Viewpoint: Former Tory councillor defends previous administration’s financial record – Photo 1 of 1
Email Viewpoint letters to [email protected] or write to Viewpoint, Newspaper House, 48 Bell Street, Maidenhead, SL6 1HX.
Balancing the books as interest rates soar
I was cabinet member for finance in the last Conservative administration and with a different electoral outcome in May, we would have been pleased to manage the 2023/24 budget.
After four years of delivering budget underspends of roughly £1million a year, which was used to grow the council’s reserves, you might have thought I would be surprised by the tone of the latest press release on council finances but after four years of many financial challenges, including the coronavirus impact, nothing surprises me.
I am sure the budget challenges are real but it is instructive to understand the cause which is essentially high inflation and high interest rates.
Like all local authorities the council uses a firm of Treasury Management advisors to provide guidance on future inflation and interest rates.
The Bank of England said inflation would rise sharply and fall quickly, how wrong could they be.
This coloured the advice we received and inflation and the consequent interest rates are higher than our advisors forecast when the budget was set in December 2022.
The council’s long-term contracts include a clause that reasonably allow contractors to uprate their charges and increased interest rates have added to the cost of servicing the council’s debt.
The recently published Medium Term Financial plan shows an additional interest charge of £2.23million but contract inflation has increased by just £63K.
I learnt in April that Adult Social Care costs had risen but was not advised of the reasons, the projected overspend is now £4.8 million.
We prudently built £3.3million of contingency into the budget which reduces the projected overspend to £3.6 million but this would take reserves below the minimum level.
This has led to the publication of a rather long and alarming press release advising of the risk that a Section 114 could be issued, meaning the council is bankrupt.
I have been here before, there is a risk but the council published a detailed and sensible plan at cabinet last week designed to reduce the deficit.
Issuing a Section 114 will not cause Government Commissioners to ask for more. One might infer that with a new chief executive, new director of resources and new Lib Dem-led administration there was an irresistible temptation to make the situation look as bad as possible in order to take credit when it is resolved.
The finance team and council officers are capable and experienced and I am confident that there is no risk of a Section 114 being issued unless the Lib Dems manage the process badly and fail to support officer’s recommendations.
The press release said the council’s key issue is low rates of council tax which is the fourth lowest in the country.
This may make life difficult for the council but means that council tax at band D is between £300 and £600 less than in neighbouring authorities and leaves more money in residents’ pockets.
In these challenging times most would support this reduced burden on council taxpayers and ask the council to continue to find innovative ways to reduce the cost of services.
The new administration is on a steep learning curve as they are exposed to the challenges of running the council’s finances, I wish them well.
David Hilton
Dawnay Close
Ascot
Inflation is hard but it’s time to get a grip
I have read the headlines threatening bankruptcy which have caused great alarm for residents and local businesses.
The Lib Dem council seems desperate for bankruptcy and insist on pointing the finger backwards instead of managing forwards. All councils are in debt, RBWM is not even listed on the ‘at risk’ list of high debt councils in the country (Moody’s Investor services report Sept ‘23).
The Conservative administration delivered an underspend of £1million every year for the past four years and added this to reserves which have nearly doubled to £10.2million, all supported by cabinet papers.
A contingency of £3.3million was prudently built into 2023/24 budget, yet already, after five months of Lib Dems in office there’s a £7million projected overspend and cry of bankruptcy?
Much of this may be due to inflation – but they should get a grip fast and financially manage the situation fast as the elected are expected to do.
Instead, when claiming such a dire financial position they renege and reject a valuable deal from Maidenhead United Football Club (Aug ‘23) and continually object to a development opportunity worth £500million to bring us much needed new homes.
It seems they prefer bankruptcy instead!
These attempts from a very inexperienced cabinet are a vain effort to hike our council tax beyond residents’ means and cut our services.
Where is their interim financial statement on which this should all be based? Has it even been published?
Residents and local businesses throughout the Borough deserve better than these highly damaging, scapegoating headlines.
Sarah Walker
Windsor
Not bewildered – absolutely delighted
In response to Malcolm Stretten’s letter ‘Bewildered? More like absolutely furious’ (Viewpoint, September 29) I would like to say the local planning department have received signatures from over 80 households who are either in or very close to Paley Street, pleading with RBWM to give permission for the site (Royal Oak) to be built forthwith.
