A 5% council tax rise is a step closer for Isle of Wight residents, bringing about even further cuts, increased parking charges and voluntary redundancies.
The ‘survival’ budget of the Isle of Wight Council was approved by its cabinet members on Thursday – following what they had called significant financial challenges, caused by the war in Ukraine, and rocketing inflation rates.
Council leader, Councillor Lora Peacey-Wilcox, said when the administration started preparing its proposed budget it seemed impossible, but she said they took on the mandate to help residents and would not give up without a fight.
Councillor Ian Stephens, deputy leader, said it was the best the council could do in the circumstances and pointed out the Isle of Wight had not gone down the route of other mainland authorities, like Croydon, which is proposing to put up its council tax by 15%.
Councillor Phil Jordan said the £93million austerity cuts had been forced on the authority and argued the difficult decisions it was having to make were directly linked to a lack of government funding.
Councillor Andrew Garratt called for careful scrutiny of potential cash for replacement laptops – for which £1,595,000 has been ring-fenced (subject to go-ahead).
Councillor Geoff Brodie called for clarity over proposed staff redundancies and asked how many officers could lose their jobs. No number could be given, said Councillor Stephens, who added it was about ‘right-sizing the organisation,’ assisted by ‘transformational change’.
Councillor Chris Jarman said the ‘organisational redesign’ had been valued at the equivalent of £1.2million and will be completed by October. In the council’s 2022 pay policy, the mean salary of a council officer is £27,559 – so the equivalent of 43.5 jobs at that salary level.
A final decision about the budget — where opposition groups can propose alternative schemes and amendments — will be made on 22nd February.
Well let me tell you one thing Isle of Wight Council. The figure at the bottom of my council bill represents the ABSOLUTE MAXIMUM that you will receive from me in the next year. No car parking, no anything that you charge for. OK? Good.
Have the IW Council awarded themselves a pay increase? All seems quiet on that front, so obviously they have.
And who said you could raise that point? It’s a secret, just like the non-floating disaster refund. You will probably get a knock on the door, if it hasn’t already happened.
I escaped in my balloon but got shot down in Canada, they said it was the USA that fired, but we know different!
When last reported in this reliable medium, the amount allocated for new laptops was £1,595; I know we have rampant inflation, but…
As for “right-sizing”, let’s hope it starts at the top.
Most likely ha this will have been set in stone months ago. Why lie?????
And if the government said they could take up to 10% they most certainly would without thinking about it
The ‘survival’ budget of the Isle of Wight Council was approved by its cabinet members on Thursday More like rip islanders off even more budget, when there is no scrutiny of the money they waste.. FB6, money down the drain St Mary’s roundabout and Freshwater new school that now has to be paid for.. by you .. and social care being cut to fund the upgrade of the useless and empty IWC HQ .
We must remember these things when voting .. forget the promises of more government funding .. it is not going to happen .
Given the tens of millions of pounds of cuts they have announced every year for the past 20 years, surely they must be at a net zero budget by now ? If I cut my shopping bill by the same percentage the council claims it delivers in cuts every year, we’d be living like kings on 3 pence per week
Not wasting another penny on the floating bridge would help a lot, let the launch people provide service and what they earn they keep but no council funding to be given, cancel the cycle race and use the money that would have been wasted to help even more.
Seems a step closer what a joke it is a downright certainty – as someone else said if 5% wasnt the max. rise they would elevate it much higher. Sorry apologies its only going up 4.99% isnt it that shows they do listen to the people and understand their srtuggles. what a complete JOKE
£1,595-000 ….ring fenced for new laptop’s?????
Ring fenced already !!!!
I have a pair of bolt croppers , let me unfence it for the people who are being ripped of and milked dry by all you pirates ( polite version)…
That plus the new lift new windows, electric car’s and charging points….
The new computer system you already have air con plus more air con !!!!! Etc etc etc etc….
Ooh new loos ,,, I have a suggestion B and Q sell buckets 99p each ….
So add up all of our Council tax and how much do you plan to spend on service’s and for the good of the public ??????????
