Council tax rise and more job cuts approved by Town Hall chiefs (From The Bolton News)

So can we now expect a referendum on whether that Council Tax should rise b y that amount, or are Bolton Council going to break the law???

As it stands any Council Tax rise of 2% or more should be put to a referendum of its citizens! so it seems, as usual, Bolton council has CHEATED!!!!!

Now the citizens have to pay more because of the councils inpetness. Where has ALL the money gone? What has happened to the money received from selling of The Market Hall? Where has the money gone it recouperated from the failed Bank of Iceland? Why hasn't cuts been made so that all council forms are only in English and one other language (like it is in all other major towns and cities in Europe)? How much money was wasted on redesigning the councils logo from the non-descript Town Hall to the pathetic multi-coloured mess we have now? Why was so much money wasted on pathetic traffic islands that pertrude from the pavement, the nonsensicle speed humps, the amount of white pain on Bolton's roads (especially the drunkered lines on Crompton way between Winchester Way and Tonge Moor Road), the amount of useless cycle routes that cyclists do not use and are actually now fading away) or what about the money not spent on repairing roads and potholes????

Plus they are reducing weekly collections to every two weeks - to save money!!!! Or what about the year there was no rise in Council tax, just to win votes in the local elections!!!

Or what about the above-inflationary pay-rises that the councillors have given themselves whilst the staff have had pay freezes and actual pay-cuts!!!

Or what about the library closures, the death of the towns crown jewels such as The Water Place, The Market Hall, The Outside Market, the moving and continuing failure (due to moving) of the Farmers Market?

The money raised from the over-zealous parking wardens (once the 3rd party cut has been taken out!)

This council has a lot to answer for, but it is now its cicitzens to sort out. The councillors should be rbought to be asked these questions and many more - THE COUNCILLORS HAVE FAILED THEIR CITIZENS!!!

Years and years of frivolous spending on worthless projects, unnecessary jobs and other pointless initiatives.

Why should the Council Tax payer have to suffer as a result of incompetent management and political whims.

Could someone please tell me the address to send my pension book to. It would save me the bother of having to alter my direct debit for council tax again.
This way, the council could just help themselves to whatever they want anytime they felt like it. They might also wish to give themselves another rise at my expense.
Why not !, they are already getting away with murder, so why not theft as well.

It goes to show that the Labour Council don't give a hoot about its citizens, once again they are hitting those that work and are on low pay the unemployed and scroungers from over seas will pay nothing. I work for the Council and have done so for over 12 years and I,m sorry to say that Joe public do not know half of the money wasted, lost and covered up by incompetent management and political whims of this Council. Bolton tax payers would be up in arms if they only knew the truth. When I leave I will most probably go to the BEN and give them proof of the utter waste by the Council and Boltonathome.

30% of all council tax receipts goes to cover pension payments for staff already retired, another 30% goes to pay for children in care the vast majority from" families " ( applied loosely ) who exist on benefits having children they could neither afford or bring up properly, while the children themselves are either ferel in attitude and behaviour, well versed in criminal activity or have experienced dreadful treatment at the hands of parents and others. Add to these expenses the cost of extremely over generous salaries and perks for council employees, leaving a small fragment of council tax revenue remaining actually spent on services the towns residents benefit from.

BWFC71 wrote:
So can we now expect a referendum on whether that Council Tax should rise b y that amount, or are Bolton Council going to break the law??? As it stands any Council Tax rise of 2% or more should be put to a referendum of its citizens! so it seems, as usual, Bolton council has CHEATED!!!!! Now the citizens have to pay more because of the councils inpetness. Where has ALL the money gone? What has happened to the money received from selling of The Market Hall? Where has the money gone it recouperated from the failed Bank of Iceland? Why hasn't cuts been made so that all council forms are only in English and one other language (like it is in all other major towns and cities in Europe)? How much money was wasted on redesigning the councils logo from the non-descript Town Hall to the pathetic multi-coloured mess we have now? Why was so much money wasted on pathetic traffic islands that pertrude from the pavement, the nonsensicle speed humps, the amount of white pain on Bolton's roads (especially the drunkered lines on Crompton way between Winchester Way and Tonge Moor Road), the amount of useless cycle routes that cyclists do not use and are actually now fading away) or what about the money not spent on repairing roads and potholes???? Plus they are reducing weekly collections to every two weeks - to save money!!!! Or what about the year there was no rise in Council tax, just to win votes in the local elections!!! Or what about the above-inflationary pay-rises that the councillors have given themselves whilst the staff have had pay freezes and actual pay-cuts!!! Or what about the library closures, the death of the towns crown jewels such as The Water Place, The Market Hall, The Outside Market, the moving and continuing failure (due to moving) of the Farmers Market? The money raised from the over-zealous parking wardens (once the 3rd party cut has been taken out!) This council has a lot to answer for, but it is now its cicitzens to sort out. The councillors should be rbought to be asked these questions and many more - THE COUNCILLORS HAVE FAILED THEIR CITIZENS!!!

