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Local Talkback
Talkback is for the residents and businesses in Liphook to voice their views and opinions about local issues and events.


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Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (22nd Jan 2025 - 10:20:26)

Hampshire County Council has applied for exceptional financial measures due to budget pressures.

In order to fund it's budget gap, it may raise council tax by "double digits" and possibly up to 15% from April.

This massive, above inflation rise comes alongside plans for devolution, and denial of local elections in May 2025.

'Make Hampshire Great Again'

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (23rd Jan 2025 - 09:13:49)

Seen it on Beeb web pages, the deficit they claim to have is all because of poor management by HCC, and now we're denied a vote too.

As for planning that'll not sell the houses that they are insisting on the area building, it'll kill the property market dead.

HCC don't deserve anything further from us all because they aren't competent sufficiently to manage the business.
Who's about to find an extra 10% and say or do nothing, quite frankly it's appalling practice.

Whoever voted labour you have got exactly what you wanted, not taxing the working man, lie after lie so far.. clearly you don't recall what they did previously!

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (23rd Jan 2025 - 10:03:42)

I'm reminded of the saying: Socialist government's fail when they run out of other people's money.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- C (23rd Jan 2025 - 11:36:26)

Hampshire County Council has been controlled by conservatives since 1997, and has had a deficit due to poor management and previous government pension policies for years. Can’t blame Labour for this!

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (23rd Jan 2025 - 13:19:27)

Sure can if they get it approved!

What happened to not taxing the working man?

What a load of nonsense.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- er (23rd Jan 2025 - 23:27:29)

It's probably around £20 a month on average, if you're earning over a certain amount, low earners exempt!

My great aunt pays far more than that on dog healthcare every month, I'm sure a lot of us with cats and dogs do.

Remember we're all in it together? Well this is where we put in!

The average pay increase in the UK last year was around £2,500, I should imagine it was higher in the southwest, we can pay for our council services and if we need help, there is help available.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (24th Jan 2025 - 09:20:59)

@C - you miss the point, it is due to Central Govt (Labour) budget settlements and devolution requirements.

Remember - there is no £22bn black hole, and Rachel from Accounts is crashing the economy. All on Labour's watch.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (24th Jan 2025 - 09:40:26)

If there was a 22 billion black hole then the hole is a great deal bigger now. Rachel Reeves is stubborn and incompetent. The news about the economy this morning is even more depressing.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (24th Jan 2025 - 14:29:22)


& not just Rachel Reeves who is incompetent, lets name all the seniors in Labour,eg David Lammy ( completely undiplomatic), Angela Rayner ( way out of her depth),Yvette Cooper ( spineless) etc etc,especially Starmer ,who just needs to get back to his old day job.
He doesn't know if he's a lawyer or a leader,and not great at either!

Its more depressing day by day!

& 'er I don't have cats or dogs because I can't afford their accompanying cost overheads.
If I have to find an extra £20 for C.T. it basically will have to come from either less heating or less food......out of touch me thinks there..er.
We don't all have wealthy aunts,in fact some of us have little / no support financially,no winter fuel allowance and so on.yes believe it.

Roll on Spring lighter evenings and warmer ( hopefully) weather.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Horrified (24th Jan 2025 - 15:14:03)

How can this government carry on we are going backwards at a fantastic rate. More and more people out of work businesses going abroad because of the ridiculous burdens put upon them small businesses shutting up shop because they can’t afford to keep going. It’s the 70s all over again.. Bring back Boris the only statesman we have at least he stood up to the corrupt EU. Pity the IRON LADY isn’t around.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Paul (24th Jan 2025 - 15:40:08)

Er I wish I got a £2500 pay rise a year, lucky you, other people lucky to get £200 a year.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (27th Jan 2025 - 09:19:01)

Agree with you Paul, most people these days are lucky just to keep their jobs another week - let alone a pay increase.

So HCC are pressing ahead to implement a 15% increase from April.