You can buy a reasonable spec laptop for £250 (retail with no bulk purchase discount) that would equate to 6,380 laptops, even if you fell for Dell’s corporate blurb and spent 500 quid on each one you’d still end up with 3190 new computers, why do they need to provide for that level of replacement???
I couldnt buy any food last week or a new pair of shoes so I decided the best way of saving money so that I could eat was to replace all of the windows in my house with double glazed ones. I also bought a new car all on credit of course. I have set up a go fund me page if you are interested. Get the analogy with these idiots.
And my survival budget for my council tax and the services that I think I receive is a lot lower.
Councillors speak with forked tongue, Croydon put there council tax by 15 % because they are bankcrupt becuase there idiot councillors made any number of poor investents, ass for new laptops, are these for councillors which I suspect or for workers that work permanaently at home where the council offices are full of computers, as for sacking 44 workers, while there is undoubtedly duplication in roles I would much rather see councillors done away with.
I also believe that with this 15% rise they still only pay approximately the same for a band D as we did last year, so we will pay more with this 4.99% rise!!
To be fare it is hard to work out with all the different precepts but I am sure our council will be able to shed a light on the figures not just bandy about a large percentage!
whats the war in Ukraine got to do with the I.O.W
We are paying to house all their “refugees”.
Redundancies are a great idea.Let’s start with 45 councillors.
Councillors should take a large reduction in their expenses they get far too much. Approx half a million pounds per year in expenses it is outrageous. I suggested to Mr Bacon several years ago that councillors should take a reduction he refused to even consider it. This is the same council that bottled it making a budget the last time they were in power and have not changed at all same old faces same old excuses.
Same old faces as before that totally screwed the island and yet enough idiots voted them back in to power to screw the island all over again!
Councillors are as much use as a split
con dom.
Give it couple of years absolute max before they declare bankruptcy.
The increase in the precept should also be limited to 5%.
Rather than increasing Council Tax for every household,
why not charge households extra
who own numerous vehicles by ontroducing Island Wide Parking Permits.
Also raise extra revenue by fining and towing away vehicles that park on pavements on the
Island.
That might STOP the Idiot who parks a Vauxhall Corsa on the
Pavement o/s the Council Hse no.90 Great Preston Rd
Why should Islanders pay more, extra revenue could easily be raised by other means.
I can remember when councils were run like the Home Guard in world war 2. Councillors had ‘real world’ jobs like shop keepers, bank managers, etc, and they ran the council in their spare time, for nothing! They didn’t receive a penny in wages or expenses, and yet services were no worse, and in most cases a damn sight bloody better than they are today. Why do we need full time councillors on extortionate salaries, when history tells us that bus drivers and shop keepers can do the job just as well in their spare time, for free!
Freshwater parish council precept is going up 55%, wtf? You think we’re made of money? Live in the real world you *****
Why do we pay Council tax?
So human excrement can park on pavements outside the Council Houses along
Great Preston Road, Ryde
When will the stupid f*ucker who parks a yellow Vauxhall Corsa
Veh reg HJ62ZPV on the pavement p*ss off and park legally!
Simon there appears to be no Law and Order on the Island re parking on Pavements.
IW Council do not care for persons safety when walking on
Public Highways.
Independent Towing Companies should be operating on the Island and they could
Tow away vehicles that cause obstructions by parking on Pavements.
It’s a common problem on the Island.
Regent Street Shanklin is no different.
Many individuals know that the Island is run by a bunch of Idiots who have no idea
about Health and Safety.
Don’t hold your breath.
I know what I would do if a person parks a vehicle on a pavement
and I cannot safely walk along
I say bring back the birch for anyone who parks on a pavement.
The Fcukers won’t park on a pavement again.
Law and Order over the years is very tame.
Where I come from no one would park on the pavement,
if they did their vehicle would not park on a pavement again!!
The Island is full of Southern Softies.
People need to take action to make island pavements safe.
It’s obvious councils and the law do not care for our safety.
Time for people to act and make our pavements safe.
Why should we have to keep walking out in the Road due to
Ignorant B’stards parking irresponsibly.