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Peter Dolman · Posted: Tue Sep 15, 2009 7:38 am Post subject: Spending our money

The town councils Amenity committee has just voted to replace the 2 notice boards (1 by the new library and 1 by the old post office) at a cost of £4,500. The money coming out of reserves.

Admitted they do look a bit tired but nothing a coat of paint won't cure. The council employ approx 10 members of staff who I'am sure would be capable of painting the notice boards.

In todays recession hit times why are they (the council) looking to reduced residents costs or do they think we have bottomless pockets?

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A lifelong Calne supporter

Local lass · Calnetalk Oracle Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 4792 Status:

how the hell can they justify 45o0 thats just crazy

Mark Wilkins · Newbie Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Status:

Isn't reserves for like.. emergency unbudgeted things?

The boards don't look like they are an immediate danger to the public and surely any wear & tear (such as backing boards wearing out) could be replaced at considerably cheaper option than a complete £4500 replacement.

If they had an ounce of sense they'd be putting new boards up in other areas of the town to further promote town events and activities in and around the town, rather than unnecessarily replacing two decent boards in the town centre that are less than a decade old. With forethought and planning (!) they could budget for such expenditure in future years as part of their massive ongoing maintenance budgets, couldnt they?

Still, they do have to justify next years council tax hike somehow I suppose! (it must be budget time about now isn't it?) and how better than "having to replenish depleted reserves"?

Peter Dolman · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:53 am Post subject:

Mark I agree with you there are many areas in the town which would could benefit from notice boards other than the town centre.

The budget process I suspect is not yet started, the meeting where the budget is agreed is normally in November so the council will normally start at the end of September.

The rise for the current year was 33% but became less when the 300 or so houses in the Newbury Road area became part of the town. It will be interesting to find out what they plan for us next year!

The councillors should be made to justify their decisions to the voters rather than hide from them.
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A lifelong Calne supporter

Mark Wilkins · Newbie Joined: 03 Jun 2009 Posts: 8 Status:

I noticed that on the same minutes they have also vired £3000 to pay for a new website. Shame they are forking out again as they only "redesigned" their website at a similar price about 18 months ago. Perhaps if they'd thought it through properly last time they would have to spend another £3,000 again so soon.

Expensive thing technology!

Chepfer · Posted: Fri Sep 18, 2009 9:00 pm Post subject:

The funny thing is ... I actually really like there website as it stands. It is easy to use, looks good and doesnt need altering .... especially for £3000.

We are just setting up a proffessional website from scratch, which will include licences, a pay system plus all the info and its costing us £2,000 from a local company !

Local lass · Calnetalk Oracle Joined: 05 Jun 2007 Posts: 4792 Status:

The only reason they are proberly doing it is so they can get rid of the money and apply for more next year.as i understand it like road works if they dont spend it all they dont get a increase.

isnt it about time that the public have more say in how the council spends the money ,and that the council should be more controlled in what they spend and look around for cheaper qoutes.?

Peter Dolman · Posted: Mon Sep 21, 2009 8:08 am Post subject:

LL, thats not how it works.
Each year the town council decide how much they want to spend and then divide that amount by the number of houses in the town.

I.E.
The number of houses in the town as advised by the Wiltshire Council (formally the North Wilts District Council).

The answer is the amount of council tax levied by the town council per household. There are several threads relating to the Calne town council tax (officially called the town PRECEPT)

The Calne town auditors (they check and prepare the annual accounts) recommend that the council have reserves of at least 6 months expenditure. When I was a councillor that meant reserves of approx £180,000. Since then costs have risen with additional staff having been recruited. I estimate that the monthly expenditure is nearer £45,000 therefore reserves should be in the regions £260,000.

The town council do not receive any funds from the Wiltshire Council or from the government.

They (the town council) get all they spend from the residents of Calne! So if you live in Calne you should be concerned how the council spend you money!

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A lifelong Calne supporter