Why do some Councils set out to annoy the people who pay for them?

I recently received a demand for Ā£10 to keep open my Congestion Charge account from Transport for London. I have to pay an annual charge of Ā£10 to maintain an electronic account to pay them money should I dare to drive on Londonā€™s roads which I have helped pay for. Why? there is no cost to them in leaving my account on their computer.

This week I received a letter from Westminster Council demanding I fill in a form to confirm my little Ā flat is still a second home. I have had to fill in such a form every year . It makes no difference to the amount of Council Tax I pay anyway. Why donā€™t they just tell residents they have a duty to inform should a second home become a prime or only residence or vice versa?

Many Councils Ā treat car parking as a means to threaten tax paying residents with fines. They make you play the game of guess how long it will take to hold a meeting or have a coffee or do some shopping. If you guess wrongly and do not pay enough in advance they slap a fine on you. Why not say if you have gone a few minutes over you can pay for the extra time without it being an offence, up to some suitable overrun limit?Ā  Better still why not pay on exit for the time you used? There could be a penalty for anyone trying to park all day in a 2-4 hour limit park. It does not help a shopping centre to have people rushing round afraid they will be fined if they linger too long.

Highways authorities delight in making it more and more difficult to drive around. They seem to want to cut the productivity and raise the costs of all the businesses which deliver us goods, or come to our homes to provide services. They prefer lights over roundabouts, want to mix cycle lanes with main roads instead of keeping them safely separate, and are regularly narrowing or closing routes. They allow long periods of road closure to carry out works, and are happy to see mainĀ  utilities put under the tarmac down the centre of main roads to maximise the disruption every time they need repair, maintenance or replacement.

Councillors should look at all Council services and charges from the viewpoint of the long suffering Council Tax payer and insist on it all being more customer friendly.

225 Comments

  1. Peter Wood
    August 6, 2021

    Sir John,

    Please do not fall into the hapless drivel of the twits on Twitter. What you describe and complain of is a SYMPTON of the problem, not the problem. The problem is too many people chasing the same parking space/licence/road or whathaveyou. We don’t have sufficient space nor econmic capacity to service the demands of the population.

    1. Peter
      August 6, 2021

      Peter Wood,

      You do not address the complaint about having to guess how long parking will be required. Car parks used to be manned with payment on departure. No fines, no fine revenue.

      1. Mockbeggar
        August 6, 2021

        That could still be done by putting the number of your vehicle into a machine and paying on leaving either with cash or card. There could be a time limit depending on the location etc.

        1. jerry
          August 6, 2021

          @Mockbeggar; That will still not stop the automated fines, claiming that you did not follow the instructions, or you used the incorrect machine, or you simply suffered the designed in ‘fat finger’ problem. Many private car parks now make much of their money from imposing fines as they do/did from the per hour parking charges, some have even been known to try it on basically, how many people keep their ticket/receipt, by the time the ‘fine’ lands on the door mate any evidence that proves innocence is often long gone, cheaper and less hassle to simply pay the offered lower penalty payment within the 10 days or what ever! Call be cynical if you want, much car parking has become legalised theft…

      2. Alan Jutson
        August 6, 2021

        Peter
        No cost of supervision either with an automatic gate.

    2. jerry
      August 6, 2021

      @Peter Woods; “We donā€™t have sufficient space nor econmic capacity to service the demands of the population.”

      But we used to, and the indigenous adult population is actually falling, so what changed?

      I fear it is people such as you Peter who have fallen for “the hapless drivel of the twits on Twitter” (and other social media, such a personal blogs & diaries…), finding scapegoats to blame for the ills of what you and thise others voted for – from income tax cuts to de-regulation/privatisation of public transport, the contracting out of pubic services (such as car parks) to private companies who need to make a profit rather than run a service, or the selling off of car parks as brown-field building land (commercial or residential) to appease the local NIMBYs who do not want their view or value spoilt etc.

