The TaxPayers' Alliance - Campaign

Surrey TPA October Campaign Update

Here's the monthly campaign update from Peter Webb, the organiser of the Surrey TaxPayers' Alliance group:

October 2008

The attempt to meet all borough leaders having failed (excepting Waverley BC see September diary) the invitation was withdrawn for the time being (it would in any case be impractical to get close and personal without time and resources for detailed application 11 times over).

1st:  Letter in Daily Telegraph welcoming George Osborne’s intention at the Conservative Party Conference to freeze council tax but questioning the  method in view of this tax being locked into redistributive grant funding, and implied interference in local spending decisions.

13th:  Message to Surrey CC asked for council intentions in light of the financial crisis and £20m deposit with Icelandic banks at risk. Answer received indicated that in February attempt was made to get repayment but term arrangements prevented. On looking ahead it was too early to assess affect of global banking crisis, debt unwinding and coming probably deep recession.

15th:  Letter to borough leaders halting initiative to meet (see above) and similarly asking about intentions into 2009 and “what comfort are you offering taxpaying pensioners?” and “why shouldn’t public employees share in pension fund back-funding?”

24th: Asked questions of County Council on Auditor’s qualification with Annual Accounts of County Council regarding lack of arrangements for internal control

28th: Bob Neill MP tells me (eventually) that a shadow green paper on local government reform – including issues of finance – will be forthcoming, will be sent to me and will be open for consultation. MP Anne Milton seems to have helped produce this much delayed result for me.

Peter Webb
Romilly Cottage, 139 Binscombe Lane, Godalming Surrey GU7 3QL; 01483 425 386

Guildford Council - burger off!

After last week’s Food Policy Officer non-job of the week, here’s another food related story that’ll do more harm to your health than a fry-up.  Council health chiefs in Guildford have forced through a policy compelling burger vans and cafés to provide ‘healthy alternatives’.  Yes, that’s right, because everyone goes to a burger van to buy a salad.  Jumping on the nanny state health-fanatic bandwagon, Guildford Council has taken it upon them to dictate food policy to cafes and burger vans in their borough.  They’ve even recommended what food to the vans should provide because, well, they know best.

Throughout the year the enviro-health Stasi will patrol the borough to inspect menus and see whether there are healthy alternatives on offer.  Any traders who refuse to comply will have their trading license revoked when it next comes up for renewal.  Ironically, just as the government try to incentivise businesses to stave off the worst effects of recession, traders in Guildford are threatened with closure. 

In opposing this policy I’m not suggesting anyone solely eat from burger vans nor have fried breakfast’s three times a day.  What I am opposing is the meddling in the marketplace and interfering with personal choice.  Firstly, the market will decide if people want to eat healthy or not.  If the cause moved by Jamie Oliver sweeps the nation, your fast food joints will become a rarity.  The market will decide because it’s driven by the cogs of personal choice. 

Similarly, if you choose to eat unhealthily, so be it, there’s a good chance you won’t live as long as if you had your 5 fruit and veg a day (so the doctor’s tell me, I’m about as unqualified at giving dietary advice as Guildford Council is).  But why should our money be used to attempt to enforce a lifestyle on the British people?  Think of where the money could rather go if your money wasn’t squandered on bureaucrats sent forth from Town Halls to look at menus all day. 

How to lose friends and alienate taxpayers

They never learn do they?  After we exposed North Lanarkshire council for squandering £73,000+ on a spin doctor to tell residents how good the council is, Southampton City council’s Chief Executive wants to follow up by throwing away £100,000 on an image consultant.  The reason the City council is hiring a new, £100k-a-year, apparatchik is because…and this should really set tempers to ‘AARGHG’…the council believe current media relations staff within the council “have relative inexperience in the area of media relations”.

If there are people working for Southampton City council who are unqualified – sack them and bring in people who can do the job.  More to the point, why does a council need so many media relations lackeys and spivs when the first job of councils should be to lower our taxes and deliver a frontline service!!

