Comments received in response to Budget Proposals document
I feel it is important to improve on how you administer applications for Council Tax
rebate. There is a need for more effort in tracing those that are in need and do not
apply because of the complexity.
Put considerable emphasis on youth facilities and education
Spend less on maintaining work out Victorian parks and walkways. They are not
used because of being closed in. There are no views and represent opportunities for
crime or the fear of crime. I suggest that we find out what the majority would like
and provide or permit that, e.g., a racecourse. Sell the parks to developers with the
proviso that they will provide popular and well used facilities, e.g., the Ellen brook
estate. The provision of good housing could reduce the population decline.
Regarding the level of Council Tax – what is reasonable? I can only relate to other
services – my gas is £24; electric £22 and water £13; total £58. My rates are £101,
nearly double. What do I get for this? Bins emptied, roads not maintained or cleaned
to a good enough standard, a good library service and part of a policeman.
As mentioned, sell land for good housing and facilities.
Your service improvements appear to be a long list of good intentions which can, as
we know, pave the road to hell. Could you not set some targets as the government has
done in come cases for you. And could we know how you expect to carry out some
of these.
Two issues I would like to be considered are tackling of anti-social behaviour and
training and employment. I believe schools are the heart of good behaviour and as a
headteacher I was not consulted in the review of school places exercise. I am
disappointed that Seedley and Langworthy schools are to be replaced by one school
and feel that each school can contribute to the local community. Replacement of the
schools reduces parental choice and increases journey times to school. Langworthy
school had decided to build a space for sports and arts at the school but this
opportunity has been lost as a result of the replacement proposal. It is said that a
government grant of £400,000 was available and that £150,000 would have been
secured by local fund raising. There will be considerable damage to the local
community by not proceeding with the sport and arts unit. The unit would have
provided job care facilities, training facilities to assist people to get back into work
and in identifying necessary support to held people to get back into employment.
Langworthy school has started a cubs and scouts group at the school and it is to start a
beavers group from January.
I am upset at the inconsistencies in the banding of property for Council Tax purposes.
I pay 76 monthly for a 4 bedroomed house, whereas a similar house a few doors away
on DempsterRoad costs £60 each month.
I have been told that “asylum seekers” are being given £3,000 with which to purchase
cars and I am not happy about the situation.
I am disgusted at the large amount of litter in the area. A considerable volume of the
litter is generated from Pendleton College and Buile Hill School. Adequate litter bins
should be provided at both locations. Litter increases at lunch time when pupils go to
fast food establishments. I suggest that shop owners should be made to sweep up
outside of the shops to reduce the amount of litter.
As a Council Tax payer and employee (at a school) I would very much like the
Council Tax to be reduced for those fortunate enough to live in property that requires
significant contributions but appreciate the financial difficulties of the Council. The
services we experience do not match the contributions we are required to make each
year.
The state of the roads seem to be costing residents dearly for repairs to their cars, etc.
There is a need to address pot holes with greater speed. Speed bumps need to be
revisited, some are inappropriately inclines, others ineffective because of incline,
width, etc.
I believe the most important issue facing the City is the massive de-population
problems we face and how that impacts on all services. This is surely the foundation
that crumbles and makes a secure provision for residents and employees unlikely,
likewise how much the City Council can actually do with ever reducing income from
Council Tax.
If the finances of the City were addressed the wasted funds would reduce and so more
money would be available. I see this as a headteacher (gross inefficiency with
invoices from the City. NB not from Education) but also through invoices that come
to us as a family year on year (that have been paid or on direct debit) that take up so
much time and energy. The cost of such inefficiency is grossly unacceptable and
niggles our resentment that so much could be saved and passed onto Council Tax
payers such as ourselves.
I believe until the efficiency of the financial managers is addressed the Council have
an insurmountable task in setting a realistic, effective budget to address the width of
social problems the City faces, hence the massive de-population of parts of the City.
I support your plans for education. I work with children at Royal Manchester
Children’s Hospital (RMCH) and I can see that education makes an enormous
difference to the health of children as well as its other benefits.