I really do think it's time for local residents to unite and fight this. Everything from emailing our MPs, formally objecting to HCC, perhaps our Parish Council could take a pro-resident stance and object.

If you look at the groups who sway Labour to give them money - train drivers, junior doctors, teachers - they all got their way once they became organised.

On this I admire the French. No way would they take a 15% tax increase without protesting. They'd be blocking council offices, entering chambers during debates, replanting the roads as gardens and camping out for weeks. All peacefully.

This time we should become organised, otherwise it's another tax that will continually increase once HCC gets a taste.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve Miller (27th Jan 2025 - 10:26:20)

Hmm.
But on the other thread about the flooding issue on Haslemere Road, you bemoan HCC's failure to fix our roads.
Increased demands for public services plus a massive reduction in central government funding to local authorities means that the money has to come from somewhere!

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (27th Jan 2025 - 11:17:56)

It's great that everything people say is permanently in the internet!

“A Labour government would freeze your council tax this year – that’s our choice. A tax cut for the many, not just for the top 1 per cent.”

Kier Starmer, March 2023

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (27th Jan 2025 - 13:12:10)

Yes Steve, but it's WHAT the council now spends money on. It's not the infrastructure and services that the tax payers believe they are paying for.

I won't signpost as frankly we're all on edge now that the Govt scrapes social media to 'evaluate sentiment' at a user level, but a quick search on current news stories should highlight what our taxed money is actually going towards these days.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (27th Jan 2025 - 14:05:43)

hants.gov.uk/aboutthecouncil/budgetspendingandperformance/budgetandcounciltax

I believe that this is the proposed HCC budget for 25/26. Perhaps you could help us understand where you don't belive that the council should be spending our money?

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (27th Jan 2025 - 16:37:35)

Well said Steve. So often people complain or question on this site without doing any research.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (27th Jan 2025 - 17:05:35)

Here are some items you may wish to 'research' ....

youtu.be/O4vQLa7_76k

x.com/robprogressive/status/1883868377837658161

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (27th Jan 2025 - 18:06:12)

Hmm
You don't seem keen to answer a straightforward question 🤔

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (28th Jan 2025 - 09:59:10)

Local Government sets the local council tax rate not National Government. National Government give money to Local Government in the form of grants. With regard to what Keir Starmer says, I have long learnt to disregard anything he says either now or in the past as he has shown himself to be, like many politicians, only saying what people want to hear and what will give him and his party votes. He and his Chancellor do not seem to understand the meaning of lying. I do not call going on to X a reliable form of research.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (28th Jan 2025 - 10:01:45)

Steve, under our current regime I don't wish to directly answer your question as I would expect a jail sentence.

But the information you require is available and in this case (a) please search for it, and (b) I suspect you already know the answer to your own question and are purposely baiting.

It's 1984 by the way.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (28th Jan 2025 - 10:48:19)

Well, conspiracy theories aside, the pie chart available in the link I posted previously (it's actually this year's budget) is rather sobering showing the surprisingly small proportion of funding available for the universal services group which includes the most publicly visible things such as roads and waste collection/disposal.
I don't pretend to have the answers but this seems clearly unsustainable. I suspect that a similar chart from 10 years ago would have looked very different. Something clearly has to change.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (28th Jan 2025 - 12:09:45)

@ Was Undecided Now Decided. Steve is not baiting. He had posted a reliable link clearly stating details of the Council's budget. He was merely asking you what you thought. You have declined to answer which is your right but to call his question baiting is, IMO very unfair.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (29th Jan 2025 - 08:56:50)

Yes Charlie, you are correct - clearly I don't wish to be drawn with too many details for reasons I pointed out earlier. Free speech in this country is becoming increasingly dangerous.

As but one example of the reasons behind Hampshire and other councils facing record budget deficits, is the record proportion of tax raised going to fund staff pensions. HCC made a £281,000,000 pension contribution payment in 2024 - paid for by us, the tax payer. That is approximately 34% of the total council tax requirement.