As a waste story, this is jaw dropping.  But the wider issue is the role of a chief executive.  How can it be that an unelected chief executive can arbitrarily spend taxpayers’ money willy-nilly?  There surely must be a check on chief executive over-reach within our councils.  Perhaps it’s worth sending an email to the democratically elected leader of the council, Cllr Alec Samuels, asking whether he intends to veto the chief executive’s spending spree!

Surrey TPA September Campaign Diary

South West Surrey Organiser Peter Webb gives us his September campaign diary.  A big thanks to him for all his hard work which we appreciate so very much:

Backed by Anne Milton MP we had attempted to get into dialogue, similar to that operating with Surrey CC, with all 11 boroughs. The only one to allow this was Waverley where we met on 9th September.  Peter Rauch, Barry Smith and myself for TPA met Richard Gates (Leader) and Mary Orton (Chief Executive). We had given pre-briefing with questions strongly derived from TPA reports eg the  10% Challenge. Discussion was of a skirmishing nature and specific points were not addressed but we did get agreement to our participation in budget consultation early in 2009. Questions have been pressed since and this is ongoing.

On 18th a public meeting chaired by news presenter Nicholas Owen was organised by Surrey County Council under its “council tax unwrapped” programme. It concentrated on difficult social service issues and funding particularly for care of the elderly. TPA members Ernie Hughes and Angela Mayer attended. Questions and explanations were varied and gave Leader Nick Skellett the opportunity to highlight the unequal government grants which put Surrey at a disadvantage.

The MD Audit Commission, Martin Evans, replied to the letter of challenge previously reported, in a letter of 18th September. This contained some authoritive answers which can perhaps be developed but mainly avoided issues with a ‘political’ content.

It was noticed that a well-known Guildford political ‘elder statesman’, Bill Bellerby, had a letter in the Surrey Advertiser commenting on several points of governance. It included reference to the SW Surrey TPA not being pleased about Members allowances.

On 9th September we were consulted about governance change for Surrey CC. The choice, under new legislation, is between a directly  elected Mayor, and a strengthened Leader and cabinet. Some individual members are known to have put in views  and a TPA response was submitted on 1st October. This opted for a mayor but qualified this  with five comments stating the taxpayer attitude and related ‘better government’ factors which cause disquiet.

Special note: In compiling the above I am conscious that I am not diarising some activities by individual members. This is because I really need copy from those people and they are not necessarily consciously acting with a TPA hat on. But there are many acts and opinions which have some connection with our lower taxes and better government campaigning objectives. Also it is advantageous to our cause and perhaps to the individual for collective strength by association. I will reflect on this and consult around.

Peter Webb
The TaxPayers Alliance in Surrey

Thanks for reading.  If you agree with our campaign for lower taxes and want to know more about the TPA, you can register online, completely free of charge, here.

No such thing as a free council lunch

TPA supporter Ian Taylor has handed me a couple of press clippings exposing an incredibly blasé attitude to taxpayers' money from Shepway Council leaders.  They recently spent £2,000 of taxpayers money on a civic lunch for Council dignitaries, businessmen and 100 Mayors at ‘The Grand Hotel’ (how fitting) – enough to pay for two years Band D Council Tax for a single adult in the area.

Cllr George Bunting defended the waste saying it was only ‘modest’!

It’s this ambivalence to how councillors spend taxpayers’ money that needs to stop.  One moment politicians don’t mind feeding themselves with £2,000 of your money.  The next it’s £3,000.  Then £4,000.  By the way they squander our money on non-jobs and pathetic bureaucracy, they’re far from being the best judge of what comprises ‘modest’ spending.

Modest spending is delivering frontline services at the lowest possible cost.  We need to eradicate the local government mindset that public money is government money and that it’s there to make the politicians lives better.  The British people pay their taxes for services that can make their lives better, not to indulge self-serving politicians (no pun intended about the Mayoral buffet).

Cllr George Bunting, who thinks you should pay for his grandstanding lunches with other highflying council apparatchiks, can be contacted at george.bunting@shepway.gov.uk.  Perhaps you can let him know that £2,000 of taxpayers’ money is far from being a modest amount and that given councillor allowances and expenses, they can afford their own lunches in the future.

