Although there has been absolute silence from their Westminster City Council-based communications operation, last Thursday the IW Council found out that it will get a 6.3% increase next year in its Revenue Support Grant. That's 2% above the norm for local authorities like us, and 3% above inflation.
It was the same last year, when they received similar generosity - a 6.1% increase.
This means that the IW Council Tory Group can once again restrict Council Tax increases next year to inflation if they want, and still have some growth in service delivery.
10 comments:
Having just read the Council's statement saying what a bad settlement is coming to the Island in the next 3 years, are we to expect a bumper council tax increase either before or after the next election? The word on the street is that balances are very low.
Don't forget that £5 million has been squandered on the Undercliff fiasco. That has to be made up somehow.
I tried to post this as a question on iwight.com forum, strangely it hasn't yet appeared although my other posts instantly did.
I do love free speech and democracy. It seems the IWC doesn't!
Having seen the whining press release from the Council, it seems like we are back to the old days of the whinging Lib Dems and Island First budget comments!
Well well, since I wrote on here it has appeared! Maybe they're reading this too Geoff?
My responses to the last 5 comments:
1. Neither. Reserves are still very good (£16M), though the Tories have raided them over the last 2 years lack the barbarians sacking Rome.
2. That came from Reserves.
3. Of course they don't ! They're Tories.
4. Yes, I too had a feeling of deja vu when I read it. At least Sutton never went down that road.....
5. Of course they are. This blog has consistently forced them to address issues they would rather not.
Balances - You seem to be very relaxed about the balances. Perhaps you are correct but that is not my information.
Hardly relaxed - not when they have reduced them by £8m - £4m on the Undercliff fallout - in the past year. Just amazed the IW Council has that much in Reserve in the first place. I remember the 1990s under Red Barton when they barely had £1.5-£2m at any time. Clearly Island First and the Liberals were building up some sort of war chest.....
I will post the 2007-08 Reserves figures on my blog shortly, and will get the 2005-06 and 2006-07 figures as soon as I can.
Re the Undercliff enquiry money paid out to solicitors. Did the firms involved have to tender for it or were all these £ millions just paid out as they went along? If no tender how were the solicitors chosen to get the millions and how was the spending controlled? Surely they didn't just give them a blank cheque?
I believe the solcitor bills for the Undercliff are just under £1m - the rest is other staff costs and ancillary matters. There was never any tender for the solicitors as they were appointed on the basis that they would cost less than the limit at which you have to procure competitively. The legal limit was then incrementally increased by the Investigation Committee on the basis that it was too late to open it up. Its a pity that the members of that committee have been very much less than accountable to the Island public on this subject. I am only telling you what I know, but on all things this Council only lets me know what they can't avoid or that I learn elsewhere.
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