'Pretty' roundabouts and councillors' expenses top list of cash-saving ideas
COUNCILLORS' expenses, postal charges and well-maintained roundabouts are wasting taxpayers' cash in Lincolnshire, it has been claimed.
County residents responding to the ConLib coalition Government's challenge to slash public spending also believe there are too many managers at academy schools and council translation services could be cut.
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The floral displays on St Catherine's roundabout in Lincoln.
The ideas from Lincolnshire have been suggested to the Treasury, following the launch of its Spending Challenge last week.
The coalition Government says the best ideas will be included in its Spending Review, which is set to change public sector funding when it is unveiled on October 20.
A Lincolnshire court service worker, writing on the Spending Challenge website under the username RMcGrory, said: "I receive many letters from the Department For Work And Pensions confirming orders we have sent them to recover fines payments from benefits.
"These letters are all sent in individual envelopes and on average I receive about 300 a month – and we are a small county. This is being replicated across the country and we do not need the letters."
Mal197 added: "Reduce councillors' expenses and abolish councillors' basic allowance. Some councillors receive so much in the way of pay and allowances they do not need a genuine job.
"Being a local representative should revert to being an activity carried out as a service to the community and not an alternative to working.
"In Lincolnshire, the basic allowance is £7,914 plus travelling and subsistence expenses, how can this be justified in today's financial climate?"
Lincoln MP Karl McCartney said he supported the idea of asking people for ways on how to save cash.
Matthew Sinclair, of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "As we said before about a similar site asking for ideas on laws to scrap, it is easy to get cynical about this sort of thing. But it is important we take the opportunity to have our say when politicians create a space to do so."
10 Comments
by Nick, Lincoln
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 7:42PM
“Allow the cost of the plants etc to be met by companies I.e. advertising.”
by frank, LINCOLN
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 6:18PM
“I would suggest scrapping CPSO's and also road safety partnership which is only a job for the boys saving on tsp adverts on radio and posters”
by Emma, Lincoln
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 12:07PM
“So in other words, the things that people want to be cut are the things that they don't personally like and won't have an adverse affect on them if they go. Such wonderful altruism nearly moves me to tears.”
by Phil, Lincoln
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 12:02PM
“Why is everyone picking on the roundabouts? A lot of them are sponsored by local companies. I don't know how it works but I've noticed the Yarborough Cresent/Newport one seems to be tidied up and watered every week. As I've not noticed others being worked on as much my guess is that maybe the sponsors of this particular roundabout pay for more work to be done than some others.
Either way, its always nice to see the roundabouts looking full of colour. Without them and the pots etc along Broadgate and Wigford Way dual carriage way central reservations the whole city would look less bright. And I'm sure the sight of these flowers encourages people to have their own plants at home thereby brightening up larger areas. If the roundabouts were left to go to weed patches and long grass or concreted over it would have people thinking that if the council cant be bothered why should they.”
by H. Wittingstall, Lincoln
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 10:08AM
“Why not use the roundabouts as veg plots? The council could then sell the veg and make a tidy profit.”
by Caring Conservative, On holiday in Lincoln
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 9:11AM
“maybe one way to save money could be that the councillors actually grow the plants from seed at home and then plant them themselves thus taking away all the gardeners you see leaning on their forks i havent bothered with my spelling /punctuation /grammar as my pa emma be along shortly to put it all into conttext”
by Stephen, Lincoln
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 9:00AM
“Twinning should be the first to go. So should limos and company cars. Give these people a mileage allowence instead. There should be an in depth investigation into all expenses, especially within senior staff. Stop putting executives up at luxury hotels when a Premier Inn or Travelodge is good enough for the rest of us. However, do NOT do away with these roundabouts. They enhance Lincoln greatly. Look for sponsors. I am sure a half decent accountant will tell you that sponsoring a roundabout can be used as a tax dodge of some sort. In general there are far too many executive this, managers for that. Stop hitting the coal face worker and start trimming the fat from the executives and managers, many of them who delegate the work and do nothing, with the exception of a little here and there to justify their existance....”
by Spoon, Lincoln
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 8:51AM
“Where are these council limos? Or do you just mean a "car". There is already going to be a pay freeze for those on 21k and over in the public sector. Twinning should NOT be scrapped but refocused to achieve what it was first set up to do. It should be about creating links between countries to build economic benefits. Agreed, most towns are twinned with German or French places which in my opinion is a wasted opportunity. Twin with places in China or India who can bring real economic benefits to the County.
There are too many consultants but to sack them all would just mean a larger civil service and a greater pension liability for the public to stand.”
by Gedge, Bassingham
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 8:41AM
“When saying no one in public service should get more than the PM (which is a huge debate in itself), they only quote his salary without including the free housing (central London not cheap), servants, drivers etc.
Also Consultants maybe over used, but are now needed as so many services have been privatised that the expertise is not employed day to day in councils”
by Colin Mair, Coningsby
Wednesday, July 14 2010, 7:19AM
“More ideas are needed to achieve 25% minimum savings without people losing their jobs. Scrap council limos. Stop town twinning. Nobody in public service should be paid more than the Prime Minister. Too many councillors. Freeze pay rises for people in public service on more than £25k a year. Freeze recruitment for any post not an identified essential front line service. Sack all consultants to councils, civil service and NHS.
But where are the ideas to promote growth of business?”