Dear Sir,
Last week the LibDem’s, after a few hundred days, finally revealed the big plan for freezing (not cutting as promised) town council tax, what was it? A pint at the Complex might cost you an extra 50p a go. The next big idea will be upping the cost to use the pool table by another 20p. Hardly the revolution of local politics promised, is it?
Here’s an alternative. The council’s expenditure is around £1.7 million as it stands, I want to see the potential of every pound being met and that’s a simple thing to do. Everything the council spends must consider this:
1. Are we using suppliers/contractors paying the REAL living wage?
2. Does the supplier employ people living in or around Aycliffe?
3. Are the needs of residents being met?
4. Are we providing extra to the residents with this spending?
5. Is it value for money?
These five points of criteria for every pound spent will let the council assess the impact their spending has. What’s more important? Saving a few pence a month or helping to provide a proper wage, good services which meet and exceed the needs of residents? If the council is meeting the first three it’s getting value, if it’s meeting all four it’s getting more.
There’s more to the value of a pound than what you can squeeze out of it financially, let’s focus on getting every drop of potential from it instead. Just a thought.
Simon Hocking