Read the article, it gives you the answer to whether or not a referendum will be held, Bolton Council's part of the rise is1.2%, the rest is for the Police, Fire Authority etc. A referendum currently will only be held if the Council wishes to increase its share of the final bill by more than 2%.

After several years without a rise I don't think we can really complain.

Significant costs pay for the correction of errors, mistakes and simple incompetencies of the town hall staff. For example, architect's department not managing work and the costs escalate - Joe Public picks up the tab, but the failed architect keeps his job. It's fact and it's happening.

aardwolf says...

After several years without a rise I don't think we can really complain.

Yes we can complain, as a tax payer it is my right to complain when i dont agree with the way i am being penalised for being in work while all the ones who (DONT WANT) (put in brackets so not to upset the ones trying to find work) just sit on there bums all day dont have to worry about taxes going up.
I used to work for the council and i know the amount of money being wasted or going into the pockers of councillors under the guise of "expenses".
They had other options to choose from, but as that would mean they have to spend money (reserves) they obviously chose to make the workers pay.

I have no doubt that the Councillors of this Town are totally incompetent and only exist in office for their own means and not for the love of the Town. If indeed there are serious financial malpractices going on within the Council and it can be proved then surely it is the responsibility of those who know to blow the whistle on this, You'd become a hero overnight and bring these people to book

William2701 wrote:

BWFC71 wrote:
So can we now expect a referendum on whether that Council Tax should rise b y that amount, or are Bolton Council going to break the law??? As it stands any Council Tax rise of 2% or more should be put to a referendum of its citizens! so it seems, as usual, Bolton council has CHEATED!!!!! Now the citizens have to pay more because of the councils inpetness. Where has ALL the money gone? What has happened to the money received from selling of The Market Hall? Where has the money gone it recouperated from the failed Bank of Iceland? Why hasn't cuts been made so that all council forms are only in English and one other language (like it is in all other major towns and cities in Europe)? How much money was wasted on redesigning the councils logo from the non-descript Town Hall to the pathetic multi-coloured mess we have now? Why was so much money wasted on pathetic traffic islands that pertrude from the pavement, the nonsensicle speed humps, the amount of white pain on Bolton's roads (especially the drunkered lines on Crompton way between Winchester Way and Tonge Moor Road), the amount of useless cycle routes that cyclists do not use and are actually now fading away) or what about the money not spent on repairing roads and potholes???? Plus they are reducing weekly collections to every two weeks - to save money!!!! Or what about the year there was no rise in Council tax, just to win votes in the local elections!!! Or what about the above-inflationary pay-rises that the councillors have given themselves whilst the staff have had pay freezes and actual pay-cuts!!! Or what about the library closures, the death of the towns crown jewels such as The Water Place, The Market Hall, The Outside Market, the moving and continuing failure (due to moving) of the Farmers Market? The money raised from the over-zealous parking wardens (once the 3rd party cut has been taken out!) This council has a lot to answer for, but it is now its cicitzens to sort out. The councillors should be rbought to be asked these questions and many more - THE COUNCILLORS HAVE FAILED THEIR CITIZENS!!!

Read the article, it gives you the answer to whether or not a referendum will be held, Bolton Council's part of the rise is1.2%, the rest is for the Police, Fire Authority etc. A referendum currently will only be held if the Council wishes to increase its share of the final bill by more than 2%.

William 2701 - please re-read what I posted. I said, initially, that they have cheated, to which they have. Greater Manchester is in a unique position due to the fact that all the councils "club" together to pay for Fire, Mountain rescue, police, transport etc - which all come under ACGM (Associated Councils of Greater Manchester) and as such that is being classed as one huge bill and is taken out of which which would be individually paid by the separate councils - this is how the council can get away with a pathetically high rise!!! This has already been stated, by the Secretary of State - Pickles, as cheating the system and he will make sure that the money is taken away from the councils that do cheat the system, during the next financial year!!!

