County Council Budget

2007-01-02T14:41:00.000Z

Council Tax – Behind the Headline Figure

Gloucestershire County Council is set to increase council tax by 3.4%. Conservative Leader Cllr. Barry Dare is trumpeting this as a budget for pensioners.

However, there are some disturbing facts hidden by this headline.

Fact 1. Last year the Conservatives reduced the grants to carers by one third. Many carers look after elderly and frail people.

Fact 2. Gloucestershire is a one star (bottom band) authority for Community and Adult Services. This directorate has responsibility for delivering services to elderly and frail people.

Fact 3. Within the budget, the following cuts are proposed.

Meals on Wheels £50,000
Residential Placements £1,125,000
Supported Living £565,000
Grants to Voluntary Organisations £100,000

Does that look like a budget for pensioner to you?

Police – How Should We Pay for Them?

Gloucestershire residents already pay more council tax directly to their Police Authority than anyone else in the south west.

Police Authority Council Tax on D Band property (2006-07)
Avon and Somerset £131.34
Devon and Cornwall £119.62
Dorset £142.11
Gloucestershire £162.90
Wiltshire £126.63

In addition, Gloucestershire will this year have 29 additional police officers funded from County Council’s share of the council tax. This year it will cost well over £1/2 million.

Eventually 63 additional police officers will be funded by the County Council rather than the Police Authority at a cost of £1.25 million.

Labour welcomes additional police on our streets, but believes that they should be funded by police authorities and not at the expense of other vital county services.

Labour will ensure that any County Council money is used for additional police officers and not used to cushion cuts elsewhere in the Police Authority budget.

Mental Health Services – The True Tory Position

Nowhere does the responsibilities of the health service and social services overlap more than in the care of the elderly.

In that context, you would expect the county council to oppose the closure of beds at Colliers’ Court, Holly House and Weavers’ Croft for assessment and respite care of older people with mental health needs with the centralising of services at Cheltenham.

Tory County Councillor Tony Hicks, lead cabinet member for community and adult care recently wrote to the Citizen newspaper saying, “Steven McHale is completely wrong when he claims that the county council’s cabinet is in favour of the closing of Holly House.”

Not so Tony!

In a report to the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 10th October, referring to this issue, states, “The Council’s continuing support for a one-site option is therefore consistent with its priority for maintaining community services.”

Those who know and value the work at Collier’ Court will be appalled that the campaign to save in-patient beds has been weakened by the Tory county council cabinet’s position.

Lydbrook Churchyard

2006-02-13T13:25:00.000Z

Current works to Lydbrook Churchyard are set to cost D band council tax payers £44.

The works which amount to improvements rather than upkeep, were ordered by Gloucestershire County Court following action taken by the Parochial Church Council against the Forest of Dean District Council.

At this time, the total bill is projected to be £34,000. The District Council have indicated their intention to levy a special charge on the village to cover this.

I will oppose this course of action and will keep this blog updated of developments.

Speeding

2006-02-13T13:11:00.000Z

Speeding traffic continues to be a concern in the Forest. On several occasions recently I have seen a maroon VW Golf driving at high speed between Hawkwell and Brierley on the A4136. This vehicle overtook a line of traffic in spite of there being double white lines on the road.

I have reported this to the police with the registration number and times of the incidents. They seemed glad to receive the information. I would urge others who witness dangerous driving to do the same.

Thank you

2005-12-23T12:38:00.000Z

Thank you for electing me as your District Councillor for Mitcheldean and Drybrook.

Brooksdean

County Council Budget

Lydbrook Churchyard

Speeding

Thank you