Local Politics

[Bellringer]

And the "Grants"?

[Fester]

Good questions....Grants and Projects bear further investigation don't they?

They sound like very convenient 'catch all' categories to hide things in to me...

[Yorkie]

Good questions....Grants and Projects bear further investigation don't they?

They sound like very convenient 'catch all' categories to hide things in to me...

Grants are actually one of the more transparent expenditures.  The Grants have to be applied for by Groups or Societies or Local Chariries such as the Scouts, the Rugby Club, Sea Scouts etc.etc. 
The amount given to each Group is not always the amount requested but is decided by the Grants Committee and approved by the Council.   
Of course some are questioned such as Grants to the aformentioned Rugby Club and also to that other commercial venture, the Football Club.  Generally, however, I think most folk would consider the Grants approved as being acceptable.  The Precept the Town Council receives contains an element of a small sum (say 50p) per person, for distribution in this way.

It is some of the other stuff that needs a good looking at!

[Merddin Emrys]

It seems silly councils paying vat when the money to pay it has come from the government in the first place 
so many people paid to collect taxes and pass it on again, seems mad to me (and of cause we provide the money in the first place!)

[Yorkie]

How do we spend £11k on Llandudno in Bloom?  The County Council maintain all the flower beds or are we still paying for privately owned hanging baskets to be watered at a cost of £5k?

Is such an expense even necessary?  Most of the town's people take pride in their gardens and floral displays and would participate without the Council Committee going on jollies.

The expense for North Western Gardens is solely for the loos!   How much revenue does the Council receive from this public convenience to offset this expenditure.  Give the place back to the County!

[Bellringer]

And the "Grants"?

In 2001/2 when carrying out a refurbishment of the bells at Holy Trinity, we did apply and a sum of £1,000 was granted.
In 2004/5 a sum of £2,000 was granted for restoration of Holy Trinity's stained glass windows.
The total cost of these two projects was in the region of £80,000 and we were very grateful for the two grants.

[Yorkie]

What the Town Council spends our money on (last year):

Did you manage to obtain details of Income?

[DaveR]

Did you manage to obtain details of Income?

Of course!

[Yorkie]

From that we can now see the nett profit or loss for each activity!  N W Gardens seem to be costing a bomb!   At 20p a pee they should be coining it in from all these tourists.    

No income from Projects - whatever they are!   )*)&

[DaveR]

What's noticeable most to me is that, with a £252,000 precept, nearly £100,000 of that money goes on administration (salaries, rent, admin, insurance)

[Yorkie]

Once upon a time (another fairy story) there wre only 2 in the office for the same committees and number of Councillors.  That took a 50% increase a year or so ago.  Tea and biscuits have increased in price and hot air has gone through the roof!   Detailed accounts reveal the truth.

A few years ago I had almost every invoice from the Council which received very analytical treatment and there were many items I considered unneccessary or bordering on malpractice.  I'll check through all the c**p I have in my files and see if I can find anything.  Maybe  it's time for a new request for more information.

[Trojan]

Is Gareth Jones the same person who started at JB at the same time as Hoppy?

He became headmaster around 1975 Mike.

[DaveR]

Thanks to Jason for this link re a postmortem on the Maesdu Bridge debacle:
http://modgoveng.conwy.gov.uk/Published/C00000107/M00002321/AI00027889/MaesduBridgeProgressUpdate.pdf

Basically, the Council are now suing the Design Consultant, who was paid £684,000 for making a complete balls up of estimating the costs of construction.

[Ian]

Thanks indeed, Jason. Makes interesting reading.

[Merddin Emrys]

Basically, the Council are now suing the Design Consultant, who was paid £684,000 for making a complete balls up of estimating the costs of construction.

I could have made a complete balls up for a lot less than that!