Like all councils up and down the country High Peak is working on its Budget for 2012/13. And like most councils we are recommending a 0% council tax rise. Given the impact for the future funding of services in High Peak, this is not a decision that can be taken lightly.

In recent years much of the focus around council budgets has been on the size of the increase in council tax. In some ways things are no different this year. Residents rightly want high quality services at an affordable price and given the economic pressures everyone is facing, there is a push for all councils to agree not to increase council tax.

So let’s look at the figures. Although High Peak Borough Council sends out the bills and collects the council tax, only 12% of the bill comes to the borough; 72% goes to Derbyshire County Council; 11% to Derbyshire Police; 4% to the Fire and Rescue Service; and 1% to town and parish councils.

Thus for 2011/12, HPBC received £174.42 for an average Band D property; that’s £15 per month or £3.35 per week. A Council Tax increase of 2.5% would see the amount households pay to HPBC rise by just £4.30 a year; that’s 36p per month or 8p per week – again for an average Band D property. Across the borough as a whole it would bring in around £149,000 per year. So we are not talking huge sums.

However, to say that the Government has given councils a dilemma is putting it mildy! In fact what the Tories are doing is placing a smoking timebomb in the middle of council finances.

Last year, it offered to pay a bribe equivalent to a 2.5% council tax rise for four years to all councils who agreed to set a 0% council tax for 2011/12. This year, it has offered to fund the equivalent of a 2.5% council tax rise but this time the funding is for one year only. Both are time limited – and so cannot be built into the council’s base budget.

This puts councils in a very difficult position as it leads to a year on year loss in income – and for residents that could mean poorer quality or fewer services.

It means that, when it comes to setting its budget for 2015-16, it will be based on the Council’s budget for 2010-11, which will be more than half a million pounds less than if it had raised its council tax by 2.5% each year.

So, in effect what looks like a helping hand, is actually a further cut on top the £3m cuts the council was forced to find last year and this year.  And with the Government struggling to make cuts elsewhere it is highly likely that it will again look to local government to make yet more cuts.

As Ed Balls told Labour councillors this week, where some ministers defended their departments against savage cuts; Mr Pickles offered up local government as a sacrificial lamb!

Locally the both the Tories and LibDems have made it clear that they too want a 0% council tax rise - purely because it is Coalition policy.

Further councils, like everyone have to pay the extra costs of inflation and higher utility bills. Even a 2.5% council tax rise does not cover the cost of inflation, currently running at 4.2%, down from 4.8% in November.

S0, we have based our budget on a 0% council tax rise and will therefore accept the Government’s bribe of the equivalent of a 2.5% council rise. Whether we can continue to do that, given the almost certain impact on services, is a very different question.

Protection of the environment and support for vulnerable people must be key platforms for Labour Party policy, local members agreed. “The Coalition Government’s austerity policies are not working”, argued Cllr Fiona Sloman. “We are watching unemployment rise while government debt will be double by the end of this parliament. Thousands are struggling to pay their food, energy and transport costs while wages for many are at a standstill”.

Members agreed that there is a better way to manage the economy by investing in long term projects such as schools and roads. Branch members did not support the High Speed Railway (HS2) proposals, seeing them as a distraction and a waste of money.
“Capitalism is at last being put under the microscope as more and more people question the morality of huge payouts to the rich who hide their wealth away in offshore tax havens while the majority are squeezed. The rich get richer and the poor get poorer, same old Tories,” said Jane McGrother

“Many of the things we predicted are coming true”, claimed branch chair, Roger Cooper. “We said that cutting the public sector too fast and too far would result in high unemployment. The private sector was never going to be able to replace all those lost jobs”.

Deep concern was expressed at the destruction of the NHS. American style health provision seemed to be the aim of the government resulting in the longer waiting lists now evident. “We fear the pressure will result in patients feeling the need to go private. A shorter working week, a living wage, a decent pensions system for all and support for those who need it should be the goals of a rich country like ours”, said Cllr Keith Savage.

“We believe in everyone making a responsible contribution if they can but the proof of our civilised society is that we protect people with disabilities of all kinds who cannot. The government’s cruel policies on benefits will push many people into despair,” members agreed.

Buxton Labour Party will be setting up their own website and Google group to encourage debate and ideas. If you would like to join the discussions or join the Labour Party please contact 01298 24779 or log onto www.labourhighpak.info or www.buxton.labourhighpeak.info

He claims that the lack of consultation over potential sites for a library has been worthy of some of the cloak and dagger novels that the library loans to Glossopdale residents.

