Tough fight ahead to preserve council services

Published 3 Mar 2010 16:00 Comments 1 Comment

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Over recent weeks councils throughout Scotland have been setting their budgets.

The principle of setting a budget should be based on preservation and development of front line services.

Unfortunately it was based on Government grants, which have been reduced in value.

The discussion therefore was based on priorities and resulted in reduction of certain services a "robbing Peter to pay Paul" situation.

No matter the political colour of the council, cuts are being implemented in every council in Britain.

I know people constantly complain about the council tax that they pay.

The truth of the matter is that the council tax only makes up 20 per cent of the council expenditure and the Government provides the other 80% from general taxation.

Therefore the Government have the power to decide the type of services the council provide.

Because of the credit crunch, created by the banksters, Government finance has been reduced. What an unbelievable situation. The Government gives our money to the banks, who return our generosity by paying themselves bonuses although they still haven't repaid the people the loans that are outstanding.

At the same time as paying billions to the private banks, we cut public expenditure to our councils, who provide front line services to our people.

Education, social work, police, fire, recreation, environmental and many others. Why not divert these banksters bonuses into the public sector?

After all its our money.

In Fife some services will be reduced but this is only the thin edge of the wedge.

The country is facing massive challenges and political parties are attempting to conceal the terrible financial deficit that we have, in other words honesty is not the best policy.

This will only come to light after the General Election and in my opinion the British people will be angered by the proposed solutions because it appears that there will be more cuts in public services and compulsory redundancies which will affect us all. At the same time banksters will continue their high life styles at our expense.

Our only hope is for a broad based progressive movement of politicians, trade union and community based organisations, to mount a campaign to protect services and jobs.

That programme would be worth fighting for. There wouldn't be any guarantee of victory but I'll give you a cast iron guarantee. Don't fight and you'll lose.

COUNCILLOR WILLIE CLARKE,

Navitie Park,

Ballingry.

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Dave Millar
Unregistered User
Apr 8, 15:54
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Council Services in Fife are non existant. I have been on council housing list for two years because

i am in private rented i was claiming a rebate which became less and less each month despite my wages being the same this put me into arrears with my landlord and as of Mon 12th apr i will be homless.with nowhere to go myself and my wife will be on the streets, I have no family in the area and because my savings are now gone i cannot afford a deposit for a private rent.the council have still to explain how my rent rebate has went down by more than 75% in a year.When told we have been served with a notice to quit a month ago they

said they would look into it despite 3 visits a week they still cannot find us a place to go and will not donate towards a private rent although i

would be entitled to a rent rebate paid in arrears

The only advice from Fife Council is we will contact you tomorrow,But the old saying is tomorrow never comes , Neither does help or advice from fife council.

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