So does this mean that teh citizens of Bolton will be penalised, yet again, for Bolton councillors to cheat the system with which they have to work in??

I am sure, you would agree with me that tax avoidance whether it be legal or not os morally wrong, therefore what Bolton council are doing is just morally as bad - us citizens are paying the price for a greedy, inefficient council.

They have wasted over over the years, and now they want to cheat the state as well as its citizens out of more money. They can forget it!!!

I have no problem paying for the councillors to pay for an extension at their house(s), they've earned their pay and lofty position.

Here's the maths. They are putting up the council element of council tax by 1.7% which is around £1.7 million. If they had frozen council tax at zero they would have got a government grant of £1 million. So they have turned down a free million pounds to fleece tax payers for jusy £700,000.

To see council money being wasted take a drive up Daubhill an see the all the road markings for the bus lanes being painted over crumbling roads which will have to be redone if they want to resurface the road.Would it not be better doing the road up first instead or perhaps a walk around Queens Park where they have spent thousands putting a fence around it and making a car park that as far as I can see is full everyday even in winter with what must be office workers cars as you don`t see anyone in the park.

BWFC71 wrote:

William2701 wrote:

BWFC71 wrote:
So can we now expect a referendum on whether that Council Tax should rise b y that amount, or are Bolton Council going to break the law??? As it stands any Council Tax rise of 2% or more should be put to a referendum of its citizens! so it seems, as usual, Bolton council has CHEATED!!!!! Now the citizens have to pay more because of the councils inpetness. Where has ALL the money gone? What has happened to the money received from selling of The Market Hall? Where has the money gone it recouperated from the failed Bank of Iceland? Why hasn't cuts been made so that all council forms are only in English and one other language (like it is in all other major towns and cities in Europe)? How much money was wasted on redesigning the councils logo from the non-descript Town Hall to the pathetic multi-coloured mess we have now? Why was so much money wasted on pathetic traffic islands that pertrude from the pavement, the nonsensicle speed humps, the amount of white pain on Bolton's roads (especially the drunkered lines on Crompton way between Winchester Way and Tonge Moor Road), the amount of useless cycle routes that cyclists do not use and are actually now fading away) or what about the money not spent on repairing roads and potholes???? Plus they are reducing weekly collections to every two weeks - to save money!!!! Or what about the year there was no rise in Council tax, just to win votes in the local elections!!! Or what about the above-inflationary pay-rises that the councillors have given themselves whilst the staff have had pay freezes and actual pay-cuts!!! Or what about the library closures, the death of the towns crown jewels such as The Water Place, The Market Hall, The Outside Market, the moving and continuing failure (due to moving) of the Farmers Market? The money raised from the over-zealous parking wardens (once the 3rd party cut has been taken out!) This council has a lot to answer for, but it is now its cicitzens to sort out. The councillors should be rbought to be asked these questions and many more - THE COUNCILLORS HAVE FAILED THEIR CITIZENS!!!

Read the article, it gives you the answer to whether or not a referendum will be held, Bolton Council's part of the rise is1.2%, the rest is for the Police, Fire Authority etc. A referendum currently will only be held if the Council wishes to increase its share of the final bill by more than 2%.

William 2701 - please re-read what I posted. I said, initially, that they have cheated, to which they have. Greater Manchester is in a unique position due to the fact that all the councils "club" together to pay for Fire, Mountain rescue, police, transport etc - which all come under ACGM (Associated Councils of Greater Manchester) and as such that is being classed as one huge bill and is taken out of which which would be individually paid by the separate councils - this is how the council can get away with a pathetically high rise!!! This has already been stated, by the Secretary of State - Pickles, as cheating the system and he will make sure that the money is taken away from the councils that do cheat the system, during the next financial year!!!

So does this mean that teh citizens of Bolton will be penalised, yet again, for Bolton councillors to cheat the system with which they have to work in??

I am sure, you would agree with me that tax avoidance whether it be legal or not os morally wrong, therefore what Bolton council are doing is just morally as bad - us citizens are paying the price for a greedy, inefficient council.

They have wasted over over the years, and now they want to cheat the state as well as its citizens out of more money. They can forget it!!!