Council snoopers - enough is enough!

How many times this year have we seen stories of local authorities prying into our lives?  First it was Poole Council using anti-terror legislation to spy on a family for weeks just to be sure they sent their child to the school in the right catchment area.  Next councils were using the same laws to spy on dog walkers.  Now Mid Sussex Council is exposed for having students go through people’s rubbish.

Enough is enough already.  Who on earth do these petty Town-Hall-Trotsky’s think they are?  We pay them – too much as it is – to dispose of our rubbish, not to go through them to see what people are throwing away.

Mid Sussex Council claim this was done anonymously so those going through the rubbish didn’t know where it came from.  That’s not the case if someone, entirely by accident, has thrown away a phone or utility bill with their name and details on it.  Moreover, why should we believe a word these councils say when they routinely use anti-terror legislation to spy on us and won't even tell us what they're doing with the information they get.

Gordon Marples is the leader of Mid Sussex Council.  You can contact him by phone on 01273 843643 or by email Gordon.marples@midsussex.gov.uk.  It is strongly advised if you live in the area to ask him if your rubbish has been taken away and monitored.  Furthermore, don’t take any risks.  Shred any documents with your name, address and details on before throwing them away.  Be sure that these Council bureaucrats don’t get their hands on any information that is yours for your own privacy.

Also, please contact Councillor Brian Hall who has led the charge against this abuse of power.  You can contact him on 01444 450347 or by email brian.hall@midsussex.gov.uk.  I’ll be contacting him to get some more information on this matter that we can pass onto our supporters and if he knows of any other councils willingly intruding into people’s private lives.

Finally, it’s worth contacting your councillor to see if your council is taking your rubbish away so it can intrude even further into individual private lives.

SW Surrey TPA May Campaign Diary

South West Surrey TPA organiser Peter Webb gives us his branch's update from their May Campaign, including:

• Mass lobbying of Surrey County Councillors;
• Attending Councillor meetings to hold them to account;
• Numerous letters published in the Surrey Advertiser. (See below for a selection of clippings)

If you want to join the SW Surrey TPA Campaign email Peter Webb at SWSYTPA@pgwebb.com

April omissions. Member Mike Harrison reported use of Guildford BC white vans as mobile CCTV platforms and that no privacy impact assessment carried out. This is a sensitive issue brought to attention of MP Anne Milton.
Long running issue of poor state of Surrey roads and management: Peter Rauch FOI questions cv of Jenny Isaac new Head of Surrey Roads. Answer only assures proper interview and selection procedures followed. No qualifications divulged.

May 9th: PW letter published on 7 week delay in Hospital medical report. Followed on 24th by news report in Surrey Times crediting  as of TPA.
Reported in press that only 1/3rd of Surrey people now think County gives value for money

10th: Surrey Ad report on TPA 10% cut initiative with quotes after consulting me on 30th April

11th: Sent block message to County councillors and MP on value for money. Asked MPs for more intervention in Surrey government and suggested to CCllrs a different approach to planning leading to stripping out non-productive activity to reduce cost base, and then simulate without income cap towards making good case publicly supported, for income to match.

12th: Attended with Barry Smith and Ernie Hughes at Guildford library to question CCllrs on their initiative ‘Council Tax Unwrapped’. Lack of other people due to lack of notice given gave us opportunity to harangue for 1 ½ hours.

16th: Surrey Ad reported on meetings at expensive hotels outside the county to foster nebulous ‘togetherness’. I had been asked for comment and noticed that Editorial Comment was excellent: “County togetherness hardly harmonises with the taxpayer”;  “nebulous ambition to build capacity”; “long-term challenges vs emptying bins and mending roads”; “partnership” now hackneyed word;  “having shied away from prospect of single tier local government in Surrey, now we are told local politicians need cash to work out how they are going to work together”; “does it matter which tax,  council tax or otherwise”.

30th: 3 letters published (click to enlarge):

Punishment of Taxpayers Must Stop (Steve Bowers),

Who Will Take a Stand in Council Tax Battle ?(Peter Rauch),

and Quangos and Call for Control (Peter Webb).

