & as for wot he has to say it's just a total load of boloney as far as I'm concerned saying wot would anyone of done differently well how about not wasting the money in the first place on idiotic ideas?! He's just a conceited patronising little twerp who'd sell his own grandmother for a pound given half the chance? But hopefully his time is almost run?
megilleland Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 Just found this in the council's 2012/13 Summary of Accounts: The council has two traditional PFI contracts, one in partnership with Worcestershire County Council for the provision of waste management services and the other for the provision of Whitecross secondary school. The council also has one contract that falls within the deinition of a similar contract to a PFI, which is the Shaw Healthcare contract for the provision of residential care services There is also the county hospital and the magistrates court all subject to financial controversy.
flamboyant Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 Megilleland I like it even less now! Well spotted! My nausea is back!
megilleland Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 The Independent today: Academic warns of public-sector debt being held by investors on the other side of the world: Mr Clifford said: “We’re getting to a situation where a fire station in Stoke gets to be a debt somewhere in Singapore. That just feels instinctively not to be right. What was the real cause of the financial crisis? Banks lending without knowing where their debt really is. This [PFI flipping] stuff feels like part of that whole process again.†This should sound alarm bells down at Bath Street! Sorry about going off topic, but I couldn't work grass into this reply.
flamboyant Posted June 5, 2014 Report Posted June 5, 2014 Megilleland start a new topic this is definitely worthy of one. Again well done for digging out this can of worms!
megilleland Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 BBC H&W Radio News today Herefordshire budget cuts 'a pain in the grass' Campaigners say a decision to reduce grass cutting in Herefordshire could be "an economic disaster for Hereford". Herefordshire Council said it will now cut the county's grass three times a year instead of the previous seven to save £670,000 a year. A petition signed by more than 2,000 people states untidy grass "discourages potential investors and tourism". A Facebook group "Hereford Council are a pain in the grass" has received more than 2,500 "likes". On the group, resident Jon Harrison said long grass took "more man hours to cut" and Sarah Symonds said it could be dangerous at road junctions. Councillor Paul Rone said: "I absolutely agree with anybody saying, 'I want those services', but I'm afraid to say with the lack of money coming from central government those services are going to be cut... indefinitely" The council said rural verge trimming and cutting grass that affects road visibility would be unchanged. So they have spent all our council tax.
twowheelsgood Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 The Independent today: Academic warns of public-sector debt being held by investors on the other side of the world: Mr Clifford said: “We’re getting to a situation where a fire station in Stoke gets to be a debt somewhere in Singapore. That just feels instinctively not to be right. What was the real cause of the financial crisis? Banks lending without knowing where their debt really is. This [PFI flipping] stuff feels like part of that whole process again.†This should sound alarm bells down at Bath Street! Sorry about going off topic, but I couldn't work grass into this reply. The civilian fireman at the public consultation told me categorically that the new station is not a PFI project - the funding is coming from central Government. It is still designed by an estate agent though. I think the new Gloucs ones are PFI funded.
Cambo Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 Well I think that bramer & co should foot the bill from there own money as they've managed to spend all the budget on non essential services? As it happens I was in clearwell doing some work on the church which is next to clearwell castle,take a look @ Harry's lawns
dippyhippy Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 Oh Wow. Perfectly manicured! I bet he's got a ride on mower....and a minion to operate it! Yes, we are all in it together.....but some of us are "in it" in very comfortable surroundings......
Cambo Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 They are ain't they dippy somewhere nice for Harry to escape from the riggers of daily council life while no doubt sipping on the champagne he produces?
Cambo Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 Oh & he does have some minions to do them dippy as I saw 2 working on one of the flower beds if you look @ first pic there just to the right of the land rover!
dippyhippy Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 It's a different world!! So, this isn't the place he sold for three million a few weeks ago then?? This is another place?? Blimey.
Cambo Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 Yep that's right it's a different place he does have other properties too, clearwell castle is used as a wedding venue. I also noticed that the grass has been left to grow in clearwell & coleford so maybe they've got the same going on in Gloucestershire?