      1. NickC
        August 6, 2021

        Jerry, That is disingenuous – why specify the “indigenous adult population”? Because it suits your prejudices? In fact, the total UK population has grown enormously in the last quarter century (1996 – 58.2m; 2021 – 67.5m; source ONS) mainly due to the immigration of adults. Almost all that increase has been in England. That’s what’s changed. Along with the usual poor standards from state run services which is the norm, which you never acknowledge.

        1. jerry
          August 6, 2021

          @NickC; Nice rant, only trouble is, in your haste to rubbish me, you have made the case for -perhaps even higher levels of- immigration, give that you accept the indigenous population of the UK has been failing (for the last 40 years or so)!…

      2. Peter2
        August 8, 2021

        Congratulations Jerry
        You win rant of the week on this site.

    3. lifelogic
      August 6, 2021

      Drivel – building sufficient parking is simple and cheap but you need LEA planning permission. Residents parking is introduced in areas where there has been no lack of parking just to raise money and fine people. Plus it is not just parking but bus and bike lanes used to mug road users too.

      1. lifelogic
        August 6, 2021

        Why does Borisā€™s Gov. and green loon Carrie set out to annoy the people by ramming the idiotic Ā£trillions Net Zero religion, expensive energy and HS2 down their throats?

        1. glen cullen
          August 6, 2021

          In 3 odd years when the Tories lose the next election to Labour, theyā€™ll say they didnā€™t realise that their new working class common voters only voted for them to get ā€˜brexitā€™ done and didnā€™t want all the net zero green rubbish and high migrationā€¦power corrupts, Boris might have London but he doesnā€™t have the country

          1. Alan Jutson
            August 6, 2021

            +1

          2. Bill B.
            August 6, 2021

            +1

          3. Everhopeful
            August 6, 2021

            + several million
            That new party had better hurry upā€¦or Mr Tice should get a bit more vocal.I hadnā€™t even heard of the Heritage Partyā€¦Mr Kurten. Pretty good ideas.
            All suppressed!

          4. lifelogic
            August 6, 2021

            +1 the sad thing is Labour/SNP will be far worse still.

          5. No Longer Anonymous
            August 6, 2021

            Nor did they vote to be patronised about washing up by a Blairist from the heart of Downing Street while back benchers look on powerless and cuckolded.

            We have got Corbynism on speed.

        2. DavidJ
          August 6, 2021

          Because their globalist mates tell them to do so.

    4. Fedupsoutherner
      August 6, 2021

      I can’t see that makes any difference to what John is saying.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        August 6, 2021

        That reply to Peter Wood.

        1. Peter Wood
          August 6, 2021

          Ask yourself ‘why these everyday things we think should be simple, low cost, issues in our normal daily lives are complicated and/or costly’? The answer is, there is insufficient supply for the demand. Now, either there is too much demand or there is too little supply, so the cost goes up. Are we an overcrowded little island or are we just badly managed. Sir J has identified only the symptoms of the problem, not the cause.

          1. NickC
            August 6, 2021

            Peter Wood, All too true.

    5. oldtimer
      August 6, 2021

      The examples provided by our host are clearly the result of the presence of governmentium. This element was discovered and defined several years ago as follows:
      Governmentium:

      To heck with copper or moly or niobium or germanium or gallium or arsenic,………….lets get some Governmentium.

      New research has led to the discovery of the heaviest element yet known to science. The new element, Governmentium (Gv), has one neutron, 25 assistant neutrons, 88 deputy neutrons, and 198 assistant deputy neutrons, giving it an atomic mass of 312.

      These 312 particles are held together by forces called morons, which are surrounded by vast quantities of lepton-like particles called peons. Since Governmentium has no electrons, it is inert; however, it can be detected, because it impedes every reaction with which it comes into contact. A minute amount of Governmentium can cause a reaction that would normally take less than a second to take from four days to four years to complete. Governmentium has a normal half-life of 5 years; It does not decay, but instead undergoes a reorganization in which a portion of the assistant neutrons and deputy neutrons exchange places. In fact, Governmentium’s mass will actually increase over time, since each reorganization will cause more morons to become neutrons, forming isodopes.