The local authorities of Greater Manchester do not club together to pay for mountain rescue. Until August 2011 all UK mountain rescue teams were 100% funded by voluntary donations. In August 2011 the UK government made the first ever public funding payment to UK M.R. teams. This was £200,000 for the whole of the UK, of which £128,000 was for England & Wales. That's a very small sum, particularly when it is split between dozens of M.R. teams.

Bet it's not the town hall bosses jobs that are being lost is it?!

Bolton folk will always vote this lot in because they have always voted Labour and the Councillors know it.
The problem is that that these voters are just a bit too thick to realise the power of a vote when it comes to actually placing the cross at the ballot box.

Hence 3.5% and worse services, but still a 6 figure salary for Morris and chums.

Such is life

So, useless fat pig morris says,
"We didn’t come into local government to do things like this"

No, we know why you came into local politics, to fill your fat face with as much money as possible and give yourself a big fat ego trip.

So, useless fat pig morris says,
"We didn’t come into local government to do things like this"

No, we know full well why you came into local politics, to fill your big fat face with as much money as possible and give yourself a big fat ego trip.

aardwolf wrote:
After several years without a rise I don't think we can really complain.

Idiot, course we can. The services has gone downhill over the years, so how do you explain that.
And in the meantime they have overblown the staff within the bolton family!
They should be sacking far more dead wood than they already have.

I agree after three years without I don't mind a rise. Having looked at what the council are expected to save it seems the proposals are the best options without cutting essential services. For once most people have been hit whether that be through a reduction in benefits, the new council tax support scheme or a rise.

People are quick to critisize yet in the same position with political restraints it would be interesting to see what they would do!

No cuts in the number of councillors or the funding of trade unions at the Council , I wonder why ?????

you all need to get the point . Council Tax is Rising by nearly 4%. yet this Council is Cutting Services and Jobs. there is NO need to put Council Tax up at all. so the next time there is a Election all those People that Vote Labour try and get your heads out of the Sand and Vote UKIP give them a Chance as all the Other Party's are useless . and as i keep Saying there is no County of Greater Manchester . So Please Bolton News Stop Putting it down in your Paper . Bolton is still Part of Lancashire. FACT.

I would , like I am sure most law abiding Boltonians who add value to society , be glad to pay the rise , if we thought it was going to improve The Borough.

I Burrow wrote:
I would , like I am sure most law abiding Boltonians who add value to society , be glad to pay the rise , if we thought it was going to improve The Borough.

"if we thought it was going to improve The Borough".
I really do hope your tongue is well and firmly in your cheek on that one because under this lot it ain't going to happen!

29 Dec 2011
"new figures show that some of the biggest increases in reserves came from Labour-led Wakefield Council, which is expected to have more than doubled its cash pile from £21 million to £51 million by March.

Meanwhile, Labour-run Bolton Council is likely to have tripled its reserves £23 million to £81 million".

Ok Mr Fat Controller Morris and your controling mafia Labour group, please tell us why you turned down £1,000,000 not to raise tax so you could rake in an extra £700,000 when you have all this cash in the bank? Or is the £10,000,000 figure posted in the article correct and in two years you have 'lost' an amount that makes Bolton hospitals accounting look excellent?

people complaining about this should be complaining to the real culprits who cut the money the council get!!! THE CONSERVATIVES!!!

We often here the word vulnerable to justify increasing tax. In the past Vulnerable was not a choice but today it is. It means that these people decide to spend when others are saving. I do not mind giving to genuine cases but there are too many people taking advantage of a system that pays to do the wrong thing. So they have nothing left and the rest of us are expected to pick up the pieces. As long as we have a system like this there will be a continuing reduction of people paying in and more people taking out. Where will it end?

pimpmaster wrote:
people complaining about this should be complaining to the real culprits who cut the money the council get!!! THE CONSERVATIVES!!!

No we should be asking just what the hell BMBC need £81 million of our money in their bank for! After all they are a council NOT a Plc. Another thing they should come clean on is just how much they have spent purchasing land for maybe developments and how much land they actually own, apart from the fact it would not 'fit in' with the fat controller and the rest of the mafia's plans surely some of this should be re-sold to off set any tax rises?

