Council costs

The city council could close more than 20 of its office buildings in a long-term plan to save £40 million. The shake-up could mean a new lease of life for a former bonded warehouse next to the River Avon, which could revitalise a neglected corner of Bristol near the Cumberland Basin. (see here). Councillors should be asking a large number of questions about the rather bold statement of claimed benefits of this proposal and they should especially scrutinise these kind of figures/estimates:

 "The cost of the offices shake-up would be an estimated £70 million, with money borrowed at preferential rates over many years. But the council's treasury officials believe that within 15 years they will have recouped all the costs. And within 25 years the scheme would deliver an overall saving of nearly £40 million."

Could you not radically change the way the council works and use far fewer buildings in many different ways? Have other options been fully explored? Is this the best option? My concern is the £70 million cost and whether this would stay at £70 million and whether it would be paid back as officials estimate.

Surely not a decision for the council but for the Mayor elected in November in any case.

Budget below the belt

Wouldn't it have been fairer, more just and better economics to keep the 50% tax rate and bring in additional measures to make sure that people could not avoid paying it so easily, if that's what is happening on a large scale? I thought we had debts to pay off and that the Govt needed the money for this.

There will be many well-off high rate tax payers who have circumstances such that they wont be liable to pay the additional wealth taxes in the budget, who will thus get a large net tax cut. Its a budget that George Osbourne's mates will like and benefit from I'm sure.

More on the budget here and here.

Fair pensions

..."I believe that fair pensions are worth fighting for, so I will be joining the picket lines in solidarity with my constituents who have been abandoned by the other main Westminster parties.

"This isn't something I do lightly. I regret the disruption caused by industrial action and think it must only be used in special circumstances - and would urge trade unions to work hard to ensure support from the wider public...

Caroline Lucas "Fair pensions are worth fighting for"

Countering the cuts myths - Red Pepper

Excellent piece in Red Pepper: Countering the cuts myths

The government and the press say we are in the grip of a debt crisis caused by the ‘bloated’ public sector. Here, Red Pepper debunks the myths used to push cuts to jobs and public services...

Thanks to Charlie Bolton for pointing me in the direction of this article - its a good read with important information.

Free independent legal advice on: housing; employment; benefits; debt; discrimination; education...

Passing on this recently received Advice Network press release: Need free, independent, high-quality legal advice? A new local website shows you how to get the help you need.

Advice agencies across Bristol, South Gloucestershire and North Somerset have collaborated on a new website, which is launched today, to help the public find the right help at the right time.

The new site – advicewest.org.uk – has been created using funding from the Big Lottery Fund by Advice Centres for Avon, a network of organisations who offer free, confidential, independent and impartial advice to anyone who needs it on a wide range of topics such as housing, debt, benefits, consumer issues, education and employment.

In the current difficult economic climate, with many people losing their homes, struggling with debts and entering the benefit system for the first time, accurate and timely legal advice can be the difference between someone’s life falling apart and them being able to manage their problems. The new website aims to help people find the right agency for their problem by letting them search through all of the local organisations for the one that covers the right area of law and is most convenient for them to visit or contact. All of the agencies in the directory offer free, confidential advice in accessible locations across the region, meaning that the public should never have to go too far to get the help they need.

‘Modern life is complex,’ said Jane Emanuel, a project worker at the Advice Network, ‘and it is important that people know where to look for help. The website helps people get to the right place without delay because getting the right advice quickly can make all the difference.’

For people who just need information and self-help materials there are plenty of resources on the site for people to make a vital start in bringing their situation under control. Our advice to the people of Bristol and surrounding areas is this: don’t ignore your problems, get help to deal with them now. Advicewest.org.uk can be your first step.’

ENDS

Notes for editors:
1 – Advice Centres for Avon has been in existence as an informal network since the mid-1980’s.
2 – Member agencies raise more than £8,000,000 per year in additional income for clients across the region, money that is spent locally supporting local economies.
3 – The Advice Network project is a three-year project to promote, defend and improve advice services across the region, running from 2009 - 2012.
--
Ben Sansum
Project Worker
Advice Network
84-88 Colston Street
Bristol BS1 5BB
0117 929 2153

Contact: Ben Sansum or Jane Emanuel
ben@advicenetwork.org.uk
jane@advicenetwork.org.uk