Over 1/3 of your council tax is directly paying the pensions of council staff, it is not going towards any services that tax payers benefit from.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (29th Jan 2025 - 11:25:59)

Was Undecided Now decided I think the same applies to any public sector worker - you only have to look at the Civil Service. I am not saying that it is right or wrong, but posting on this site is going to make no difference at all. You could contact HCC direct or your MP or draw up a petition. I think if anyone, as had been suggested in a previous post, refuses to pay their Council Tax this would be most unwise as it could lead to serious consequences for them and may in the future increase Council Tax if Councils have to take legal actions against the perpetrators. A bit like shoplifting. It has been said that some people feel that shoplifting is justified because of the high prices that are charged by some shops The consequence of this in the long term is that shops put their prices up and the lawful consumer suffers.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (29th Jan 2025 - 14:09:14)

I can't find the pension contribution figure in the budget but assuming the £281m is correct that amounts to something like 23% of employment costs which is a lot but of course reducing it would be emotive and complicated.
Public sector pensions tend to be less generous than they once we're with most schemes being now based on average rather than final salaries but they clearly provide better pensions than the private sector.

They key issue in any comparison ie how the total packages stack up including base salary plus any other benefits as well as pension contributions. It is generally accepted that public sector salaries tend to be lower than those available for similarly qualified and experienced people. That may not always be the case but it certainly applied in my own background as a civil engineer where my earnings were certainly higher than would have been the case in public sector positions.

I rather suspect that public sector pensions will eventually become less attractive as we are clearly reaching the point where the numbers are unsustainable but it would be naive to expect radical change over a short timescale

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- C (29th Jan 2025 - 15:56:12)

Important to appreciate that the cost of local public sector pensions is nothing to do with the current government. It’s determined by the terms of the final salary pension contract and the calculations of the actuary regarding the contributions required. I don’t think there is much that HCC can do to change this - it will need national change as this type of pension is simply too expensive - most companies have closed them.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Paul (29th Jan 2025 - 16:31:18)

We should be allowed to vote on what they can spend our money on if value for money most time its not bet you buy the most expensive toilet rolls for their precious butts

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (29th Jan 2025 - 17:39:06)

Hmm. And how exactly would that work Paul?

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Paul (30th Jan 2025 - 16:14:30)

give themselves a 15% pay rise more likely or more
Cost of living

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (30th Jan 2025 - 19:59:19)

I could be wrong but I think it was 3.5% this year.
Not really sure what you are getting at with these comments 🙄

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (31st Jan 2025 - 10:08:39)

Steve and Charlie, you like to ask questions so please allow me to ask you some.

Are you happy to pay a 15% increase in your Council Tax in the coming year? If so, can you share your reasons for accepting a 15% Council Tax increase?

Are you happy with everything HCC spends your Council Tax on? If so, can you confirm that includes every single scheme - current and future - that you support?

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (31st Jan 2025 - 11:08:46)

Happy is not really the right word. Prepared to recognise that an increase of this level might be justified, is a better way of putting it. In any case even if Government approves HCC's request this won't translate into a 15% increase in council tax as the bulk of these payments go to EHDC and other bodies such as the police. I haven't heard any suggestion that such large increases are planned in these other areas.

HCC are under particular pressure along with many other similar local authorities following years of funding cuts from central government combined with a legal obligation to provide increasingly expensive vital services such as schools, other children's services and social care. Their budgets have only been balanced in previous years by drawing from reserves which are rapidly running out. In short the council is headed for bankruptcy unless something changes.

I have no detailed understanding of each area of proposed expenditure and certainly cannot guarantee that there is no inefficiency or unnecessary spending but it is surely down to people with views such as yours to flag up where you consider savings can be made. Previous posts referred to high pension contributions but as others have pointed out, this is an issue that has to be addressed nationally rather than locally.

