What's clear is, people are willing to pay for better public services but if they think they're being palmed off with dross, as an electorate they'll reap their revenge.
In Northampton do people think their getting better public services for their council tax? ...after speaking to people today ... I think not.
Despite Lib Dem protestations that services have improved, the
people really just can't see it. One of the key issues is the scrapping of award winning public toilets. Many up and down the country see this as a key indicator of public pride and active citizenship.
I guess for me the key question is what town do we want to be and who in the town need to be supported as the recession bites?
With a Council tax increase higher than the national average increase, the question has to be asked "Are we doing our best to help the right people through the credit crunch".
2 comments:
I agree. Most people I speak to accept the inevitability of taxes but are often frustrated because they see rises without any improvement in services. In Castle Point there is a poor Copnservative administration which used a rise in Council Tax to pay themselves bigger allowances - hardly to the benefit of hard-pressed families.
Warelane,
Good to hear from you. In Northampton, the Liberal democrat administration have just voted themselves big increases (some councillors have had over a 60% increase and some poor performing councillors now earn over £1000 per meeting. sign the petition on www.labour2win.org
Even if I don't point it out, people have really noticed and identify the connection. Needs to happen a lot more though.
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