“There have been a variety of proposals floated for the location of the library in the last 18 months,” says Councillor Wilcox, “and whilst reports have gone to various committees, the people of the area have not been asked where they might prefer their library to be.”

“Having personally believed that there’s a case for a core town centre location, and being aware that resources to achieve this had been set aside by the previous County Labour administration, I’ve never been able to understand why the people of Glossop have not been given a reasonable chance to express a view.”

“Given the present economic situation, it’s important that we make the most open and sensible decisions about the future location of facilities, and get value for money whilst where possible, sustaining Glossop’s architectural heritage.”

“Although there are complicating factors involving trusts, parking, resource availability and structural issues around publicly owned buildings, the people in this valley are capable of looking at the options and expressing a practical view.”

“They have the right to expect consultation from the County Council which has been none existent in the past couple of years.”

Cllr Parvin with a local resident

Members of the Glossopdale Labour Party hit the streets on Saturday morning with their latest campaign raising concerns over the current NHS bill, and the hidden cost of the Government’s wasteful NHS reorganisation in Tameside and Glossop. New guidelines will force the local NHS to put aside £16,502,535 from their budget this year and next to pay for a costly NHS restructure that David Cameron repeatedly ruled out.

Old Glossop Councillor and NHS Worker Garry Parvin said:

“These shocking new figures show the Government’s reorganisation is costing the NHS even more than we first feared. It is scandalous that they are telling our local NHS to hold back millions of pounds for their own reckless plans whilst thousands of nursing jobs are being axed.

“Glossop and Tameside have already seen a 45% increase in the number of patients waiting longer than 18 weeks for treatment since Cameron became Prime Minister.

“Before his plans are even fully through Parliament, David Cameron’s reorganisation is hitting the NHS hard and costs are now topping £3.4bn across the country for the first time. Spending this amount on an unnecessary reorganisation is totally unjustifiable when every single penny should be focused on maintaining standards of care.

“At the election Cameron ruled out top-down NHS reorganisations. But only weeks after entering Number 10, he ripped up his own words and ordered the biggest and most dangerous upheaval of the NHS since it began.”

The Glossopdale campaigners were also adding more signatures to the 490,000 people so far, who have signed the 38 Degrees Save Our NHS campaign Cllr Garry Parvin added:

“The people of Glossopdale did not vote for it and our doctors, nurses and patients have already expressed huge concerns at the plans. Yet Cameron is ploughing on with his Health Bill, ignoring public and professional opinion. The time has come for him to listen, put the NHS first and drop his dangerous Bill.”

“If you didn’t get the chance to see us on Saturday and would like to more know more about the campaign or get a copy of our leaflet visit our website at www.glossopdale.labourhighpeak.info or you can sign the petition at www.38degrees.org.uk/page/s/Protect_our_NHS_Petition.”

Locals were also urged to sign the Government online petition started by the Chairman of the Tameside branch of the BMA (British Medical Association) Dr Kailash Chand OBE at epetitions.direct.gov.uk.

Glossopdale NHS Leaflet
GlossopdaleNHSLeafletJan2012.pdf
Version: Jan 2012

Glossopdale Branch NHS Leaflet used for a street stall on the 14th January

Author:	Godfrey
Date:	January 16, 2012

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New guidelines will force the local NHS to put aside £45,297,052 from their budget this year and next to pay for a costly NHS restructure that David Cameron repeatedly ruled out before the general election.

Cllr Caitlin Bisknell said: “Locally we have seen the PCT vote to close the Corbar Birthing Centre,  East Midlands Ambulance Service lost a major contract to the private sector, and the number of people waiting more than 18weeks for treatment has risen 109% – all as a result of this government’s agenda of cuts and privatisation.

“It is scandalous that while local maternity and dental services are being axed, our local NHS is holding back millions of pounds to pay for a reckless reorganisation.

“Even before these plans have been finally agreed by Parliament, David Cameron’s reorganisation is hitting the NHS hard with costs already topping £3.4bn across the country. Spending this amount on a  reorganisation is totally unjustifiable when local services such as Corbar are being closed, despite massive local opposition.

“Just 18months ago Cameron ruled out a top-down NHS reorganisation, yet within weeks of entering Number 10, he tore up his own words and ordered the biggest and most dangerous upheaval of the NHS since it began – aided and abetted by his  coalition partner, the LibDems.”