There is a worrying tendency in our society to demand high levels of services while being horrified when asked to pay for them. Other examples of this include the NHS and the Water Industry which is an area I know a lot more about than local government finances.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- er (31st Jan 2025 - 12:49:16)

They've bled us dry, they've taken everything we ever had, not just from us but from our fathers and from our father's fathers and what have they ever given us in return?

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (31st Jan 2025 - 15:13:43)

Steve miller's post was an excellent one and I don't think I can add anything to it because I agree with it's contents 100%.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- C (31st Jan 2025 - 15:43:45)

Well said Steve Miller.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (31st Jan 2025 - 17:26:20)

Thanks Steve, glad to hear you are willing to pay an above inflation 15% council tax rise in 2025.

And Charlie, while not as detailed thanks for indirectly confirming you are also willing to pay more council tax.

I'm not. Having worked alongside central and local government in various roles, I cannot support paying them any more of our already taxed to the hilt income for the service levels they provide, let alone the ridiculous internal schemes and initiatives that they operate.

That's beside the fact that local elections are being postponed in 2025, and that the proposed route to the 15% increase is designed so as not to require a referendum.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (31st Jan 2025 - 20:06:23)

Well WUND, if you think that bills will be lower in the event that HCC becomes bankrupt I fear that you are destined to even more disappointment and frustration!

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (1st Feb 2025 - 03:44:14)


@er
Well you have your great aunt to lean on so what do you care!
Your posts make no sense whatsoever.

As for Steve miller, Charlie and C, likely all one of the same and back one another all too often.
Steve if you have no knowledge of social care stick to civils and stay out of the discussion, social care is in a different league of costs and has been poorly managed for decades.Its a huge burden for the tax payer that along with educational needs that it seems we should all contribute towards both because of course we are a civilised society!
Never mind the assessment thresholds,who set those umm ... and what industry knowledge did he/she have I wonder if any.
Why exactly in your expert opinion do you think the social care costs are so high Steve miller?
That's going to be an interesting response!.... can't wait, please don't quote me the thresholds etc...

We might as well have Donny in charge he demonstrates more common sense than anyone remotely possible of leading this country.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (1st Feb 2025 - 10:08:19)

Susie I can assure you that I am not posting under the name of Steve Miller or C. Please check with the Editor if you do not believe me.

It always amazes me that if two or three people actually agree with each other on this site they are accused of being one and the same person. It seems to be beyond your comprehension that two or three people can agree with no bias or alternative motive.

Your remarks to Steve ergo that he should stay out of this discussion are unnecessary and rude. Who are you to tell anyone on this site to stay out of a discussion?

Your remark to er is stupid, unedifying and presumptive. You do not know anything about er or his/her relationship with his/her aunt.

With regard to your question about the cost of social care, one of the main reasons IMO as is the case with NHS, is that people are living longer and as they grow older they need more care and the main reason we are living longer is because there are more cures for diseases and illnesses. Perhaps you think culling would be a good idea to bring down the cost of social care.

I find that the people who moan and whinge the most are the people who contribute the least to society.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (1st Feb 2025 - 12:11:39)

Oh dear. It seems that I am going to have to agree with Charlie which will doubtless reinforce Susie's suspicions🙄

Susie's complaints about the costs of social care are a bit difficult to pin down but I guess that she believes that many are receiving various benefits who don't really need or even deserve them.

I freely acknowledge that my experience in this matter is limited to observing the care received by elderly relatives as they neared the end of their lives. These was never any doubt about need in those situations and for the most part it was delivered by hardworking and caring people who were probably poorly paid and under great pressure to get to thir next client. My wife was actually one of these carers for a couple of years.

Non the less, I am sure that there are examples of people milking the system but the challenge here is weeding out that group without damaging those who most definitely need the current level of support if not more. This is far easier to do in theory than in practice. In any event most of this is completely outside of the control of HCC who, as I mentioned before, have a statutory obligation to provide care under a framework defining need and entitlement set out at national level.