megilleland Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 I also noticed that the grass has been left to grow in clearwell & coleford so maybe they've got the same going on in Gloucestershire? Gloucestershire and Oxfordshire are considering combining their services. Of course all in the interests of their rate payers. Their 2020 vision looks blurred to me. Visual Acuity: What is 20/20 Vision? 20/20 vision is a term used to express normal visual acuity (the clarity or sharpness of vision) measured at a distance of 20 feet. If you have 20/20 vision, you can see clearly at 20 feet what should normally be seen at that distance. If you have 20/100 vision, it means that you must be as close as 20 feet to see what a person with normal vision can see at 100 feet. 20/20 does not necessarily mean perfect vision. 20/20 vision only indicates the sharpness or clarity of vision at a distance. There are other important vision skills, including peripheral awareness or side vision, eye coordination, depth perception, focusing ability and color vision that contribute to your overall visual ability. Some people can see well at a distance, but are unable to bring nearer objects into focus. This condition can be caused by hyperopia (farsightedness) or presbyopia (loss of focusing ability). Others can see items that are close, but cannot see those far away. This condition may be caused by myopia (nearsightedness). I always thought the councils can't see the wood for the trees. A 2020 Vision for Joint Working.pdf
Biomech Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 cutting grass that affects road visibility would be unchanged. And how much are all of the law suits and legal fee's for negligence and endangering lives going to cost? Of course, not that it matters, they've just make us pay for it
dippyhippy Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 Afternoon Megilleland.....following on from your 20/20 post, I'd say our cabinet have definitely lost focus, and are more than a little short sighted. If Gloucester and Oxford think this is going to be the answer to all their prayers...they should visit Hereford and see Joint Working Partnerships in action - that's if they can actually find Hereford, soon the only landmark above the grass will be The Cathedral !! And as all roads that lead here are pot holed, it may not be the most enjoyable away day!!
Denise Lloyd Posted June 6, 2014 Report Posted June 6, 2014 and I expect Mr Johnson's will be as finely manicured right down to the last blade of grass alongwith Bobby's "friend" Tricia. Yes it is a different world they must laugh themselves to sleep. Good on 'em.
Denise Lloyd Posted June 7, 2014 Report Posted June 7, 2014 Somewhere around £145k plus pension plus expenses and loads more little add ons like new lap tops every 2 years etc etc
flamboyant Posted June 7, 2014 Report Posted June 7, 2014 I have a wonderful idea for saving £670.000 + SACK THE FOLLOWING Cllr Johnson £145.000 Alistair Neil £145.000 Geoff Hughes £120.000 2 Public Health 'consultants' £170.000 Head of Customer Services £50.000 2 Senior Managers. £80.000 Total £710.000 Then use the money saved to cut the grass and add the remaining £40.000 to Social Services Actually if they did this I would gladly cut the grass so the entire amount can go into Social Services! There is not one of the above worth the extortionate salaries we pay them! If I hear one more Councillor tell me we have to tighten our belts we have no money from Central Government or Cllr Johnson say one more time 'we need to look after our children and our elderly' I swear I will scream! These Councillors, Senior Managers and Directors spend their days inventing restructures where the only purpose it serves is to secure their huge salaries! Has anyone seen Alistair Neil anywhere? What in gods name are we paying this man for! Did Councillors receive their Computer allowances this year? I bet the money paid out would have secured at least one part time member of staff in Children's Services! Why are we still employing Consultants!! I hope the hypocrisy keeps them awake at night but some how I doubt it!
megilleland Posted June 7, 2014 Report Posted June 7, 2014 I don't think Johnson is paid that sort of money. If he was we would all be standing for council. PUBLIC NOTICE LOCAL AUTHORITIES (MEMBERS’ ALLOWANCES) (ENGLAND) REGULATIONS 2003 The following table is published in accordance with the above Regulations. Herefordshire Council have published Councillors’ allowances annually since 2003, when the above Regulations came into force. The published allowances have been advertised in the local press, publicly available to view on the website, or for inspection at the Council offices at Brockington, since 2003. The table shows the total sum paid by Herefordshire Council to each Member of the Council for the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 in respect of Basic Allowance, Special Responsibility Allowance, Travel and Subsistence Expenses and ICT and Consumables Allowance. For example taking Cllr RJ Phillips the highest paid councillor over the last six years with the exception of 2012/2013 - he claimed: For the period 1 April 2007 to 31 March 2008 Cllr RJ Phillips was getting £46,246.98 For the period 1 April 2008 to 31 March 2009 Cllr RJ Phillips was getting £44,492.33 For the period 1 April 2009 to 31 March 2010 Cllr RJ Phillips was getting £52,675.23 For the period 1 April 2010 to 31 March 2011 Cllr RJ Phillips was getting £47.650.89 For the period 1 April 2011 to 31 March 2012 Cllr RJ Phillips was getting £30,088.95 For the period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 Cllr RJ Phillips was getting £26,613.58 Total £200,117.07 Interesting to note that for the latest period 1 April 2012 to 31 March 2013 while Cllr RJ Phillips was getting £26,613.58, their new leader Cllr A W Johnson is only getting £17,470.49. However tucked away is Cllr J G Jarvis claiming £45,605.27. So is Johnson only a puppet and Jarvis is again pulling the strings? Latest allowances:
flamboyant Posted June 7, 2014 Report Posted June 7, 2014 Thanks Megilleland I can't amend my post but the message is the same throw in Councillors Bramer and Morgan and subtract 100k lol
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