Newbury Community Forum

General Boards => Got something to say? => Topic started by: Number 6 on January 27, 2018, 02:14:19 pm

Title: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on January 27, 2018, 02:14:19 pm
Browsed an obscure Community section in the printed NWN which was tucked inside the property pages. Saw that the council are raising the council tax by 5%. Surely this should have been on the front page as a leading article ? It's a sad day when the NWN helps bury bad local news.
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Old Goat on January 27, 2018, 10:53:44 pm
When the chips are down, NWN knows where it's loyalty lies!
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on February 02, 2018, 09:54:54 pm
Perhaps we can hope that WBC is next on the list for this kind of intervention ? Long overdue in many peoples opinion.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-northamptonshire-42920716
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on February 05, 2018, 12:23:21 pm
Sooner rather than later for special intervention if this is anything to go by as an indicator. Council tax increase of 5% but still slashing services. Where is the money going ? Not on wages and gold plated pensions by any chance ? The council is now unaffordable and needs to be scrapped asap - preferably without compensation to the senior officers who got it into this mess.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/23376/schools-may-have-to-make-redundancies-to-avoid-plummeting-into-financial-black-hole.html
Title: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Old Goat on February 11, 2018, 10:10:47 am
Sadly, the issue of West Berkshire's massive failure in local governance will be lost in the financial collapse of public service nationally.  The abject bankrupty of the Conservative party (and their yellow camp followers)  dogmatic adherence to 'free market economy' is now quite apparent and doing its worst.  It really is government for the few, the very few and not the many.
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on February 12, 2018, 07:20:41 pm
So finally our local paper decides to get off of it's backside and report on the most significant piece of news for months for the majority of West Berkshire's population. Whatever the  reason for it's reluctance this had to come out as it will cause hardship for many on the margin's of any benefit relief. Most concerning is the fact that wrapped up in these proposals are huge reductions in services, extra charges for what we already pay for and no doubt a significant rise in the wages bill - justified by the claim that they need to pay more to get the key staff they need to provide a lesser service. NDC needs closing down asap as it is no longer fit for purpose and incapable of reforming itself. The Chief Exec has been in post far to long and is being rewarded for failure along with his senior management team. The politicians who should be holding them to account are also part of the problem. Disastrous.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/23442/council-tax-bills-set-to-rise-by-almost-six-per-cent-in-west-berkshire.html
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Old Goat on February 14, 2018, 11:01:30 pm
Would we notice any reduction in service if Reading took over the whole thing, retaining only the direct front line service staff for WBC and all the parish level councils. To keep up the pretence that local Councillors do have a role, doubtless Reading wouldn't object to say three or four new Councillors for West Berks joining their deliberations.  Job done and no one would even notice.
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on February 19, 2018, 12:29:09 pm
So £3.6 million cut in Govt. grant and a £5.4 million increase in council tax. Do they think we can't do the math ? No doubt the vast majority of the extra money is to go on wage increases ? It is time for this shambles of a council to be held to account.
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on February 22, 2018, 03:54:39 pm
And in Berkshire the proposal is .........?

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/23499/hampshire-county-council-proposes-combined-authority.html
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on March 08, 2018, 08:36:15 pm
Still no online reporting of the Market Street development debacle that could end up costing local taxpayers a fortune for WBC's incompetence. Buried inside the NWN last week in the inside front left page position that is a favourite for hiding bad news the online reporting has been noticeable by it's absence. Should have been front page and top of the website.
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on March 10, 2018, 03:06:51 pm
In case you missed it - very easy to do unless you buy the NWN paper - Council Tax rise of 6% agreed on the nod, Extra £50 charge for green waste collection approved and a compulsory order to allow for the Mkt. Street development over-riding established rights of way etc. Car drivers who need to park to shop continue to be soaked to the detriment of local shops - more and more seem to be closing.   It would seem the Conservative run Socialist state of West Berkshire expands accordingly whilst all the time services continue to be cut. Just how much the taxpayer is funding and put at risk to fund their property developer aspirations is never made clear. This needs radical reform and the next election locally can't come quickly enough.
Title: Re: Headline News ? Not in the NWN
Post by: Number 6 on March 11, 2018, 06:47:16 pm
Better late than never ?.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/23629/council-will-use-powers-to-unlock-land-needed-for-market-street-development.html