These signatures totally contradict his ridiculous statement.
Had the RBWM planning department consulted the village when the first planning application was presented they might well have capitulated early on in the process and given permission for the development.
It was and still is a very good scheme.
Now the village has no local meeting place whatsoever, be that a shop, village hall, post office, pub or bus shelter for that matter.
Having personally lived here for 30 years, the villagers are crying out for something to be done soon because we need somewhere to meet up and start enjoying living in a wonderful little community again.
Graham Bellinger
Paley Street
Shoplifting situation cannot continue
In support of John Baldwin (where is the action to deter shoplifting – Viewpoint, September 29) is it not time to dispense with the term ‘shoplifting’?
Although the meaning is readily understood it undervalues the nature of the incidence for which there is no such offence in law.
It is, plain and simply, theft; tantamount to stealing with, in legal jargon, intent to permanently deprive the owner of said goods.
In this case shopkeepers of retail premises.
The offence is prosecuted under the Theft Act 1968 which for goods under the value of £200 the maximum penalty being six months imprisonment. For goods valued at over £200 the maximum sentence is seven years custody.
Surely the ultimate sentencing tariff of seven years must reflect the seriousness given to the issue as proscribed and enacted by Parliament in 1968. It should therefore be regarded as such.
Sadly, as Mr Baldwin so aptly states, it appears that this is presently not the case.
The problem today is compounded by the lack of police presence in our shopping malls, by the lack of priority given to such cases and the apparent decriminalisation of the offence, to which can be added the over-crowding of our prisons, the closure of so many Magistrates Courts and the significant decline in the number of active JPs.
This appalling situation cannot continue. It must be urgently addressed.
Graham Chamberlain
Snowball Hill
Maidenhead
New ways to access GP help may be quicker
I am writing personally, but also as a member of the Cookham Medical Centre Patient Participation Group.
Your readers may be interested to learn that the PPG has organised an important NHS Open Information Evening, to be held at the Pinder Hall, Lower Road, Cookham, on Thursday, October 19, starting at 7.30pm.
Patients are well aware that the NHS has been through what must be the most difficult and challenging period since its foundation in 1948.
To try and meet those challenges and to harness available new technology, a number of changes have been made, both nationally and at the local level, to the services with which we have been familiar over many years. These changes necessarily impact on the way patients now access treatment.
For many patients, including myself, change can be confusing, particularly for those used to a single point of access via an appointment with the GP.
This traditional process may no longer be the quickest or most efficient way to access advice or treatment. Patients must now learn about a new breed of healthcare professionals and new ways to access healthcare services.
Concepts such as ‘E-consult’ and booking vaccinations via text messaging may be difficult for a significant cohort of patients to understand, and in some cases, patients may lack the technical resources or knowledge to use them. This group may also be the most needing to access services.
The event on October 19 will provide the chance for residents to hear from a panel of senior NHS experts about the changes that have occurred, and are still occurring, to the provision of NHS services within the Frimley Integrated Care System.
Indeed, it will enable the audience to learn about the role of the Frimley Integrated Care System itself. It is intended to provide an opportunity to learn about the services that are available and how best to access them and allow an interactive discussion between the panel and the audience.
Neither the panel nor the PPG are competent or empowered to address wider issues impacting on the provision of NHS services, for example Government policy and funding, pay and conditions and strikes. But the PPG would welcome any comments or concerns about important matters such as social services or mental health, which may not always get covered in more general discussion.
The Cookham PPG is an independent voluntary body which acts as bridge between the Cookham surgery and its patients. The PPG depends for its effectiveness on inputs from the patient community.
You can find out more about the PPG by visiting www.cookhammedicalcentre.co.uk and clicking on the link to the Patient Participation Group.
The PPG does not receive any funding from the NHS or national or local government and depends on donations or entrance fees to fund its events.
Attendance on 19 October will be free of charge, but we hope that you may wish to make a voluntary cash donation to enable the PPG to organise more such community events in the future.
Mike Clark
Cookham Medical Centre Patient Participation Group
Tea and Talk event or just a conversation
Tuesday, October 10 is World Mental Health Day and the Mental Health Foundation is encouraging everyone to get involved by taking the time to have a meaningful conversation about mental health.