      This characteristic of moron promotion leads some scientists to believe that Governmentium is formed whenever morons reach a critical level of concentration. This hypothetical quantity is referred to as critical morass. When catalyzed with money, Governmentium becomes Administratium, an element that radiates just as much energy as Governmentium since it has half as many peons but twice as many morons.

      1. NickC
        August 6, 2021

        Oldtimer, Wonderful.

        1. No Longer Anonymous
          August 6, 2021

          +1

          Great contribution.

      2. Micky Taking
        August 7, 2021

        You don’t mention the unique force that repels Governmentium in what appears to be a 4 year cycle, yet then attracts morons by the million during the 5th year. This cluster then begins to radiate into groups commonly known as labyrinthm, libcrazy, a handful of little ones termed indynuts. This reaction noticably more evident in more southern warmer climes, yet historically colder climes have been observed forming red walls of heat further north.

    6. Peter Wood
      August 6, 2021

      Sorry, off topic, but it might be interesting for those who continually bash the NHS

      https://www.statista.com/chart/25474/country-healthcare-ranking/

      The NHS is not perfec but, according to this, its better than most…It could be the best!

      1. a-tracy
        August 6, 2021

        Peter Wood, but how many complaints aren’t filed I know a chap 30 weeks off work, told he hadn’t broken his foot when he stumbled in a pothole and got an X-ray, but he had, had an MRI 4 months after the incident, still waiting for any treatment at all, can’t walk properly, can’t drive, lives in a flat and is having problems with stairs, now on a crutch. This will be a big claim and has put a previously fit young man out of his job and into claiming ssp then benefits.

    7. Burton T.
      August 8, 2021

      After receiving a Ā£60 “fine” for parking in a half-empty car park on a Sunday having inadvertently miss-typed my Car Reg a couple of years ago, I fixed the problem.

      I simply upped the amount of online shopping I do from around 65% to about 90%. Still working on the remaining 10%.

      Saves a lot of time, hassle and money. Good old Amazon. I love ’em.

  2. Peter
    August 6, 2021

    Cars are seen by some councils as a source of revenue. Not only can they get money from car parking, but if they can trap motorists into manoeuvres or turns that incur a fine so much the better. Poor signage can boost this fine revenue.

    Rules and regulations are also seen as a demonstration of power by some. The Mayor of London often adopts this attitude.

    The result does not help High Streets. Free parking used to encourage visits. With parking fees, I now often choose to go into The West End, or drive to a shopping mall instead of using local town centres.

    1. lifelogic
      August 6, 2021

      Indeed. Follow the money, but it is a very inefficient form of taxation for money that is largely wasted or spent on excessive salaries and gold plated pensions for largely parasitic LEA bureaucrats. But Boris is actively encouraging the bike and bus lane road blocking/transport LEA vandalism.

    2. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      10 years ago we had a thriving high street with a 40 free car park, the council brought in a charge and the high street business lost 25% of trade, likewise our beach road was always free until 2 years ago, now the traffic canā€™t move due to everyone parking in the adjacent side roads, also with a drop of visitors by about 50%ā€¦..revenue first and last, local residents and business donā€™t get a look in

  3. jerry
    August 6, 2021

    Why do govts, that raise money via direct taxation, keep creating (or allowing others to create) these sorts of stealth taxes, why can’t govts simply be honest any more, tax peoples income and/or wealth at source and be done…

    Sir John, you helped create the beast you now complain about, pay up and be pleased, rather than bemoaning the fact that you are now expected to pay such stealth taxes, as you sit in congestion created from the fake “Climate Crisis”; otherwise someone speak the truth, like the small boy who dared to tell the truth, the King has no cloths on, time to stop spearing the political blushes or else sit down!

