“"Which Administration overspent by such large amounts and how do you expect the next administration to get us out of it, without cuts?"

Ian, I expect a Council to make tough decisions where necesary, without making headline grabbing pledges that will be expensive and benefit no one except possibly the rich.

Answer me this question:

If County Hall is so in the red, how can it afford:
£9 million on a headline-grabbing tax freeze that is not worth the paper it is written on, since to fund it Kay Cutts is raiding Borough Council budgets , meaning they will have to up their shairs anyway,
£7.5 million on the bus plug,
£5 million to remove itself from the tram,
and £1 million on office revamps ETC?

That, my friends, is where £22 million of your money is going, that is why the required saving has trebled between administrations and why the council needs to cut the services which it has identified as priorities on its website, and which have been recognised by government inspectors.

These policies could only have been thought up in a West Bridgeford bunker.”

“"Which Administration overspent by such large amounts and how do you expect the next administration to get us out of it, without cuts?

Ian, Nottingham"

Ian, I challlenge you to find one Council in the country that hasn't had to make efficiencies and savings in the last 18 months. It is not down to mismanagement, it is down to the real world that we now inhabit, i.e.:

*reduced planning fee income
*reduced building control income
*reduced land charges income
*reduced investment income due to prolonged low interest rates
*reduced concessionary travel grant
*increased cost pressures
*reduced government grants

just to name a few.

There is no argument that efficiencies and cost savings need to be made in the short term, the point is that Ms. Cutts is using it as an opportunity to go way beyond what is needed simply to fulfil her political ideology.”

“Ian, I think the most relevant question is this:

The previous administration managed to incorporate £60m of cost reductions in their previous budget without swingeing cutbacks to services for the elderly and disabled. Why is it then, that the present administration has magicked up £20m odd extra that needs to go?

Is it because of the costs of pulling out of the tram and the bus plugs and all the other costs which they've managed to accrue?

And why is it that they include the £6m cost of redundancies in this £20m, when those costs should remain off that particular balance sheet?

You can't include the costs of the cuts (x) in the cuts that you want to make (y), upon which you base those cuts (x) , it's absolutely ludicrous!!”

“J of Leics, you may consider my response to fit your criteria, but it is in pre-mod. Not sure why as every post I've ever made has been fine, perhaps the NEP are politically alligned to Labour.

If this get's through, I shall just ask obne question of you...

Which Administration overspent by such large amounts and how do you expect the next administration to get us out of it, without cuts?”

“Are all the right wing loonies on their annual sunshine club christmas shopping trip today? That surely can be the only reason only one of them has commented on this story?

Oh no, silly me, this story doesn't fit with their world view so they choose to ignore it, but then we've always known that they are selective with the truth...........”

“"Mr sensible spreading his lies again i notice (what wage cuts)"

Dave read the budget.

Changes to staff terms and conditions,
Jobs lost,
Allowances cut,
ETC.

Not to mention cuts to the services that are being recognised; that is how Kay Cutts thanks the hard-working staff is it?

And I notice that so far this morning Dave is the only person to disagree with me.”

“Well done to previous administration at NCC; you should be very VERY proud, as should those staff who remain.

Remember, when the next assessment is appauling IT IS NOT YOUR FAULT.”

“Dave do some research the accessment did begin prior to the election so even you with your predictable pro conservative comments should give the previous adminstration some credit. You may not have agreed with the level of Council Tax the previous labour group were setting but what with this score and the 4 Start Rating overall as an Authority they must have been doing something right.”

“Contrary to Tory propaganda it would appear the last labour group weren't all that bad what with this rating and their 4 star overall rating from the Audit Commission. Makes a mockery of Kay Cutts comments that the Council was in a mess and they are cleaning it up.

Can't wait to see the scores after a couple of years of Tory rule ?”

“Well done NCC.

Intersting to see the moaning lefties saying this must have been assessed pre election when any negative news (i.e. the kitchens rating) was all the tories fault.

Mr sensible spreading his lies again i notice (what wage cuts)”