I notice three schools are to be financed by PFI projects, I have not seen this
approach in your budget documents before and I wonder how much expertise the
Council has in managing PFI projects. There is a great deal of expertise available
locally as many people at RMCH and Manchester Royal Infirmary have been
involved with the planning of a new hospital; and the development of a new PFI
hospital at Wythenshawe is further advanced than ours. Some of the difficulties faced
include:
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There is much more work involved than in a publicly financed project. First
you design your own project (hospital or school) then, instead of simply
having it built this document is used as a specification in an invitation to
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tender process. Several candidate PFI partners produce rival designs which
each have to be looked at in detail before the winner is announced
So-called independent experts are often not well informed and you must watch
out for this. Certain “hospital design consultants” do not have a clear idea of
the workings of a hospital and the same will undoubtedly apply to schools and
their “experts”
The costs tend to escalate, this is because at the detailed design stage
numerous small but important facilities are identified which had been
neglected at earlier stages, including the budget setting stage
The British Medical Journal has emphasised that the financial success of a PFI
project depends upon the balance of the risks taken by the PFI partners and the
commissioning authority. You must be very careful to keep your financial
priorities financial and not let them become subordinated to political dictates.
I would be happy to give my opinions informally. On a more official level
you might like to consider ways of tapping into the expertise available in the
NHS if you feel outside advice would help and I would be happy to give you
names of people you could approach
My main concerns are the City Council’s attitude to business and loss of population in
the City. Your staff are in many cases over-salaried and over provided with pensions.
They get automatic scale points whether justified or not and the offer of early
retirement on 50% salaries – I doubt that each member of staff is fully occupied – you
should look for economies.
Manufacturing business has almost disappeared due to the massive imports being
encouraged by government. Usually those imports are from countries where the wage
per week is about £6 – how can we justify such exploitation? Most of the business in
Salford is run by immigrants who import from their own countries. Resident
manufacturers cannot compete in this country or abroad until a levelling process takes
place. I am sure you do not want levelling down so steps need to be taken to level up
the low cost economies or impose restrictions on imports from those low cost
countries. It will be very difficult to restore manufacturing but it must be done. We
would like to employ more people from Salford but much has been against us, the
attitude of young people and shortage of practical skills, security problems, derelict
property owned by the Council, travelling into Salford is very difficult, you design
very poor traffic schemes which prevent the movement of cars in the City. Much
could be done – are you really interested in people living and working in Salford?
I am sure you could develop some of the derelict sites within the City into living
accommodation. There are good examples across the border, people want to return to
the City, particularly young people. The constraint is the cost of land and, to a lesser
degree, the cost of building. You should release land for house building at good
prices so a good quality development can take place. You should also develop park
and ride schemes with secure parking and good access to Manchester centre.
Unless Government reduces imports and insists on manufacturing being restored in
this country then all our aspirations will come to nothing. If you do not have business
or people in good employment you cannot raise taxes or rates and your organisation
with its many good qualities will cease to exist. If I can help please call me.
Suggest a sample poll to find out what category Salford should rate in the
Comprehensive Performance Assessment. The allocation “weak” assessment only
lowers morale and encourages apathy, Salford has tremendous positive features and
needs to let the world know about them.
Would it not be better to improve the paving rather than set money aside for insurance
against claims from people who trip.
Is the Cabinet system proving cost effective?
Salford Council owns a site next door to us and we attempted to buy it for expansion
purposes but were told that it was not the Council’s policy to sell freehold land. A
telephone conversation with a member of staff referred to no sales to “speculators”.
As a result of not having those premises our expansion plans are concentrated in
Cowdenheath and this could affect the creation of 20-30 new jobs. I am not writing in
respect of that site but wish to enquire as to the policy of the Council with respect to
sale of land as this has a direct impact on the budget and I am aware that the Council
has sold some land through the Collins CRE Auction catalogues. I do applaud the use
of public auction as this ensures that the Council receives the best possible price.
Nationally, one in five pensioners lives in poverty whilst almost one fifth (19%) of
people aged 60 or over lived in poor housing in 1996. Age Concern Salford would
urge Salford would urge Salford City Council to increase the support that it currently
offers older people to maintain their own properties by implementing an affordable
scheme (i.e., a ‘handyperson’ service) to help with practical tasks around the home.
Such a service would directly impact on crime issues, e.g., bogus traders, as well as
the obvious health improvements.
Transport issues do not appear within the budget consultation document yet this is a
key concern for many older citizens. An accessible, affordable public transport
system can provide a lifeline for older people enabling them to remain active
members of their communities. The existing excellent Ring and Ride service does
not, unfortunately, meet all evident needs.
It is disappointing that the key outcomes listed under ‘Community and Social
Services’ make no reference to low-level preventative support for older people which
can be invaluable in maintaining well-being and preventing later high-level
interventions. The National Service Framework for Older People highlights the need
for the promotion of health and active life in older age (Standard8):
‘Action can be taken by the NHS and councils to prevent or delay the onset of
ill-health and disability; reduce the impact of illness and disability on health
and well-being; identify barriers to health living; work in partnership with
other agencies to develop health communities which support older people to
live lives which are as fulfilling as possible.’
