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Calne councillors quit over council tax rise (From The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald)
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Calne councillors quit over council tax rise
10:58am Tuesday 25th November 2008
Two Calne town councillors have quit after a decision to triple the council tax precept at a meeting last night.
Councillors John Ireland and Dave Bland stood down after a vote was taken to increase the precept by 33 per cent.
In a resignation e-mail Mr Ireland, 61, said: “I am unable to support or condone the morally reprehensible decision to increase the council tax precept that was proposed and accepted by the other members at a voting base of eight for and six against.
“Whilst I believe wholeheartedly in the democratic process I have to say that my resignation is a matter of conscience and as I am against this (democratic) decision I am left with only one alternative.
“I am sure that the good people of Calne will stand in judgement upon those who have so cruelly betrayed their trust.”
The town council proposed the hike to help maintain the new Beversbrook Sports Field, but an average household will pay an extra £49.38 a year to cover the costs - an increase of more than 33 per cent on last year.
At the meeting Mr Bland said: “This council does not support the public and so I am forced to resign too. This is an immoral decision.”
People living in an average Band D property in Calne now pay £146.73 to the town council and next year this will rise to £196.11.
Coun Alan Hill said: “Many years ago it was agreed by the council that it would be a good thing for Calne to have a sports field and work was done to investigate the means to fund such a project. Eventually, it was agreed that sufficient funding could be raised to make the project viable and it was resolved by the council to proceed.
“We are now at the point where the project is complete. Beversbrook Sports Field exists, it has recently been handed over to Calne Town Council and is now our responsibility.
“A 96 acre sports field requires an expensive maintenance program and unfortunately, due to a lack of foresight in my opinion, money was not set aside when it was available to create a fund to finance the necessary maintenance costs.
“Consequently, the finance working group believes that the present town council has no choice but to raise the necessary funding by increasing the precept.”
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Your Say YourGazette
timetogo, Calne says...
5:59pm Tue 25 Nov 08
Good on Cllr Ireland and Cllr Bland for standing by their morals and resigning. Sadly though, it’s the ones that voted in favour of the budget that should go, yet won’t.
As for Cllr Alan Hill stating that “lack of foresight” meant they had not option but to burden the tax payer – poppycock. Those responsible, both officers and members, for the lack of foresight should be made responsible and named and shamed. Also, Cllr Hill abstained from the vote – yet here he is publicly announcing that the council had no option but to raise its precept (isn’t that supporting the proposed budget?). Perhaps he’s trying to distance himself from the vote to aid his ambition to be elected to the new Wiltshire unitary authority? Hmmm…
Calne Town Council should be ashamed. Over the past 5 years it has increased it precept on average 14.5% each year, at the same time inflation has run at 2.95%. Every year they feel they have a good excuse for it I’m sure, but how long can taxpayers stomach these rises? The council should be seriously looking at where it can SAVE money – may I suggest staff salaries & administration may be a good starting point!
timetogo, Calne says...
6:13pm Tue 25 Nov 08
Theres more to this than meets the eye. The white elephant that is Beversbrook Playing Pitches won't cost the full £250,000 precept increase to maintain surely. Perhaps the fact the council have been dipping into their reserves like no tomorrow has finally caught up with them?
barbarella68, Calne says...
6:28pm Tue 25 Nov 08
Peter Dolman, Calne says...
8:10pm Tue 25 Nov 08
In todays economic climate with people losing their jobs or home or both such a large rise is indefensible. It was claimed by councillor Hill that the increase was only 96p per week but as councillor Ramsey pointed out,to a pensioner on a fixed income or someone who has just lost their job its 96p to much.
Yes some of the increase relates to Beaversbrook but not all of it. The Beaversbrook costs are not essential as the work can be contracted out rather than purchase equipment for £54,000 or to employed 2 exrat members of staff for £40,000 or more.
The income from Beaversbrook next year is expected to be a grand total of £3,500. Thats £1,500 from hire of the cricket facilities and £2,000 from the football pitches. The council have made no income forecasts beyond next year so they don't really know at what level the demand will be but they want to buy the all singing dancing grass cutting equipment.
Does this sound like a prudent council that resonable people want in such challenging times?
Geddi, Calne says...
8:32pm Tue 25 Nov 08
Apart from that, I think Calne Town Council ought to better manage the funds they already have and stop wasting them on foolish errands chasing flags/no flags ideas for umpteen meetings!
The way forward is for ALL of Calne's voting populous to get involved and make the next local election REALLY LOCAL with people whose entire families live in and around Calne standing for seats and having the town run by people with a REAL interest here, rather than loads of folks who arrived here just a few years ago and decided to get stuck in to give themselves something to do!
TURKEY GIRL, says...
1:11am Wed 26 Nov 08
barbarella68 wrote:I wonder that to.It seems calne council is ripping us off good and proper.
What a farce. Calne own council yet again letting the people down that they are supposed to be working for.Yes working for, so do that and work for us,and by the way I want to know who pays for the councils lunches out during the week as I have it on very good authority(me)that they go to a certain little pub most weeks and they are not having meetings(I was sat on next table).So where is our money going to I wonder.
WWW.CALNETALK.COM
aTTREBATES, CALNE says...
3:53pm Wed 26 Nov 08
barbarella68, Calne says...
11:08am Thu 27 Nov 08
timetogo, Calne says...
12:18pm Thu 27 Nov 08
Good luck, but I fear the letters will fall on deaf ears. Perhaps a letter to your MP may fair better? or both!
barfar, Calne says...
1:13pm Thu 27 Nov 08
And mentioning the flag flying from the town hall, wasn't there some comment a while back about there being fears of damage to the masonry? I could have sworn I saw workers drilling holes in the Town Hall to hang Christmas lights from .... obviously extremely concerned about damaging this lovely building!
packard bell, says...
7:26pm Fri 28 Nov 08
Peter Dolman, Calne says...
8:53pm Fri 28 Nov 08
Unlike most votes this one was recorded so that each councillor is asked are they for or against. The individual votes are recorded in the minutes. We can therefore see who to blame.
Councillor Hill is a member of the finance committee Councillor Colin Viner is the chairperson.
No one least of all me will argue against the Beaversbrook complex. I will argue how the maintenance can be paid for and its not the same as the council at least not all the councillors.
The increase will cost us about £50 per house and that is before any increase by the district & county councils or the police authority. If they were to increase their's by 33% it would cost us all up to £500 per year.
Sneezy, Wilts says...
12:22am Sat 29 Nov 08
Was a facility of this kind needed and if so why is it not more self financing if it is in such demand???
Such a rise in tax to pay for one facility does seem extreme!!
The council should be taking a good look at efficiency savings and be examining where money can be saved from all its budgets.
Triton, Calne says...
1:34pm Sat 29 Nov 08
www.calnetalk.com
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John Ireland, Calne says...
5:25pm Tue 25 Nov 08
Surely that is just to ingratiate himself on the public as he stands to become a Unitary Councillor next year. I think that must make him the cynic of the year!!!