In other words HCC have very little scope to make material savings in these areas without a change in the rules at a higher level.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (3rd Feb 2025 - 12:58:20)

First to you Charlie I'm not interested in your opinion of me,its irrelevant.

Secondly as it would seem you both have little knowledge of how social care is funded I'll briefly enlighten you.

Health and social care were conjoined some years back with limited success.
Both are funded completely differently and separately, with not much collaboration between them.

Health care is as we all know is free at the point of delivery ( for now), whereas social care is means tested.
Put quite simply if you are assessed as requiring a care home residential placement and are social care dependent you will,if you own your own home be paying for yourself,at extortionate rates.
Nothing wrong there however you could be in a room next to someone who doesn't own their own home and is fully funded by the local authority ( the tax payer).

Many people object to this and the savings you are permitted to retain haven't increased for years the previous government were in the process of raising the cap on this, but that has been squashed.

Now you can do the maths and consider the demographics of this area, and calculate how much the local authority will require because as you say the population is living longer.

Up and down the country many local authorities now own properties because once in a residential care home you are unlikely to return to your own home.

Now if its health care you require in a residential nursing home you will receive some funding ( not all).
Its a compllex framework of assessments that are stacked against you even if you have complex needs that are degenerative.

That's only part of it because social care includes learning disabilities and suported living usually funded by the local authority ( you and me) ,and its likely to be from birth until death.

Do the maths again etc.

As for culling as Charlie quoted,its aka the assisted dying bill, maybe take a look at that before making such a silly retort.

Its all there if you do some research perhaps in your own interests be careful because you can't gift your property if you need to move into long term care to protect your assets, whilst you may have worked all your life for your little bit of England and your neighbour lived his life to the full spending every penny he had,he gets it for free and quite frankly you pay.

Check out the long term plans for Hants you may not like what you find!

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Andy (3rd Feb 2025 - 21:30:28)

Sadly we pay so much in road tax, there are more pot holes than ever…

The council seem more worried about having social events than sorting either the health care.. more home being built yet the services such as doctors dentists schools are well limited in Liphook. All of great jobs and cannot say they are poor they are not the staff in there do the best they can and compared to some countries are glowing.

My concern is the regional and local council is merging and we have some councillors whom seem to be fixed on their own agendas. Feels no one has our the public’s voice.

15% you tell that to people on low incomes and the more mature trying to make things meet with the winter fuel allowance. Maybe Penn’s place should make cut backs before spending our money!

Before you ask I run a small business and have elderly family whom I support even taking them to hospital appointments in Portsmouth, also three new tyres from pot hole damage since 4th December 2024 maybe the council could repay me..

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (4th Feb 2025 - 08:30:27)

Andy
You can claim for tyre damage if you gather the evidence at the time ( not always that simple),but they do pay out, you will need photos etc, road numbers and so on.
Some potholes they are already informed of others not yet.
I've already successfully made two claims.
Best of.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (4th Feb 2025 - 09:05:56)

As 'Mr Rules' himself said: "We are putting more money in your pocket". And "Our plans are fully costed", "We will not raise tax for working people" and "Let me be absolutely clear, we will not raise council tax".

He said that before his 'key worker' voice coach popped around during Covid for a 1:1 lesson.