Services where the Council should spend less - At present Council Tax payers receive
leaflets along with their Council Tax bills. But how many people actually bother to
read the information contained in these leaflets? Besides, the same leaflets are sent
out again with amended Council Tax bills, a practice which is inappropriate and
wasteful. I propose that the contents of these leaflets are displayed on posters placed
in the entrances of municipal buildings, like leisure centres and libraries, thus
members of the public will continue to have access to the information. It could result
in savings of money as well as preventing the likelihood of some paper waste going to
landfill.
Areas of Council’s services that could be provided more efficiently – improve
communication between Council departments. Scrap the “It’s not my job” policy.
Take notice of local people. Live up to the Council’s social contract. Remember,
Salford expands beyond the Lowry.
What should the Council’s spending priorities be? – Law and order, Social Services,
childcare training for parents, social skills (not just sex and drugs) tutoring for kinds,
improve public transport, entice new industry into the area, properly maintained and
patrolled public areas.
Should the Council spend more on particular services? - Law and order, Social
Services, childcare training for parents, social skills (not just sex and drugs) tutoring
for kinds, improve public transport, entice new industry into the area, properly
maintained and patrolled public areas.
Are there any services where the Council should spend less? – No, not enough has
been spend in the past – this is why Salford is an industrial desert now.
To spend money on priorities how radical should the Council be in changing the sort
of services we provide? - Out with the old and in with the new – Education is the
key, for parents, children and Councillors.
Do you believe that the level of Council Tax is reasonable for the services the Council
provides? If so, why not? - No, many places in this Country, which have lower
crime levels and better amenities, pay less. Salford has absolutely no excuse for not,
once more, becoming more industrialised to offset the cost of Council Tax. We have
the roads, railways, tram links, spare land and plenty of idle manpower. Council Tax
should be graded to amenities – per area.
What can the Council doe to attract families to Salford? - Firstly take off the
blindfold and earplugs and come into the real world. Declare open season on scallies
and druggies, hit down hard on public order offences, make private landlords
responsible for their tenants, scrap all empty and dilapidated buildings. Install more
CCTV cameras and keep monitors manned. Employ park, graveyard, bus-terminus,
market and estate wardens. Teach people how to live in a civilised community –
employ them.
Are there any services we do not provide that you think we should? - After school
child warden service to keep gangs of troublesome youngsters off the streets. More
services needed for the elderly. Someone who will read this and take notice and
action.
The budget is set in order to implement effective approaches to the seven themes of
the Salford Community Plan – a City that is good to live in, an economically
prosperous City, a healthy City, an inclusive City, a learning and creative City, a safe
City, and a City that values children and young people
The budget should be subject to a health impact assessment under the supervision of
the Director of Public Health
Particular priorities in the budget should be:
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reducing crime and the fear of crime – with particular consideration given to
minimising the negative impacts of drug misuse (including through alcohol)
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supporting Salford businesses – using and contracting local supply chains
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supporting the social economy in Salford – supporting infrastructure, and
changing procurement to provide a "level playing field" for social enterprises in
Salford
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training and employment opportunities for Salford citizens
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provision of child care and of play facilities
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transport – promoting green transport solutions and improving road safety
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promoting the image of Salford – both internally and externally
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specific priority should be given to ensuring the optimal impact of the budget on
the most disempowered and vulnerable citizens, including:
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adults in residential care
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children looked after in residential or foster care
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homeless people
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lesbians and gay men
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people who are illiterate
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people whose language is not English
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people with severe learning difficulties
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people with severe neurological conditions (including brain injury and dementia)
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people with severe sensory impairments
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refugees and asylum seekers
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travellers
The budget should seek to complement the broader, City-wide impact of Salford’s
Health Investment For Tomorrow (the S.H.I.F.T. Project), especially concerning its
long-term economic impact on the City.
A means of improving pavements would be to remove signs, many of them fixed and
obstructing half the width of the pavements. Also placards, goods for sale, etc., which
are obstructing pavements. The driving and parking of vehicles on pavements is the
extreme of vandalism, and should be dealt with as such, as it causes not only
obstruction but destruction of the pavements. It is hoped that recycling schemes do
not increase the problems caused at present by wheelie bins, etc.
A very interesting meeting. Councillor Antrobus handled the meeting very well.
Frustration at the given answers to questions asked by the visitors. They weren’t very
satisfactory and I am very worried that Salford City is a sinking ship.