    1. jerry
      August 6, 2021

      As for Traffic-Lights vs Roundabouts, the reason road planners (who consider all road users) seem to prefer lights is because they allows all road users a chance, not just the overly congested (often trunk) through routes and thus cut the risk of accidents caused my impatience. A roundabout with four entries, two on a congested A route, two minor feeder roads, will never give equal access to those feeder roads as the level of traffic on the A road will never allow a break in through traffic – hence why road planners have often had to resort to placing traffic lights on roundabouts!

      1. lifelogic
        August 6, 2021

        ā€œwho consider all road usersā€ yes they consider motorists as cash cows to be mugged at every turn to fund their mad agenda. Otherwise to be deterred, blocked, fined & congested of the roads as far as is possible.

      2. Fedupsoutherner
        August 6, 2021

        I agree Jerry. There’s a prime example of this on the A5. During rush hour it’s shocling but if it weren’t for the lights on the roundabout the minor roads wouldn’t get on. Surely flyovers where possible for the busy trunk roads would make sense? We have several around us that would benefit.

      3. Bob Dixon
        August 6, 2021

        Give me roundabouts all day long.

        1. glen cullen
          August 6, 2021

          +1 they’re simple. cheap to build & maintain and eco (they don’t need any electricity)

          1. jerry
            August 6, 2021

            @glen cullen; Wrong on both accounts, proper roundabouts cost a fortune to build whilst there is little if any difference in electricity consumption when all the keep-left, chevrons lighting there often also needs to be additional street lighting on larger roundabout, then of course traffic light controlled pedestrian crossings also need to be provided anyway and in addition!

          2. Micky Taking
            August 6, 2021

            We have a roundabout next to a Cinema in Winnersh where I imagine the number of poles is a UK record. They do need electricity, and apparently cannot be turned off at night.

        2. hefner
          August 6, 2021

          BD, I guess you never have had to use the A322 between the entrance of Bracknell (coming from Reading) and the M3 any time between 7:30 and 8:45 or between 16:30 and 18:30.
          Roundabouts would be good if drivers knew the Highway Code.

    2. Mike Wilson
      August 6, 2021

      It is kind of obvious really. If I choose not to have a car, why should I be taxed on my income, or wealth, so that you can park your car?

      1. jerry
        August 6, 2021

        @Mike Wilson; That is the same rather silly argument CND tried to use in the 1980s against having their taxes used by the MOD, such an argument didn’t wash then either…

  4. DOM
    August 6, 2021

    They do this because they can. If the Tory-Labour duopoly can pass legislation to criminalise speech, destroy liberty by weaponising a virus and turn our lives upside down for political purposes, criminalise our identities and destroy business then they can pass laws banning this type of local authority abuse. They don’t do so quite simply because they don’t give a toss. It’s far easier to stand back, remain silent rather than confront the problem and incur the negative headlines in the press that will inevitably ensue whenever reform is impose on these self-serving bureaucrats whose only aim today is serving their own interests by expanding their budgets rather than serving the interests of the taxpayer and end-user

    Embrace reform. Embrace confrontation. Without these two commitments such abuses will continue and proliferate

    As an aside. I have now been told I must submit ‘biometric information’ (Facial and voice recognition using an I-Phone) in the near future to continue to use my Natwest (State owned so the drive is evidently political rather than consumer convenience) bank account. It sent a shiver down my spine as I am beginning to realise that digitalisation will be used to not make life easier and more convenient but to control access to essential services we all use to navigate through our daily lives.

    I would rather the Tory-Labour State be open about their totalitarian intent rather than this glacial erosion and immersion into what will become a most appalling monitoring environment.

    Your party’s embrace of this dreadful politics is a pure act of attack against those who vote for you and support you. It is the Socialists, Marxists and progressives fascists you should be targeting not decent, moral private people

  5. MiC
    August 6, 2021

    Westminster is a Tory council, John, so assuming that – so far as it can – it works according to Conservative ideology then I would have thought that you were better placed than most to answer the question that your headline poses.