Bolton5 wrote:
We often here the word vulnerable to justify increasing tax. In the past Vulnerable was not a choice but today it is. It means that these people decide to spend when others are saving. I do not mind giving to genuine cases but there are too many people taking advantage of a system that pays to do the wrong thing. So they have nothing left and the rest of us are expected to pick up the pieces. As long as we have a system like this there will be a continuing reduction of people paying in and more people taking out. Where will it end?

When any government realises that cutting the public sector does not literally mean that the jobs will be created in the Private sector. Until the Government relises that the more austerity measures they create means more unemployment. Until the Government realises that 80% of the unemployed are actually jobseekers who want to work and are NOT scroungers as they have been labelled by the government - it is not their choice they lost their job or that their are not enough jobs for them in the country.

So an increase of 3.5% after a two year freeze.
Inflation has been running at over 3% for the last two or three years (thanks to Osborneomics) on top of that Eric Pickles slashes the government grant to councils.
The Tories hate the public sector in all its forms and would like to see private companies run all aspects of life.

so 3.5% increase and all the while the roads around were i live crumble more and more,but its not all bad, while taking my dog for a walk on queens park i was happy to see bolton school has a nice new road (not just patch repair) and only from chorley new road to 100m passed the school gates, all done in 4 days even in middle of a snow storm, well done boton council(NOT) there are alot worse roads in bolton and not just in heaton

i have just got back from a European country (not telling as keeping the secret place secret) but they dont pay counil tax - they have never had it - they dont pay for parking - you can park wherever you like , the bins are emptied every day, there is no charge for it, they dont pay road tax - just tolls

the roads are in excellent condition - better than here

its cheap to live there and the electric and gas are cheap too and so is water - a lot of people have their own underground wells - and these are not taxed they are free

they dont have window tax , conservatory tax or a tax if you have more than one property .

the only drawback is that the people who live there dont realise how lucky they are

im back in rip-off Britain but im only here until my pension arrives then as far as i am concerned they can give it to the polish community

oh and if you really want to know where your council tax is spent look at the following examples-

the new market place
the change of the old traditional market
new fountains in the square
painted elephants
back pocket
lavish meals and christmas party for the hierarchy at the town hall
champagne for town hall party

free swimming lessons for the over 60s ?? they are having a laugh - we dont even have a place to swim now

if swimming baths had still existed in Bolton ie bridgemen street baths at 10d a time and also the water place - built and they knocked it down - at our cost again why was it allowed to be built and then destroyed at our cost just as if it was a mistake and a complete waste of money - who is running things in bolton wants their head examining.

colournature wrote:
oh and if you really want to know where your council tax is spent look at the following examples-

the new market place
the change of the old traditional market
new fountains in the square
painted elephants
back pocket
lavish meals and christmas party for the hierarchy at the town hall
champagne for town hall party

The New Market Hall has NOTHING to do with Bolton Council anymore. They sold it to Grosvenor properties, hence the change of use and reduction of income for the Council!!!

BWFC saysThe New Market Hall has NOTHING to do with Bolton Council anymore. They sold it to Grosvenor properties, hence the change of use and reduction of income for the Council!!!

colournature wrote: oh and if you really want to know where your council tax is spent look at the following examples- the new market place the change of the old traditional market new fountains in the square painted elephants back pocket lavish meals and christmas party for the hierarchy at the town hall champagne for town hall party

The New Market Hall has NOTHING to do with Bolton Council anymore. They sold it to Grosvenor properties, hence the change of use and reduction of income for the Council!!! BWFC71


many apologies BWFC for the error - sadly I spend little time in the country so Im not always up to date although i did spend many years working in the town hall - I still dont see where all the money goes - by the way just taken out my black bin and there is one very small bag in it.
Did you know that by recycling the waste the council is making money out of the rubbish ?

colournature wrote:
i have just got back from a European country (not telling as keeping the secret place secret) but they dont pay counil tax - they have never had it - they dont pay for parking - you can park wherever you like , the bins are emptied every day, there is no charge for it, they dont pay road tax - just tolls

the roads are in excellent condition - better than here

its cheap to live there and the electric and gas are cheap too and so is water - a lot of people have their own underground wells - and these are not taxed they are free

they dont have window tax , conservatory tax or a tax if you have more than one property .

the only drawback is that the people who live there dont realise how lucky they are

im back in rip-off Britain but im only here until my pension arrives then as far as i am concerned they can give it to the polish community

were was it LALA LAND
grass is always greener

wagstaff says
were was it LALA LAND
grass is always greener

im not telling anyone