| Topic: | Re:Re:Proposed closure of Wandsworth Museum | |
| Posted by: | Tony Belton | |
| Date/Time: | 24/02/07 12:07:00 |
| Can I join in the Council Tax (CTX) discussion? Martin, with WBC Tax going up 4.9% and Ken's going up 5.3% that does NOT mean it is going up in total by more than 10%. What it does mean is that the average of the two results in a 5.1% increase! Secondly the Corporate Resources Committee where CTX will be discussed is on the 7th March AND the Executive and Council when it will be formally agreed is on the 8th March. I would also add that on my reading of the papers (and briefing from the Director of Finance) one could argue that the reserves have had £6.9 million added into them - I am not quite sure where the £1.5 mill from a recent contributor originates but would be interested to hear. To be fair, however, one could also say there is good reason for that as what in a sense the Council is doing is putting aside money for as yet unagreed but probably uncontentious items like "Building Schools for the Future", necessary maintenance, etc. However, the figures also show two other things. First that CTX will rise by 4.9%, give or take a smidgeon, in each of the next two years and that there will be a CTX freeze in Election year 2010. Second that there is not a shadow of a doubt that on these figures the Council could keep the Museum open. Tony Belton, Labour Leader PS There is a fascinating and very technical discussion in para 18 of the CTX paper (07-288) which in essence says "On the basis of the Revenue Support Grant formula Wandsworth gets £34 million (sic) more grant than it is theoretically entitled to (an equivalent to a 75% rise in CTX) but we, the Government, recognise that we can't expect any authority to take a hit like that so we are going to reduce other authorities grant by 31% to pay for a "floor" level for Wandsworth and many other authorities in the south east". So much for the Tory argument about Labour favouring its "Friends in the North". Do they really want all 60 million of us to live down here, because if we do not do something about redressing the national imbalance that is exactly what we will get! |