I WOULD be pleased to receive an explanation and reasons for the above projected £10 million Wiltshire Council overspend and, more importantly, what actions it intends taking to offset this overspend?
The council has in place highly paid senior staff (directors) who are, presumably, responsible for their departments and I expect them to give detailed explanations as to why their departments have failed to control their budgets.
Given that this council has two layers of senior management, the aforementioned senior staff (directors) and the councillors themselves, how on earth can this happen?
Why were staff given credit cards and for what purpose? What controls were in place and surely the £10 million overspend is not attributed to this?
Something else that needs resolving, and rapidly, is the still poor service provided by the Local Search department. Despite several meetings, resulting in promises to improve, the situation is little better.
Indeed, I am aware that at least one firm of solicitors has reluctantly resorted to using search agents for two reasons. First they are cheaper and secondly they are much faster than your dedicated department. 
This is a shocking indictment of a council department and one where, if it was being properly organised and managed, would provide the service that is required and would also add considerably to council income, both directly and indirectly.
There is also the outstanding matter of both consultancy and agency staff costs, neither of which have been properly addressed. At the last count this council was spending £9 million per annum, so has there been any worthwhile reduction, if so how much and if not why not?
Given that the council is looking to reduce costs and expenses, rather than reducing services, transport subsidies, etc, why not start to look at senior staff (directors) costs in those departments that are (still) not functioning properly so that money can be spent on frontline services?
Given that the council is looking to reduce costs, why not reduce the number of councillors to say 20 and that may still be too many? This could generate a large annual saving in councillors’ expenses.
As to the recall of printers, where is the benefit in that? Surely when they were allocated it was on the basis of need. Does that need no longer exist and if they are removed will the council be paying people to drive to a printer?
Might the same be said of the iPads? These should never have been acquired in the first place for reasons that you know full well, are they to be recalled?
What will happen to the recalled printers and iPads?
What of the over-indulgence when the council offices were refurbished, four kitchens in lieu of one on one floor alone? This sort of needless expense must never again be even contemplated.
I note that Messrs Brandon & Godfrey allude to adult care and safeguarding children as being part of the increased costs, along with highway maintenance, of which the first two items are essential.
I’ve seen very little evidence of highway maintenance in the local area to date and that which has been carried out is both piecemeal and very poorly executed.
Who is responsible for highway maintenance including road sweeping, ditch and drain clearance, quality of the work undertaken, ie, shoddy workmanship for which we are paying, surface dressing, etc? There does not appear to be a co-ordinated plan of action and our roads are in a disgraceful state.
I have several areas where money can be saved or income increased, hopefully these will be properly considered.
PHILIP WITHERS
Clarendon Road
Trowbridge