    I have had dealings with a number of different ones in various places. I have to say, that Tory Wandsworth’s attitude to leaseholders on property for which they are the freeholder is quite egregiously high-handed, whereas Labour Calderdale have been nothing but helpful on everything from planning to refuse collection.

    So I think that your heading should include “some” before “councils”.

    1. MiC
      August 6, 2021

      I see that it does!

    2. Mike Wilson
      August 6, 2021

      Youā€™re not one of the army of buy to let parasites who, unable to find yield in the South, have bought in the North to price locals out there too?

      1. MiC
        August 6, 2021

        Absolutely not.

        We own a couple of properties – other family live in one, and we let the other to friends at a favourable rent.

        1. Narrow Shoulders
          August 6, 2021

          I am moved to ask why you have not given both of your additional properties to asylum seekers, refugees or job seeking locals?

          Is it only those without the funds to own multiple properties who you think should pay for your dogma?

          You have recently shown yourself to be the very definition of a champagne socialist and I will no longer read your hectoring submissions.

          1. MiC
            August 7, 2021

            I have never suggested that ordinary people should give up their homes to asylum claimants, and I don’t want those whose claims are unfounded here any more than you do.

            However, as I repeatedly inform you, their numbers are small anyway compared to those who land normally at airports on visas but who never leave. You are easy meat for this distraction over the French to divert you from the Tories’ failure to operate eBorders properly – to count people in and out – or to maintain a residency register as do e.g. the French.

            I don’t like champagne, but for those who enjoy it good luck to them, and I wish that as many people as possible could afford what they like.

            It’s cask bitter now and then for me.

        2. Micky Taking
          August 7, 2021

          Like I said before – champagne socialist.

  6. Old Albion
    August 6, 2021

    It all stems from councils using over-exaggerated climate nonsense to fill their coffers, yet at the same time trying to drive motor vehicles off the roads.

    1. turboterrier
      August 6, 2021

      Old Albion
      +1

  7. matthu
    August 6, 2021

    I recently parked at Dinton Pastures which has a pre-authorised parking system.

    I followed the instructed payment method for pre-authorised payment by entering my vehicle registration and presented my phone for payment, my credit card image popped up and I received a blue tick. The instructions told me that there was no requirement to display a ticket in my vehicle. On departure, I again presented my phone to the same machine and I received another blue tick. The system would calculate how much was due and debit my account.

    This should be so simple!

    Except that I also received penalty notice on the windscreen – presumably because the machine malfunctioned. I now need to go through an appeal process or pay a reduced Ā£25 fine or a full Ā£50 fine if I delay.

    1. lifelogic
      August 6, 2021

      They perhaps have an incentive for it to malfunction (as many do not have the time to appeal). If they are rented cars the rental companies just pay up and take the cash off the renter. Not easy or worth the time trying to recover it.

    2. Micky Taking
      August 6, 2021

      and similar happened to my wide at Winnersh Park & Ride. Logged in with correct car Reg , Driver checked she had. On return with same driver there was a glued Penalty. My wife had the paid Bus ticket proving travel both ways. Photocopied it all – sent in pointing out machine must fail, or attendant half asleep? Received a bizarre agreement to no fine, seemed to be translated from Chinese by a robot. Most strange acceptance and forgiveness English imaginable.

      1. No Longer Anonymous
        August 6, 2021

        OK. How about this ?

        Parking ticket machines do not allow for exact parking time to be paid and the charges go up in large increments. Why do you have to give your car registration number anyway ?

        They do not allow for a refund of unused time so why on earth shouldn’t I be allowed to give my ticket to anyone I like, including a stranger ?

        So the council steals your parking money (‘steal’ is the right word, you are not allowed a refund) and woe betide you if you are caught even slightly over your time – you are in the realms of criminality and they WILL prosecute you if you refuse to pay.

        On prosecution – a relative has been given a criminal record for Fly Tipping. What this actually was a site of unstaffed council recycling containers (unstaffed to cut costs) that had not been increased in size to accommodate the new estates in the area.

