Newbury Community Forum

General Boards => Got something to say? => Topic started by: Number 6 on March 27, 2017, 12:44:01 pm

Title: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on March 27, 2017, 12:44:01 pm
How can such a large amount of money be given to a service that is rated as inadequate for such a poorly defined project ? For several years Ofsted has judged the West Berks children's services as not up to scratch but no significant changes have been made and now this ! Stand back and watch a spending jamboree take place until the money run's out and they all claim it was not their fault (no one ever gets the sack for underperformance at West Berks).

http://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/21005/west-berkshire-council-celebrates-2-1m-share-of-11-6m-government-grant.html
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on October 22, 2018, 04:16:26 pm
How to make second hand car salesmen look reputable !

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/25693/council-inadequately-informed-residents-of-25-green-bin-charge-option.html
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on October 23, 2018, 09:43:18 pm
And now an absolute muddling of reality. A lack of revenue is not the causative factor for a budgetary overspend. I suggest that they consider the pay rises awarded staff and the associated pension costs may be one factor together with an ever expanding general and out of control overhead. It can not be the provision of actual services as these continue to be in decline. What a complete and utter incompetent shambles of a council this is.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/25695/council-overspend-as-adult-social-care-demands-rise.html
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Old Goat on October 25, 2018, 09:42:12 am
No one is ever held to account.  Yet we continue to pay vast salaries to people who take no responsibility, bear no risk, and are demonstrably failing to manage even the small amount of work they are left with after austerity cuts and process transfers. Self generated rules protect from removal and why would anyone even consider resignation?  As the saying goes, 'you couldn't make it up'.  Mind,
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Old Goat on December 19, 2018, 12:44:33 pm
Yes, do,you should be, it's your money they are draining away; not even on stuff that has even a minor use, but now apparently just keeping legal pockets bulging.  This last spurt of independent initiative, 'partner planning developments' is supposed to make the town better and more attractive. Turning pigs ears into silk purses; trouble is WBC tend to use the whole sow. 
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on December 20, 2018, 11:14:10 am
No mention of contingent liabilities or risk in this report ? One wonders if they really know what they are into with this scheme ?
https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/26206/council-happy-with-2m-return-from-property-portfolio.html
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Old Goat on December 21, 2018, 10:00:02 pm
Why shouldn't I think a very small mainly rural Council have significant property development skills? 
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on March 20, 2019, 04:34:27 pm
Oh dear. Now in commerce and industry heads at the top would definitely roll in very short order (or at least they used to in the days where accountability ruled) but I suspect other than some wringing of hands at the fact that their incompetence has been highlighted no further action will be taken. WBC has descended to the status of a Brian Rix farce.

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/26857/2-9m-adult-social-care-overspend-following-series-of-unfortunate-errors.html
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Old Goat on March 24, 2019, 09:15:54 am
Simply unbelievable, words fail me. 

The bit I also have massive difficulties with is that our present Councillors, who have heard their CEO, give lame excuses time and again, for basic but serious clerical failures, yet say nothing, let alone impose any discipline. 

N.B. An election is in sight, has the CEO checked that the staff involved can count?

Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on March 25, 2019, 10:55:29 am
Incapable of running their own organisation can we expect good answers from our WBC scoundrels ? Their only answer - tax more !

https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/26895/district-council-challenged-over-climate-change-and-brexit.html
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on April 30, 2019, 11:48:16 am
Oh dear, if they don't understand why this is completely unacceptable then we really do have a problem with the council leadership team.
It's not only the political leadership that needs changing but the entire executive team as well. Better still abolish WBC all together.


https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/27167/council-accused-of-fiddling-the-books.html
Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on June 24, 2019, 06:12:14 pm
This looks very much like converting private risk and debt into public risk and debt, at what is a very difficult time in the commercial property market ? Should we demand that the council members and executive officers accept full personal liability as well if things go wrong ?


https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/home/27600/should-council-invest-in-kennet-shopping-centre.html

Title: Re: Wasting taxpayers money
Post by: Number 6 on July 22, 2019, 06:11:58 pm
So here we have it - an admission that the councils so called 'investing' in commercial properties is in fact putting the local taxpayers at risk and not the members and officers doing the gambling. I ask, once again, when did we ever sanction the council to do this ? The answer is of course we did not. I suggest that those responsible should be made personally liable. A shameful abuse of position and power.


https://www.newburytoday.co.uk/news/news/27786/council-investing-in-kennet-centre-is-too-risky.html