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pstretch
New Member
7 Posts |
 Posted - 28 Mar 2008 : 19:13:10
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I received my council tax bill this week, complete with a 5% overall increase.
Can anyone explain why Ware Town Council feel that they need a 15% increase this year ? Is there an 'official' explanation somewhere?
I appreciate that their £74 is only a very small part of the total bill, but as a percentage increase this rather surprising. |
Edited by - pstretch on 29 Mar 2008 14:28:13 |
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Whereaami
Senior Member
United Kingdom
814 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2008 : 19:24:36
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| possibly to pay for that white elephant Fletchers Lea. |
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Dusty
Senior Member
United Kingdom
685 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2008 : 21:11:08
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| Perhaps to pay for the repairs to that other white elephant - the rising bollard |
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sweetiepie
Junior Member
United Kingdom
75 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2008 : 21:52:26
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[quote]Originally posted by pstretch
I received my council tax bill this week, compete with a 5% overall increase.
Can anyone explain why Ware Town Council feel that they need a 15% increase this year ? Is there an 'official' explanation somewhere?
I appreciate that their £74 is only a very small part of the total bill, but as a percentage increase this rather surprising.
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Edited by - sweetiepie on 28 Mar 2008 21:55:41 |
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sweetiepie
Junior Member
United Kingdom
75 Posts |
Posted - 28 Mar 2008 : 21:54:55
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quote:
Originally posted by sweetiepie
[quote]Originally posted by pstretch
I received my council tax bill this week, compete with a 5% overall increase.
Can anyone explain why Ware Town Council feel that they need a 15% increase this year ? Is there an 'official' explanation somewhere?
I appreciate that their £74 is only a very small part of the total bill, but as a percentage increase this rather surprising.
I think they need to 'top-up' the pensions!!!!! 
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jez_p
Average Member
United Kingdom
346 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2008 : 08:41:20
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Hmmm 15% sounds excessive
By Comparison Hertford Town Council have only taken a 1% increase.
Still nearly a 5% increase though. |
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Pat-H
WoLFer
United Kingdom
2404 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2008 : 15:36:41
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quote:
Originally posted by Dusty
Perhaps to pay for the repairs to that other white elephant - the rising bollard
The bollard was paid for by East Herts District Council not Ware Town Council as far as I'm aware.
And very glad I am for it. Me and my family can now enjoy walking round Tudor square without worry of being run over by car drivers as has had happened before the bollard went in.
It would have been nice to expect car driver s to respect the legal signage denying them access but sadly they didn't.
As for the increase maybe the thing to do is to ask your Ward councillor?
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Craig
Project Leader
United Kingdom
2312 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2008 : 16:00:54
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Why would you be walking round Tudor Square?
Did something actually happen there?  |
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Pat-H
WoLFer
United Kingdom
2404 Posts |
Posted - 29 Mar 2008 : 17:49:51
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quote:
Originally posted by Craig
Why would you be walking round Tudor Square?
Did something actually happen there?
I like the tranquility ! |
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ian.ball
WoLFer & Moderator
United Kingdom
2789 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 10:34:09
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Are Ware Town Council (or EHDC for that matter) accountable for their spending? Apart from occasional elections that is?
I'm certainly getting fed up with being told that inflation is in the 2-3% range where my own cost of living has been well in excess of this for the last 4-5 years part of which is due to increasing local taxes  |
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Pat-H
WoLFer
United Kingdom
2404 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 15:59:27
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quote:
Originally posted by ian.ball
Are Ware Town Council (or EHDC for that matter) accountable for their spending? Apart from occasional elections that is?
I'm certainly getting fed up with being told that inflation is in the 2-3% range where my own cost of living has been well in excess of this for the last 4-5 years part of which is due to increasing local taxes
Only at election I'm afraid. Just like central government.
They make pledges. They get elected. They govern as they see fit.
Come re-election you get to decide if they have another bash or you try somebody else.
Some meetings are open to the public and you may have the right to ask a question or two. You can also ask your town or district councillors to ask on your behalf.
Other than standing yourself there's not much more say you can have.
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pstretch
New Member
7 Posts |
Posted - 31 Mar 2008 : 16:06:58
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I spoke to the Town Clerk today who was very helpful and summarised the changes in this year's budget.
The minutes of the Finance & Resources Committee dated 26th November 2007 provide some information.
They are available here www waretowncouncil gov uk
Paul
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spear
Advanced Member
1380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2008 : 08:46:16
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| As long as you vote for people on the colour of their rosette rather than their service to the town there are no grounds for complaint. |
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ian.ball
WoLFer & Moderator
United Kingdom
2789 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2008 : 13:23:46
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quote:
Originally posted by spear
As long as you vote for people on the colour of their rosette rather than their service to the town there are no grounds for complaint.
You do actually get councillors voted in for their service rather than their party (Henry Sargeant in Hertford was a good example) but that rarely happens.
The real problem is that you only ever get a say in any election if you happen to live in a marginal constituency I don't think Ware town council have any marginals do they? |
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Whereaami
Senior Member
United Kingdom
814 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2008 : 14:18:37
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quote:
Originally posted by ian.ball
quote:
Originally posted by spear
As long as you vote for people on the colour of their rosette rather than their service to the town there are no grounds for complaint.
You do actually get councillors voted in for their service rather than their party (Henry Sargeant in Hertford was a good example) but that rarely happens.
The real problem is that you only ever get a say in any election if you happen to live in a marginal constituency I don't think Ware town council have any marginals do they?
There is too much party politics locally...some things have been voted down just because the "other" party proposed it.
Perhaps there should be more independant councillors, but that needs more people to be prepared to stand for election which has always been a problem. |
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ian.ball
WoLFer & Moderator
United Kingdom
2789 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2008 : 15:00:35
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| Agreed. One of the good things about Mark Prisk is that he is very active in this constituency. Fortunately for him that generally follows the party line, but nevertheless he's a good local MP I think, especially when compared to our previous MP! |
Edited by - ian.ball on 01 Apr 2008 15:01:14 |
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spear
Advanced Member
1380 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2008 : 15:39:41
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I was really talking about the town, where most seats would change for relatively few votes. For me there should be no party politics in WTC they should do whatever is best for the town. (In fact I would prefer no parties - all independents)
Re independents, I agree but have a friend who ran. He is a successful businessman and does a lot where he lives, would be a real asset to his local council. Asked people he knows if they voted for him "er no, I always vote Conservative"
On here we get loads of complaints about WTC but at the election they all got voted back in, the candidate in my ward was so sure he didn't even bother coming round.
When I vote I vote for the person not the rosette. |
Edited by - spear on 01 Apr 2008 15:40:32 |
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jamie mody
Junior Member
United Kingdom
44 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2008 : 22:35:27
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| I think the Council tax bill is a complete joke and I can't help feeling that they just increase it year on year so the people working for the council get there yearly increases and final salary pensions! |
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Pat-H
WoLFer
United Kingdom
2404 Posts |
Posted - 01 Apr 2008 : 22:58:31
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quote:
Originally posted by jamie mody
I think the Council tax bill is a complete joke and I can't help feeling that they just increase it year on year so the people working for the council get there yearly increases and final salary pensions!
Well yes of course those increases and pensions have to be paid for somehow? Or do we assume that council workers, like nurses, should do it for the love?
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