        ***** thought it sensible to leave his bags of kid’s clothing at the bottom of the textile bin but the council spy camera captured his ‘crime’ – he was sent a fine that he could not afford to pay and was so angry about it that he put it in the bin. He put the subsequent court orders in the bin too and that’s how it ended up so serious.

        Fly tipping is when some oik dumps a load of rubble and fridges in a country lane and as it happens ***** would have been criminal record free had he done this and not tried to use inadequate council services.

        1. No Longer Anonymous
          August 6, 2021

          The council recycling containers had been full and overflowing because of the increase in local demand because of new estates without extra services.

        2. hefner
          August 7, 2021

          NLA, Around Wokingham and Reading most parking ticket machines have been replaced by new ones that now require the driver to punch the car registration number on a screen before paying and getting a ticket.
          The benefit for the council is double: one, it is now impossible to pass a 2-hour ticket to another car driver if one has been faster than expected and has to leave much before the paid two hours; second, the same machines also allow to put the registration number and present credit card for people not knowing how long they will need the parking. The trick is not to forget to come back and present again the credit card to the machine before leaving, so that the proper charge is deducted, otherwise a full day parking charge is taken from the CC.
          I forgot to do it once, it cost me Ā£15.

    3. Sharon
      August 6, 2021

      Matthau
      That is why I refuse to use my phone as a debit card equivalent!

      Even with a debit card, Iā€™ve been charged twice despite assurances that the payment hadnā€™t gone through twice! Then the hassle of a less than simple method, online, of claiming back my money.

    4. Bob Dixon
      August 6, 2021

      Yes we have something similar in St Ives Cambs.
      Far too difficult for me to follow so I was unable to pay.
      Oh dear

      1. Alan Jutson
        August 6, 2021

        Same in Brighton and the telephone help line tells you to use the website for frequently asked questions and answers.

    5. Alan Jutson
      August 6, 2021

      Malfunctions at Dinton Pastures Car Park well known I am afraid.

      1. hefner
        August 7, 2021

        +1

  8. Mark B
    August 6, 2021

    Good morning.

    Why do some Councils set out to annoy the people who pay for them?

    Because they can and that there is no alternative to them. ie There is no one else that is likely to take their jobs.

    If you change the dynamic you most probably will get a different result.

    1. NickC
      August 6, 2021

      Spot on, Mark B. Governments are swayed by the loudest voices, which tend to be the most fashionable voices – green catastrophe porn being the loudest at the moment.

  9. Roy Grainger
    August 6, 2021

    Car owners are seen as handy sources of revenue, thatā€™s all. Incidentally, how is the Chancellor planning on replacing the Ā£20bn a year he collects in fuel duty when petrol cars are banned ?

    1. Wonky Moral Compass
      August 6, 2021

      Road pricing. Poor Andyā€™s Tesla wonā€™t be as economical to run.

      1. No Longer Anonymous
        August 6, 2021

        And nor will all those restrictions and charges to ‘stop pollution’ be removed once we are all electric car drivers.

      2. NickC
        August 6, 2021

        Wonky, And Andy will have to buy 132 EU low powered toasters to run his Tesla, too!

  10. Sakara Gold
    August 6, 2021

    Don’t take it personally. Its probably an algorithm on the councils’ computer system that is maintained by some jobsworth who can speak Latin.

    If you don’t send them the Ā£10 they will in all probability sell the “debt” to a firm of bailiffs who will turn up early one morning and clamp your car. The Ā£10 debt will by then have grown, miraculously, to Ā£750. If only my Sipp could perform so well…..

    The local garage sends me reminders every year, about the need to service and MoT a car that I disposed of three years ago. Despite my calling them every year to point out the error.

    1. David L
      August 6, 2021

      I get SMS reminders from DVLA telling me to MoT a car I’ve never owned!

    2. Mockbeggar
      August 6, 2021

      Re: your garage. Oh! the joys of modern digital technology.

