Budget RSS feed for the Budget tag
found 44 stories.
Comment
Daniel Barker 28 Feb 11
Liberal Democrat councillors put forward an amendment to Walsall Council’s controlling Tory group budget at the special meeting on 24th February 2010 called to decide the budget for 2011/12.
The Liberal Democrats proposed that £2.7million be taken from reserves of over £8million without affecting the level of Council Tax (Zero%)…
Comment
Cllr Ian Shires 24 Feb 11
Given the financial mess the country has been left in after 13 years of Labour Governments, this year’s budget will probably be the most difficult that the council has had to face.
It will be even more difficult than the one back in 2000 when, after a period of disastrous Labour administrations which saw balances reduced from £42million to virtually £zero, Walsall Council was adjudged to be the worst in the country.
The good news today is that …
Comment
Pheasey Park Farm Labour 18 Feb 11
On Thursday the council will announce the full range of the cuts that the central Tory led government are forcing on us, not that you hear any condemnation from Mike Bird and his fellow Tories of course.
If you want to see the range of cuts they have been published here as part of the documents for the council meeting.
Of course it is a very dry document and a lot of words like renegotiation and rationalisation spring up so you would think the Council have some idea can be completed as to the plan.
The biggest savings are …
Comment
The Plastic Hippo 23 Oct 10
The late Michael Foot once described Tory war horse Norman Tebbit as a “semi house-trained polecat”. This uncharacteristic vitriol was provoked by the former MP for Chingford accusing Foot of being, of all things, a “fascist”. Nothing provokes an old Fabian more that than the illiberal use of the f-word to besmirch their socialist credentials.
During the widespread and serious civil unrest that marked the first Thatcher parliament, Tebbit became Secretary of State for Employment and famously told the growing number of jobless who were chucking bricks at the Old Bill that his unemployed father did not riot but got on his bike and looked for work. Under his son’s stewardship, unemployment increased to levels not seen since the 1930′s when dear old dad was peddling around the lanes of Enfield…
Comment
The Plastic Hippo 21 Oct 10
It was a bad and shameful day. The axe and not the ballot box has prevailed. Inherited wealth and privilege once again holds sway over those unfortunate enough to be born poor. Glib rhetoric describing “fairness” has replaced any semblance of care, compassion and responsibility.
The sight of democratically elected representatives screaming with the frenzied delight of a dog fight audience as each new cut to burden the weak, the disadvantaged and the vulnerable was announced in parliament, will sicken anyone who cherishes civilization. The breathtaking arrogance of Osborne and his rich chums in punishing those in need for the excesses of other rich chums will result in anger or worse, or utter, abject despair in those who played no part in creating a banking crisis that, to use the very words of Gideon, “brought us to the brink of bankruptcy”…
Business
Telegraph 21 Oct 10
The Chancellor insisted that he will stick to his plan for cuts, even after economists suggested he should be prepared to change course if the UK economy slips back into recession.
Mr Osborne yesterday set out a four-year plan to eliminate the structural deficit in the public finances, cutting welfare payments and Whitehall departments’ budgets.
The Institute for Fiscal Studies, an independent think-tank, has warned that the deficit could turn out to be larger than expected, and suggested that Mr Osborne should review his plans after two years…
Business
BusinessDesk 20 Oct 10
Chancellor George Osborne today unveiled the biggest programme of public sector cuts seen in this country in a generation.
With health spending deemed untouchable – it was the welfare budget, cut by £7bn – which bore the brunt of the £83bn worth of cuts, which Mr Osborne confirmed will lead to nearly 490,000 public sector job losses over the next four years.
In what was undoubtedly the biggest economic and political balancing test of George Osborne’s brief career in Government, the Chancellor said his statement was focused on ‘reform and fairness’ and bringing the economy ‘back from the brink’.
Labour and trade unions reacted angrily, claiming the cuts were too deep and would plunge the economy back into recession…
News
BBC Black Country 19 Oct 10
Walsall Councill has said it hopes to maintain as many services as it can ahead of planned government cuts but warned jobs would be cut.
In March, council leader Mike Bird said a 10% cut in government funding would mean a 50% cut in staff.
Now, the Conservative-controlled council said community groups may also be asked to run libraries and charities would be asked to do more…
Comment
The Plastic Hippo 19 Oct 10
Ask a coalition politician for the time of day and he or she will tell you that the budget deficit will ruin the country and that you should go and buy your own watch. Ask for directions to the local A&E and you will be told that reckless spending under Labour has resulted in its closure. Ask for the price of a cup of tea and you will be informed that your resultant head wounds are the fault of the profligate Mr Brown.
On Wednesday at 12:30, Gideon Osborne will present to parliament his Comprehensive Spending Revue. Heir to the Ballentaylor baronetcy and beneficiary of a £4million trust fund from his daddy’s company, the Chancellor after a glittering working career that saw him go from the Bullingdon Club to Conservative Central Office and then to the Commons, will spell out the misery that awaits us all. We should listen carefully because when the axe falls it will fall quickly and the cuts will be masked by the hollow chatter of the dreadful inherited deficit, toughness and fairness, scroungers and lead swingers…
Business
Walsall Council 14 Sep 10
Business leaders have been urged to set their alarm clocks to have their say on how Walsall Council spends its budget.
A 7am breakfast meeting is set to be staged at Walsall College on Thursday 28 September as part of a drive to ask business people how they would like to see the money spent…