The secrets of the email....

[Serial_Apologist]

It's very good news for the selfish and uncaring.

Yes you're right of course

[french frank]

Yes you're right of course

When you say 'our good news' - whose 'good news'? Our/My council tax is up about 2% on last year.

[jean]

That's probably very good news for those who depend on council services which would otherwise have to be cut.

http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/jan/30/local-government-cuts-poorest-areas

How else to plug the gap except by increasing council tax?

Set an illegal budget, perhaps...

[french frank]

That's probably very good news for those who depend on council services which would otherwise have to be cut.

I noted the irony in S-A's reply, hence I used the quotes: but I was querying who he was referring to when he wrote: "sharing our good news of a further non-increase in Council Tax. Third year running here, I think!"

[Old Grumpy]

Increased here in Northumberland - Labour dominated council - so not keen on taking the government's council tax freeze bribe.

OG

[Serial_Apologist]

I noted the irony in S-A's reply, hence I used the quotes: but I was querying who he was referring to when he wrote: "sharing our good news of a further non-increase in Council Tax. Third year running here, I think!"

To be honest I just felt relief that one of my costs was not to go up, being retired on a diminishing budget; lots of people are far worse off than me.

[Wallace]

Good point about the letter having an effect while the email doesn't. And the brick is is a spiffing wheeze.

Having problems with service from an organisation, I once wrote to the Managing Director's wife asking her to bend the ear of her husband regarding my problem. I did not know if he had a wife but I found out where he lived and addressed my letter to Mrs MD marking it private and confidential. The service problems were resolved rapidly but I never found out if my letter to Mrs MD made the difference.

[mangerton]

Council tax in Scotland has not increased since 2007.

[french frank]

To be honest I just felt relief that one of my costs was not to go up, being retired on a diminishing budget; lots of people are far worse off than me.

It works both ways, doesn't it? There's no direct correlation between an increase in council tax and improved (or maintained) services. It seems we are to get an 'arena' which will hold 12,000 people. It will revolutionise/galvanise the Bristol economy. Whatever it hosts, I could never imagine wanting to attend anything that attracted 12,000 people. I'm sure someone will explain how this will not cost a penny to the council tax payer. And even if it does, it's an 'investment' that will bring returns so we shall (all) be better off in the long run.

I would prefer to see the long-promised revamp of the Colston Hall.

[Serial_Apologist]

It works both ways, doesn't it? There's no direct correlation between an increase in council tax and improved (or maintained) services. It seems we are to get an 'arena' which will hold 12,000 people. It will revolutionise/galvanise the Bristol economy. Whatever it hosts, I could never imagine wanting to attend anything that attracted 12,000 people. I'm sure someone will explain how this will not cost a penny to the council tax payer. And even if it does, it's an 'investment' that will bring returns so we shall (all) be better off in the long run.

I would prefer to see the long-promised revamp of the Colston Hall.

You obviously don't appreciate, ff - it's all about THE EXPERIENCE, see?

[jean]

...There's no direct correlation between an increase in council tax and improved (or maintained) services...

No. But if you have had a reduction in your central government grant reduced to a point where you cannot finance even the services you are required to provide, there's no other (legal) way of meeting the shortfall except by an increase in council tax:

Liverpool city council, with the highest deprivation score of 43.45, is suffering cuts of 27.1%. Hart district council, with the lowest deprivation score of 4.47, is facing cuts of 1.5%.

Of the 14 councils in England which are receiving an increase in funding, 13 have Tory MPs. These include parliamentary constituencies in Surrey represented by four cabinet ministers – Michael Gove, Chris Grayling, Philip Hammond and Jeremy Hunt.

It seems we are to get an 'arena' which will hold 12,000 people. It will revolutionise/galvanise the Bristol economy. Whatever it hosts, I could never imagine wanting to attend anything that attracted 12,000 people. I'm sure someone will explain how this will not cost a penny to the council tax payer. And even if it does, it's an 'investment' that will bring returns so we shall (all) be better off in the long run.

I wouldn't be interested in such a venue, either - I wouldn't even be interested in the furthest seats a concert hall as large as the Bridgewater or Symphony Hall.

But people do want to to attend these places. We have an 11,000 seat Arena (built before the present round of cuts, funded I don't know how) and it is very popular with people who like that sort of thing. It would blinkered and even elitist to claim that this was of no advantage to the city. At the very least, it stops people having to go to Manchester.

[french frank]

I agree with all that - the relative reductions in grant have been atrocious

It would blinkered and even elitist to claim that this was of no advantage to the city. At the very least, it stops people having to go to Manchester.

I wasn't saying that: I was responding to:

That's probably very good news for those who depend on council services which would otherwise have to be cut.

with a different point, namely, that a raise in council tax didn't guarantee better services, or fewer cuts, since the increase in revenue could be spent on other things.