Then did this (courtesy of Daniel ShenSmith):

❌ NOT likely to get pay rise (where has this come from?)
❌ Winter Fuel Allowance
❌ 20% VAT on school fees
❌ Council tax increases
❌ Water bill increases
❌ Employer NIC increases
❌ Lower ENIC threshold
❌ Stamp duty increase
❌ Energy price cap increase
❌ Farm IHT
❌ Job losses
❌ Prices to increase to meet costs
❌ Cash ISAs under threat

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (4th Feb 2025 - 09:26:51)

Returning to the title of this thread, it appears from today's announcement that the Government have turned down HCC's request to increase their share of council tax by 15% and presumably they will now be forced to balance their budget by taking yet more money from reserves which is clearly unsustainable in the medium to long term.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (4th Feb 2025 - 11:07:15)

Susie You are telling me nothing about social and health care that I do not already know. My mother and mother-in-law both had to go into nursing homes and they both owned their own houses so please do not patronise me – I have been through all the procedures and am well aware of the circumstances of people with money who have to end their days in nursing or care homes.
With regard to your and I quote “Its all there if you do some research perhaps in your own interests be careful because you can't gift your property if you need to move into long term care to protect your assets, whilst you may have worked all your life for your little bit of England and your neighbour lived his life to the full spending every penny he had, he gets it for free and quite frankly you pay.” I do not understand the point you are making as the content is well known to me and probably a great many other people so again please do not patronise me or anyone else. Your phrase that, someone who has spent his money during his lifetime and has no savings/house receives social and nursing care for nothing, whereas someone who has saved hard, has a house and savings, has to pay. Yes Susie we all know that. It is a free country and people can spend/save their money as they choose. You could say the same thing about Inheritance Tax. Some people wish to pass on money to their children and live their life accordingly and are taxed accordingly whereas others spend and are not concerned with leaving anything to anybody.
With regard to my remark about culling I said this because you complain about the system but do not suggest anything to change it. It was flippant and if it offended then I apologise. Please let me know what you would do to make changes that would benefit all. I await to read with interest.
With regard to potholes and damaged tyres I had both tyres ruined by a pothole a couple of years ago and got absolutely nowhere with regard to getting compensation so good luck with that. I did try, but heyho who said life was fair!

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Pete (4th Feb 2025 - 13:01:18)

EHDC Conservative for 15 years prior to boundry changes another 27 years. Government Conservative last 14 years. Whos fault would it be?

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (4th Feb 2025 - 13:28:41)

Indeed Steve, the 15% rise was rejected but the story hasn't ended yet.

HCC are meeting this afternoon (4 Feb) to determine how to proceed with an above 4.99% rise. They are likely to have to hold a referendum on increases above 5% and up to 10%.

So as a minimum we can expect a 5% increase in Council Tax, and we need to be mindful of (a) the requirement on HCC to hold a referendum above 5%, and (b) use our future voice to express our views.

"Let me be clear, we will not raise Council Tax" - but HCC residents might do it to themselves via referendum, giving Mr Rules an out ... !

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Joe (4th Feb 2025 - 13:53:01)

Perhaps they could look to make some savings before they dip into the reserves? Sell off some of their loss making commercial properties for a start.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Paul (4th Feb 2025 - 19:40:44)

the referendum be fixed anyway so can put it up more
Maybe look at what spend on its painting road with rainbows
Given themselves big bonus and pay rises
In general wasting money full stop

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (4th Feb 2025 - 20:40:21)

Joe, they could also start cutting back in other areas before attempting a 15% (now likely to be 10%) council tax increase:

https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2025/02/04/councils-spend-taxpayer-money-playstations-asylum-seekers/

(Worth selecting HCC to see local values and spend - plenty of £m's to save before increasing our tax).

Or as I saw earlier today - a political commentator asking if the extra cash Mr Rules promised in the working person's pocket will cover their new council tax bill?

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (4th Feb 2025 - 22:18:34)

Well it seems the angst is over because the government has blocked HCC request to raise tax by 15%.

So Charlie you can calm down get off your soap box and refrain from asking me for all the answers!
Business development costs money and its certainly not going to be given away anytime soon to you I'm afraid.

Tyres well yep i must have got lucky because i was reimbursed, but maybe its the way i said it, and not just what i said....

