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Saturday, 30 December, 2006
 | Reflecting |
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As the year draws to an end, it makes me think about the year past, and the year ahead.
Highlights from the year past – Moving the District Council forward with the single site issue, reducing Council tax, opening the hub in the re-modelled Kidderminster Town Hall, building White Wickets changing rooms, seeing Bewdley Museum have a massive increase in visitor numbers, getting re-elected for Sutton Park, fighting off the proposed police merger, Free bus travel for OAPs, improving the way in which the District is cleansed.
Low points – Shared services, we didn’t get our message across to a sceptical District Council. Continued decline in bus services in Wyre Forest.
Looking forward to 2007 – Decriminaliastion (which is even better than Decimalisation) of parking in the district. This will see parking enforcement coming to the District Council, and under the control of local decision makers. Continuing to improve the services provided to local people. Moving forward with the Worcester Street project (KTC3). The prospect of reducing the County Councils budget, due to very low Govt grant, which will at some point have an effect on services.
I’m sure there are things I’ve missed ……….. but lets hope next year the highlights continue to out weight the low points.
Wishing you all a Happy and Prosperous 2007!
Monday, 18 December, 2006
| Money Worries |
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Worcestershire will experience "horrific" budget problems over the forthcoming years according to the Council Leader, Dr Lord, following well below RPI central government grant increases that will effectively see next years budget slashed by over £13,000,000. This problem is further compounded the following year as the Councils officers are predicting we may get no increase in grant at all.
The County is the fifth worst funded shire authority, and yet is also one of the lowest taxing. How does it do it??? It uses the money wisely, and is recognised nationally as the best in the COUNTRY in terms of Value for Money (as assessed by the independent Audit Commission).
There is only so much that can be done internally, and if this Labour Government does not provide enough resources to Worcestershire, then eventually front line services will be effected.
Some stats:
Govt Grant (RSG) increases next year by 2.1% to £71.126m
Schools are going to receive a 5.3% increase, which is still £114 per pupil below shire aver.
Worcestershire has 2nd lowest Council Tax, 7th lowest Council Tax take per person, 5th lowest Govt grant per person and is the 4th lowest spending per person.
Retail Price Index (RPI) is at approx 3.7%.
Friday, 15 December, 2006
| Post Offices |
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Local post offices are under attack again from the Government. Read more here.
Thursday, 14 December, 2006
| Getting in the Spirit |
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The Leader of the District Council, Cllr Clee is in a feastive spirit, and has issued a feastive message. Read it in full here.
| Future of Worcestershire |
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Today, at an extraordinary meeting of Worcestershire County Council, the Conservative Leader of the Council proposed that Worcestershire NOT bid for Unitary Status. His proposal was supported by a majority of the councils 57 councillors.
The meeting was sparked by the Governments recent white paper looking at local Government. In my opinion, today’s meeting was just like the white paper, a “bit of a damp squib”.
Wednesday, 13 December, 2006
| Districts & County working together in Worcestershire |
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Six months into the Conservative controlled County Councils drive to provide free bus travel for all OAPs in Worcestershire, it is good to see that there has been a real bump into the number of users.
Latest figures show that users under the scheme could be making up to 1/3 of all passenger journeys in Worcestershire. This bump in users is helping to stem the steady decline in passenger numbers in Worcestershire.
It is important to get all ages of people back onto the buses, as the steady decline in passenger numbers mean reductions in service which cant always be replaced by subsidised routes.
NB Worcestershire County Council extended the Govt scheme which only provided off peak travel within Wyre forest, to include on Peak Travel across Worcestershire and the surrounding Counties.
Friday, 08 December, 2006
| Go back and try harder..... |
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The delay (again) of the Lyons report into the financing of Local Governement seems to have been quietly slipped out nearly un-noticed.
First it was supposed to be reported in the Summer this year, then Autum this year, then before Christmas, now its in the spring next year. Either Sir Micheal hasnt got any new ideas for funding local public services, or his New Labour masters dont like them.
To find out more read the coverage on the BBC News website.
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