Council tax unwrapped block message to CCllrs set out big figure perspective over ten years asking ‘what have you done with it all ?’. Also joined to question to our two MPs: “When will Surrey MPs raise their game on high spending and disconnected Surrey government? When will they address government machinery failure and publicly call, and plan, for re-structuring? When will they acknowledge more forcefully the weaknesses in the taxation system and especially the local funding question?
CCllr Gosling (Exec Ctee – Resources) wants to see me “to clarify things” and “look at SW Surrey TPA main public statement”. (Will I need armed escort?)

South West Surrey TPA in the News

TPA Organiser for South West Surrey – Peter Webb – was yet again quoted in the Surrey Advertiser last week, commenting on our 10% Challenge to councils.   He scored another hit with a letter about the NHS, fitting in nicely with our Better Government campaign.

You can read the letter and the article by clicking below on each below.

SW Surrey TPA April Campaign Diary

South West Surrey Organiser Peter Webb updates us on the SW Surrey TPA Campaign for April.

2nd: PW letter to MP Jeremy Hunt pointing out lack of answers to 13th Feb 5 questions and challenging his letter of 31st March with its unsubstantiated “clear policies”..This ended up with a time-limited meeting on 19th April with PW and Barry Smith concentrating on County Council shortcomings, unclear MP support for it, and need for better government ideas from Conservatives. Little achieved. Our Mike Hutchinson of Shere reported sightings of Guildford BC white vans with CCTV cameras aboard. Need to get ‘official’ position re privacy issue.

10th:  Barry Smith writes MP Jeremy Hunt, cc David Cameron, re uncollected council tax etc and need for Conservatives to plan for replacement of council tax.

11th:  PW letter published “keep up pressure” for reform and linked to earlier letters from others. 
Published letter from Nevill Shearman protesting at County spending and precept increase. Intends to pay last year plus 2% only.

16th: Response from David Cameron’s office to Barry Smith demolished in annotated return of message shown also to Jeremy Hunt

17th: Jeremy Hunt replies to Barry Smithand, says will forward concern to Hazel Blears.

18th: PW quoted in Surrey Ad news report on residents falling value for money belief, one third from two thirds 2 years ago.  Another hard-hitting published letter from Steve Bowers following County Leader Nick Skellett’s failure to answer calls to explain 5% precept increase.

19th: Meeting with Jeremy Hunt MP (see above)

21st: Submitted statement to Audit Commission carrying out quinquennial corporate assessment of County Council to study whether the council has a clear ambition and priorities, how it delivers and whether objectives achieved. Evidenced summary that Council makes no effort to ‘woo’ resident taxpayers with a shareholder interest, is sluggish and top-heavy.

23rd: Answer received  to FOI question to County Council about costs and failure associated with change of contractor for Suretime bus stop information system. Answer incomplete and evasive.  CCllr (mine) Chris Slyfield has been active re Police precept rise of 9.7%, its cap and appeal. It turns out that nobody attended public meetings (The Surrey Police Authority didn’t visibly tell anybody ). He asked for SW Surrey TPA to be put on Police list of stakeholders for possible input for or against precept. I made direct contact.

30th: TPA 10% challenge: commented at length to Vita of Surrey Advertiser.

A tale of two crimes

The front page of the Metro newspaper today reveals that police guidance instructs rank and file police not to register car vandalism as a crime.  In sharp contrast, Gwynneth Lester is fleeing the country because she faces arrest over £1,200 of unpaid Council Tax.  According to local newspapers, the 59-year-old disabled war widow was due to be arrested last Monday but the police failed to turn up, giving her enough time to escape.

This wouldn’t be the first time Mrs Lester had been persecuted by the authorities.  She spent 28 days in jail last year for not paying the tax.  She made the stand after being burgled eight times in two years. 

What sort of country is it where the government and police crack down harder on a disabled pensioner than those who commit vandalism?  Are the government’s priorities that skewed that crimes against the state are more ‘serious’ than crimes against the person or property?  What a nation…