The guidelines are buried in the Government’s new NHS ‘Operating Framework’ document which puts the the nationwide cost of the NHS reorganisation above previous estimates of £2-3bn, with Primary Care Trusts now holding back £3.44bn over two years.

Caitlin added: “The people of High Peak did not vote for these changes and our doctors, nurses and patients have already expressed huge concerns at the plans. Yet Cameron insists on carrying on with his Health Bill, ignoring public and professional opinion.  But the time has come for him to listen, put the NHS first and drop his dangerous Bill.”

Buxton NHS Leaflet
BuxtonNHSLeafletJan2012.pdf
Version: Jan 2012

Buxton Branch NHS Leaflet used for a street stall on the 14th January

Author:	Jane M
Date:	January 16, 2012

1.4 MiB
6 Downloads
Details...

If you didn’t see us on Saturday but would like to find out more about our campaign or get a copy of leaflet, you can visit www.buxton.labourhighpeak.info. Labour is running a major national drive to unite the country in a call on the Government to drop its unwanted Health Bill and people are being urged to add their name to the Government online petition by Dr Kailash Chand at epetitions.direct.gov.uk.

Glossopdale’s runs from 10.00am until 12.00noon at the entrance to the Glossop Market Arcade, while Buxton’s runs from 10.30am at Buxton’s Spring Garden’s

This coming Saturday (26th November) sees the latest Glossopdale’s Labour Councillors Shopper’s Surgery.

The councillors will once again be available to answer any questions, comments and concerns that locals have whilst there are out and about in the centre of Glossop. As with the previous ‘shoppers surgery’ the venue is the Glossop Market Arcade and it will feature Councillors Colin Waude and Godfrey Claff who represent Howard Town, Graham Oakley from Whitfield, Garry Parvin from Old Glossop, Bob Mckeown from Hadfield South and Anthony Mckeown from Gamesley.

The surgery will run from 10.00am till 11.30am

Cllr Anthony Mckeown said “our first two shoppers surgeries have proved to be busy for the councillors in attendance with a whole range of issues from bins to parks and lots of things in between been raised”

As a new addition this month ‘technology permitting’ the councillors are hopping to be able to offer residents who can’t attend, the opportunity to raise issues during the surgery by posting them on the Glossopdale Labour Facebook Page at www.facebook.com/glossopdalelabour and if the tech doesn’t work as expected the councillors will respond afterwards.

Cllr Mckeown added ”Whilst the surgeries have been busy, if you can’t get there on Saturday morning, but have an issue to raise – get in touch councillors aren’t just available at surgeries”

You can see contact details for Labour Councillors on our website at www.glossopdale.labourhighpeak.info or alternatively (for all borough councillors) on the borough council’s website at www.highpeak.gov.uk ]]> http://www.labourhighpeak.info/2011/11/22/glossopdale-november-shoppers-surgery/feed/ 0 http://www.labourhighpeak.info/2011/11/22/glossopdale-november-shoppers-surgery/ http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/LabourHighPeak/~3/ap_5RwlfG9k/ http://www.labourhighpeak.info/2011/10/28/saturday-surgery/#comments Fri, 28 Oct 2011 13:30:00 +0000 AnthonyMck http://www.labourhighpeak.info/?p=56 Glossopdale’s Labour Councillors are once again giving local residents a
chance to question their councillors whilst out shopping this coming Saturday (29th October)

The chance comes from their monthly combined councillor’s
surgery at the front of Glossop’s Market Arcade across from Norfolk Sqaure.

The surgery which is running this Saturday (29th October) from 10.00am until 11.30am features Councillors Colin Waude and Godfrey Claff who represent Howard Town, Graham Oakley from Whitfield, Garry Parvin from Old Glossop, Bob Mckeown from Hadfield South and Anthony Mckeown from Gamesley.

If you can’t get there on Saturday morning, but have an issue to raise – get in touch councillors aren’t just available at surgeries and you can see contact details for Labour Councillors on our website at www.glossopdale.labourhighpeak.info or alternatively on the borough council website at www.highpeak.gov.uk

Given the problems that were experienced last year, you would have expected proposals to improve the service rather than cut it.

By clicking play below, you can hear Cllr Anne Western the leader of the Labour Group on the county council discussing the issue on the Radio Sheffield Breakfast Show. The full clip is just over 10 minutes long but well worth listening too.

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