Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!

The long slow death of local government

With all that's been going on politically, it's easy to miss this but, in truth, we've barely begun to see the effects of 'austerity' on public life...

A quote from an essential read: The 'atomised' council

See also John Harris' piece A silent crisis

Tags for Forum Posts: council spending

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Permalink Reply by Hugh on December 4, 2015 at 0:39

Scary stuff, including the real prospect of parks being privatised! It's interesting to set that sort of threat against the comparably mild commercialisation of Finsbury Park.

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Permalink Reply by Michael Anderson on December 4, 2015 at 1:39

Central Government grant to local government, which is substantial, will more or less end by 2020 and is being reduced incrementally between now and then. It only leaves two options. Spend less which will impact in the ways outlined in Liz's post and get in more money. The options for raising more money aren't selling off the family silver as once that's spent, it's gone. The only sustainable way of having a bigger budget will be to increase the number of council tax payers (so more residential development) and increase commercial development to get in more business rates as council will be allowed to hold on to more of that income.

I really do think all we will be left with is spending on things that are statutory, and even these service will be bare bone. So unless commercial sponsorship can be drummed up we can say goodbye to the kind of library and parks service we have.

It is utterly depressing.

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Permalink Reply by Sarah on December 4, 2015 at 6:23

At least you're retired now (right?), might be time for me to find a new job before I'm TUPEd out.

Council tax will rise for sure. And central govt will blame it on our financial management by local govt.