    3. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      Even though I continually tell my electric supplier to stop sending me monthly texts about installing an ā€˜electric meterā€™ they still do, got one todayā€¦just love the new phrase in the text today ā€˜ā€™support upgrade to a smarter greener energy systemā€™ā€™ ā€¦..itā€™s a box that reads your consumption and sends that info to there billing department – another con paid for by the taxpayer

  11. Maylor
    August 6, 2021

    With regard to roadworks, I cannot understand why councils allow them to take so long to be completed. In my area, whenever I drive past works, there is rarely any activity or even any workmen present. I suspect that this is because the contractors have several sites on the go at the same time.

    Similarly, with the infilling of potholes, my council gives the maintenance teams a random list which is not based on proximity so the workmen spend more time travelling between potholes rather than repairing them.

    I have raised this with my local Conservative Councillor to no avail.

    1. Everhopeful
      August 6, 2021

      Are you thinking of the last year or so?
      Same thing hereā€¦eventually we discovered that one positive ā€œTESTā€ meant that the whole workforce was ā€œshieldingā€ or similar rot.
      Same thing in Post Office etc etc well before the ā€œpingbloodydemicā€ was fully known about.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        August 6, 2021

        Our friends postal service stopped completely because of ping.

        1. MiC
          August 6, 2021

          It stopped because of high incidence of covid19 infection.

          1. Fedupsoutherner
            August 6, 2021

            No. Only the one person tested positive. The others were fine. I know of two other people who work with around 20 people and they all had to isolate even though only the person who reported it was positive. Not a high incidence of Covid. A high incident of panic.

          2. No Longer Anonymous
            August 6, 2021

            That’s it then. Society grinds to a halt.

            (You’re loving it, MiC, admit it.)

          3. MiC
            August 7, 2021

            The UK has about five times the infection rate of once-mocked Italy.

      2. Maylor
        August 6, 2021

        No, this has always been the case. Even when the works are sited at major road junctions.

        1. Everhopeful
          August 6, 2021

          Ah wellā€¦when we had awful road blocking gas works for about 6 months with virtually no work being done for long stretches people in this road complained to the council about the firm. One of our theories was ( as you suggested) that the firm takes on too many jobs at once. They did regularly shift plant ( very noisily) at 5-6 am ( to the other job?) and then denied it. Their final excuse was covidā€¦..but their behaviour was most fishy!
          One dear to JRā€™s heartā€¦we now have a fibre broadband company dallying away out there occasionally doing a little work, digging up EXACTLY THE SAME TARMAC RECENTLY DUG UP AND RE- LAID BY THE GAS COMPANY!!

    2. MiC
      August 6, 2021

      The smaller the job, the fewer are the resources which are allocated to them, so the time taken remains long, is what I have found in many places.

      The cost to the local economy of the disruption does not appear on any relevant balance sheet I assume.

  12. Ian Wragg
    August 6, 2021

    Central government is just as bad with IR35 and the new pedestrian and cycling priority of the highway code.
    Forcing taxis to be wheelchair accessible when some may never carry one.
    The state always puts obstacles in the way of the productive sector just because they can.
    Less government at all levels is required.

    1. Everhopeful
      August 6, 2021

      Our Police Station spent thousands making their frontage ā€œaccessibleā€.
      Then the station was shut down.
      No loss though really.
      Immediately there was a rash of car windows being smashed and eventually the crowbar used ( allegedly) was ceremoniously laid on the closed Police Stationā€™s ramp!
      Councillors scratched their heads.

    2. Brian Tomkinson
      August 6, 2021

      +1

  13. Everhopeful
    August 6, 2021

    I believe that councillors are paid now?
    An extremely bad move in my opinion.
    The determination to secure such a sinecure is unbelievable. Fisticuffs at dawn. Really!
    Thus the dumbing down of local councillors.
    And of course backhanders re planning are now legal ā€¦so many, many underhand things go on. Midnight tree felling and the theft of public artefacts. Not good.
    Much dumbing down on the council. The illiterate and unintelligent make stupid decisions and are absolute sponges for rubbish, politically correct ā€œdirectivesā€.
    BLM light shows to counter waycism! No idea that they ( Conservative) are declaring themselves a Marxist council!

