Quoted from richard.garvie

User23, what is wrong with sticking to promises? I know that some of what we propose might not be popular with everyone, but we need leadership that is prepared to take the tough choices to protect the key services.

Nothing wrong at all Richard, so long as Labour stick to the promises they've made in their alternative spending cut plan.

Quoted from Greenham Common

how does Richard Garvie differ from an elected councillor?

His I.Q is probably higher than his shoe size.

Remember, there are various checks you have to go through before you can become a councillor. Here in West Berks we apparently favour the 'Torch Test'.

That's the one where a torch is placed into the mouth of the prospect and turned on.

and if the whole head lights up..........


Threep.

Does that mean I can't stand?

Quoted from user23.3

Nothing wrong at all Richard, so long as Labour stick to the promises they've made in their alternative spending cut plan.

Richard you could get rid of User23 as a first step toward achieving your goal.  Followed by any others who agree with his line "we don't need to make any savings - just put taxes up!!".

I can understand why people want to believe there is no need for savings. I wish there was a way to avoid them. But there is not, and people need to be honest about it.

Unless User23 can persuade everyone to accept a hike of around £400 a year in council tax, people need to get the calculators out and try to identify where savings could be made. We've seen where the tories and officers will cut: key services on which the vulnerable rely. There is another way, and we will provide the electorate with that option.

I don't understand why the other parties are not publishing a viable option either. We have been on the streets with our own unique consultation which cost me about £5: Show West Berks the red card. When speaking to people, they are engaging in what we are trying to do and buy into the fact that we need to be a little radical about what the council provides in future. The budget simulator cost how much? And how many have replied? We are well on course to have 1,300 responses with our less scientific approach, and it's probably more effective. Why? Because we listen to what people actually tell us.

User23: £33m of savings are needed over four years. Where would you make savings?

One of the Sunday papers reported that West Berks Council has just cut meals on wheels as part of spending budget.  I cannot find anything locally that refers to this, only the five day care centres that are closing. Anybody else know anything about this further cut, or did I miss it?  Is this a mistake by the papers or did WBC announce it on a 'good day to bury bad news' day?

Council know nothing about it at this stage, I think it may be a case of The People recycling a news story from 2007!!! Hopefully that is the real story here, as the council know nothing about this and there was no mention of meals on wheels in the story the other week. What the council did say is that only people classed as "critical" recieve the meals free of charge and that has been the case for some yime, so it looks like lazy journalism at best. The council did say they would look into it and come back to me tomorrow.

Just as I posted that, I got sent this link from a colleague: http://www.labourlist.org/john-healey-a-poor-value-meal-deal

Maybe there is something in this? The original story is at:

http://www.people.co.uk/news/uk-world-news/2010/11/21/meals-on-wheels-cut-102039-22727808/

I think that the meals on wheels system within West Berks was put out to private contractor ages ago. Meals are delivered daily by Appetito and they are punctual, even during the snowy weather, and the quality is good. My mother in law pays £28.00 per week for a full dinner and a pudding each day.
I have no idea if there are any subsidies for certain cases, but I think it is good value.

http://www.apetito.co.uk/apetito/Local-Authorities/

Seems to me that the People article is accurate enough - lots of councils will be looking to save some cash by following WBC's example and reducing the subsidy on meals-on-wheels.  Sadly WBC have already done so long before the current cuts and hence don't have the same ability to make savings.