Talking about how you feel is important to help protect your mental health. If you are struggling, it helps to talk to someone you trust.
If you want to start a conversation with someone about their mental health, find a quiet space with no distractions. Listen and allow the person to speak. Ask questions but don’t interrupt. Ask how you can help and listen to what they need.
World Mental Health Day is about raising awareness and driving positive change for everyone’s mental health.
So, you might like to host a Tea and Talk event at your work or community group to get everyone involved. Our website has lots of information and materials for running an event including tips for starting conversations.
You can also show your support by wearing a green ribbon or sharing information on social media. Find out more along with posters, social media images, and advice on how to protect your mental health at www.mentalhealth.org.uk/wmhd
Alexa Knight
Director for England at Mental Health Foundation
Please help us to run the Poppy Appeal
This year the Poppy Appeal will run from Saturday, October 28 to Saturday, November 11.
We are extremely fortunate to be able to rely on a loyal core of volunteers who assist us in many ways.
However, we always require more help in transporting our collecting tins and poppy trays to various static locations and retrieving them at the end of the appeal.
We also need more volunteers to look after our stands in the High Street, Waitrose, and, if possible other town centre locations.
We operate a system of two hour shifts between 9am and 5pm (or 9pm in Waitrose) and are always grateful for any assistance anyone may be able to offer.
The Royal British Legion exists solely to offer help to our ex-service men and women and their dependents after they have served their country and all the proceeds from the Poppy Appeal are utilised for that purpose.
If anyone can help please contact Ray Williams, Poppy Appeal Organiser, on 07747 341171.
Ray Williams
Secretary
Maidenhead Royal British Legion
Track down Michel Barnier’s 2012 report
In a recent letter (Viewpoint, September 22) James Aidan accused me of a ‘glaring inconsistency’ over the economics of Brexit.
Well, I would refer him to my letter headed ‘Failed by our home and EU rulers’ that the editor kindly published on August 18, 2023, which started: “Tidying up I came across an analysis published by the Institute of Economic Affairs in October 2001, still easily found on the internet by searching for ‘Economic Effects of EU Membership Marginal’.”
That analysis was produced 22 years ago, and it is a sad reflection on our political system that even now we have prominent people pretending that EU membership was extremely lucrative.
As one example, shortly before the 2016 referendum a journalist wrote that he would vote to stay in the EU because our economy had expanded by 62 per cent since the EU Single Market was set up.
What he failed to mention was that according to a 2012 report by EU Commissioner Michel Barnier only two per cent of that 62 per cent growth could be attributed to the advent of the Single Market.
That official EU report can easily be found by Googling for: ‘EU27 GDP in 2008 was 2.13 per cent or €233 billion higher than it would have been if the Single Market had not been launched in 1992’.
So on the EU’s own valuation 97 per cent of UK economic growth over those 24 years was NOT connected with the creation of the EU Single Market, which had only a marginal impact.
Dr D R Cooper
Belmont Park Avenue
Maidenhead
Counting down to a happy, safe Halloween
It’s not easy being the ‘safety police’ when everyone just wants to have fun – especially when that fun includes extravagant costumes. Children should always be kept away from naked flames, but Halloween costumes come with their own set of risks which require extra safety precautions.
They’re not always subject to the same fire safety checks as normal clothing as they can often be classed as toys. With Halloween being a time where lots of lit candles in pumpkins are on the same doorsteps that trick-or-treaters congregate on, there have sadly been accidents associated with dressing-up outfits. So checking the garment complies with UK/EU safety standards should be a top priority.
No one wants an unexpected horror story at Halloween so it’s always best to know what you’re looking for when buying any costume to make sure the risks are limited as much as they can be:
- Always buy your Halloween costumes from reputable shops and online retailers. If you haven’t bought anything from the shop before make sure you check online reviews.
- Make sure the costume comes with safety instructions, a UKCA or CE marking and the manufacturer’s name. The UKCA marking is the post-Brexit British equivalent of the CE mark which is also still valid.
- Check for any product recalls online – searching for ‘product safety recalls’ will bring up the Office for Product Safety and Standards list.
Finally remember that homemade fancy dress costumes may come with risks.
Citizens Advice East Berkshire
4 Marlow Road
Maidenhead