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (5th Feb 2025 - 11:59:54)

Susie I don’t know why you have to be so rude. I am perfectly calm and not on any soap box. All I asked was that, instead of criticising HCC, you explain what measures you would take to reduce the cost of social care and what other measurers could HCC take to reduce costs in order to avoid raising Council Tax. You have chosen not to answer the question and that is your right. With regard to your statement “Business development costs money and its certainly not going to given away anytime soon to you I’m afraid” (a) I am puzzled and don’t understand the words “soon to you” and b) You are not afraid at all.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (5th Feb 2025 - 13:10:43)

Perhaps instead of arguing about words and semantics, we could re-focus on what matters - getting value for our Council Tax, querying what it's spent on, sharing supporting material and ensuring citizens get a referendum for any above-inflation tax rises.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (5th Feb 2025 - 14:22:22)

Despite the all too frequent political posturing on this thread, I don't believe we have yet seen so much as one practical suggestion as to where Hampshire County Council's spending is wasteful or unnecessary 🤔

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Charlie (5th Feb 2025 - 14:28:44)

I couldn't agree more Was Undecided Now Decided. That is exactly what I have been trying to say. Instead of griping and moaning on this site let us have some input and ideas to put to your County Councillor, Debbie Curnow-Ford. She is very proactive, approachable and helpful. All her contact details are listed on HCC's Website. It is all too easy to hide behind a computer, typing away and pretend you know everything when really you don't, and worse still, are not actually prepared to do anything to change the things about which you complain.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Was Undecided Now Decided (5th Feb 2025 - 15:08:21)

I tend to agree Charlie, and suspect we are making similar points.

I would just add that from my side, this site and others allow people to 'discuss' and therefore play a valuable role in debate. Absolutely nothing wrong with them, and we should be grateful for them. Free speech is important, and we don't all have to like what each other says - but we can state things, and we can disagree etc.

There is also a valid point in communicating - sensibly - to our elected officials to ensure they know what concerns the community.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Joe (5th Feb 2025 - 19:13:32)

I do not know how more specific I can be for Steve Miller but some years ago both Hampshire County Council and EHDC embarked on a policy of buying commercial properties at high prices. This was obviously done with Tax payers money. This policy has caused huge losses because the expected income from commercial rents have not materialised. We, the taxpayer are now having to subsidise these losses and our council tax increases will reflect this. Did we as taxpayers make them take this course of action? No.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Steve miller (5th Feb 2025 - 23:23:01)

Thank you Joe.
I was not aware that this had happened in HCC (or in EHDC for that matter) although I have certainly read about such issues in other councils such as Woking and Birmingham. Do you have any links that would help understand how this has contributed to the current state of affairs?

In any event, deplorable and misguided as those decisions may have been, the consequences have to be dealt with by the current HCC leadership and councillors and I fear that there is little that can be done at this point in time to mitigate the damage.

I therefore repeat my challenge to the many outspoken critics on this forum to come forward with examples of unnecessary of wasteful current spending in the proposed budget that is within the current control of the county council which along with many other similar bodies appears to be headed for bankruptcy in the not too distant future.

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Editor (6th Feb 2025 - 10:06:30)

From Shine Radio

shineradio.uk/2024/09/ehdc-budget-blackhole-grows-bigger

"Documents from EHDC reveal its budget shortfall is now even bigger and the majority of that is due to its underperforming property portfolio.

Cllr James Hogan spoke to Shine Radio’s Phill Humphries about his concerns about the role of the property portfolio and the impact that the shortfall is going to have."

Re: Hampshire 15% Council Tax Rise Being Considered
- Susie (6th Feb 2025 - 15:16:03)

Charlie

I wouldn't wait for my repliy because I've known a few Charlie's in my time and they are always right.

So over and out, If you don't like it move on, your comments are irrelevant.

As for HCC do the demographics as i mentioned earlier and you will easily see where money is being allocated, its not rocket science.

Perhaps higher CT on second homes yes there are plenty and a tourist tax at the ports.
Good luck!

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