Time To Get Rid Of These Freak Shows?

[ToraToraTora]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-essex-59174940
..... time to replace them with a proper organisation to perform all the functions of a council. I don't see why it needs part time political busy bodies, there must be a better way.

[Gromit]

Local decisions should be made by local people not by people hundreds of miles away in Westminster.

More to the OP story

https://www.maldonandburnhamstandard.co.uk/news/18680273.chrissy-morris-found-breach-code-conduct-following-investigation/

[Gromit]

I agree with you on a lot of changes to our elected chambers.
1. Lords abolished replaced by elected chamber.
2. Parliament should be reduced and deal with just UK policy
3. England should have its own devolved Assembly with an English Government from English MPs.

But council tax payers should elect local people to spend local raised funds. Bureaucrats in London know nothing about where I live.

[New Judge]

I'm sure you know my views on Local Authorities, Tora. All of them, from the "assemblies" that were contrived under Mr Blair's ludicrous devolution policies, down to Parish Councils should be summarily abolished. There is no need to elect people to decide how to empty the dustbins. They should be emptied under a policy decreed by national government. I live close to the boundary of my LA and my neighbours half a mile away have a totally different refuse and recycling regime to me and there is absolutely no reason why they should. Much of LA expenditure goes on education. That function has no place under LA auspices. There's no reason why children in my area should receive education under different policies from those who live half a mile away. It also leads to the ridiculous situation where parents have children attending schools in two LA areas who have differently term times.

Local councils seem notorious for producing participants like the one shown in your link. It's bad enough having various crooks, freaks and charlatans elected to Westminster. There's no need to give such people further opportunities to wield influence and generally interfere with other people's lives.

[New Judge]

//But council tax payers should elect local people to spend local raised funds.//

Somewhere between 70-80% of Local Authority expenditure comes from central taxation. Along with the abolition of Local Authorities would come the abolition of Council Tax. Then there would be no justification for any elected representatives.

[ichkeria]

Local councils we need.
The UK needs more local government not less.
Whether we need local AND county councils is another matter

[ToraToraTora]

Gromit: "1. Lords abolished replaced by elected chamber.
2. Parliament should be reduced and deal with just UK policy
3. England should have its own devolved Assembly with an English Government from English MPs. "
1 - agreed
2 - I don;t understand, what non UK policy does it deal with, I agree it should be reduced, half their number and double their wages
3 - No devolution is a disaster, the last thing we need is more trotters in the trough. we should revert to pre devolution and abolish the other "parliaments", regional government is always a disaster.

[THECORBYLOON]

"Along with the abolition of Local Authorities would come the abolition of Council Tax."

What would replace Council Tax?

[New Judge]

//What would replace Council Tax?//

Nothing.

Since the services would be administered by central government the funds should come from central taxation (which would have to be adjusted to make up the shortfall). There is no justification for levying a tax on the basis of the relative value of the home the taxpayer lives in (or perhaps owns but doesn't live in). It is unfair. Most taxes are levied on an "ability to pay" basis. Council Tax is not.

[youngmafbog]

I'm with NJ. Dont suppose thats any surprise to anyone who has read my posts over the years.

[bobbinwales]

TTT I think Gromit might mean the devolved goverments (Wales, England, Scotland and NI) deal with issue's specific to there own countries while the UK goverment deals with overall UK policy which isnt in the remit of devolved govs?

[ToraToraTora]

I've known and have met quite a few councillors of the years and they are nearly all complete rissoles.

[bobbinwales]

But didnt all the centralised attempts at test and trace show the advantage in having local health authority's for example been better placed due to there local knowledge and contact's aswell as local trust

[ToraToraTora]

I see bob, well same answer the last thing we need is another layer of snouts in the trough. The state should be as small as possible. Devolution is a kin disaster and it should be reversed.

[youngmafbog]

Agreed TTT.

[ToraToraTora]

bob: "But didnt all the centralised attempts at test and trace show the advantage in having local health authority's for example been better placed due to there local knowledge and contact's aswell as local trust " - yeah but that'd not go away, all we are doing is getting shot of the illusion of local democracy and 60 plonkers on average creating omnishambles. Local knowledge is vested the the people actually doing the local functions. Not pseudo political busybodies who are puffed up full of their own importance because someone has given them the power to stop you building an outhouse!

[ichkeria]

Local councils do stuff I’d be loath to let a central government - especially this one - loose on

[bobbinwales]

Dont disagree, TTT, we want to avoid duplication and do things efficiently whilst using local knowledge where needed, so I wouldnt want everything done central .

[ToraToraTora]

"we want to avoid duplication and do things efficiently whilst using local knowledge where needed, so I wouldnt want everything done central . " - and it wouldn't be.

[bobbinwales]

So who'd do the local things you agree should be done local TTT, Volunteers? Private companies? MPs? Quango's? Elected councils ?

[ToraToraTora]

whoever does them now. All I'm suggesting is we remove the political body and install some sort of local management. Everything else stays the same except we don't have 5 dozen councillors playing silly burgers all over the place and the attendant elections and assorted BS.