    1. J Bush
      August 6, 2021

      The only councillors who don’t get paid are parish councillors.

      Parish Councils are required to employ a clerk who deals with all the communications, takes minutes, manages all the documentation, their PAYE and advise the councillors on law etc. They are, on average, employed 5 hours a week on very basic pay.

      Yet, these are the councils the higher level councils keep trying to dump their responsibility on to. For example, last year ‘street lighting’ was changed to ‘footpath lighting’ in an attempt to push this onto parish councils to manage!

      1. Everhopeful
        August 6, 2021

        Thatā€™s most interesting. They used to beat the bounds here..wonder if they still do.
        It is said that entry at parish council level would be a good way to counter Marxism?

        1. J Bush
          August 6, 2021

          Probably because parish councils have the benefit of being apolitical.

          To be elected as a parish councillor, the person must live in the parish, they cannot be parachuted in and politics definitely plays no part in the election process, nor in the community work they do.

  14. J Bush
    August 6, 2021

    I live in a one bed with attic terraced house in West Cumbria (outside the National Park) and this year I am paying just under Ā£14,000 Council tax . For this I get my bin emptied once a fortnight. There are some street lights in the village where I live. The road through it, over the years has become increasingly busy and is now used all types of vehicles, including HGV’s, as a ‘rat run’, instead of using the only main road, the A595. My neighbour has to park their car on the road and has had 3 cars written off, but the offender never leaves contact details. Our constituent MP has and is still encouraging road users to find alternative routes to the A595, thanks a bunch. Subsequently, the road surface is poor and the pot holes have increased.

    The borough Council no longer sends out information, you have to use their website, which is a dogs dinner to try and navigate. For example if you want to look at transparency reports, these are the Councils monthly financial transaction reports and a legal obligation to make available to the public. At the top of the search result you get “Strategic nuclear and energy board item 7 – Thu, 14 Feb 2013”! However, if you want information about the covid virus, net zero carbon, transgender, equality and diversity and other woke stuff there is reams of the stuff. Equality and diversity search comes up with 599 results!

    The Council emails all this guff out to Parish Councils! The constabulary does the same and regularly provides covid stats!

    I am left with the overwhelming impression that they are either taking on additional staff, or the existing staff have been relegated from providing actual services to providing umpteen kinds of wokery information. I don’t consider this good value for my money.

    Reply I dont believe you have to pay Ā£14,000 Council Tax

    1. J Bush
      August 6, 2021

      Apologises too many zeros: edit amendment required. Should read Ā£1,400.
      Message to self, more caffeine required before commenting. šŸ™

      1. Everhopeful
        August 6, 2021

        Phew..my son just told me that was what you meant!
        Phew! Phew!
        Soooo glad you donā€™t have to find that!!

  15. Everhopeful
    August 6, 2021

    The Town Clerk should take a 75% pay cut and all parking should be provided free.
    And all the other clerks should be available to the public on the phone ā€¦like they used to be.
    Why do we pay Council Tax? To have ghastly bins festering all over the place, spilling out unasked -for packaging?
    Canā€™t think of any other service??
    What does Council Tax actually pay for?
    Oh..they cut the grassā€¦after a fashion, with excessive noise and fuss I might add.

    1. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      +1

    2. NickC
      August 6, 2021

      “What does Council Tax actually pay for?”

      An army of administrators. Remember Nick’s rule (no.22) – the further you are from the actual job being done, the more you are paid.

      1. glen cullen
        August 6, 2021

        thats almost the same rule as ‘glen’s rule (18)’- the more networks meeting you attend the less work is achieved (but in public life they make you look important)

  16. Original Richard
    August 6, 2021

    Brings in revenue?

    Expands the Councilā€™s departments and jobs?

    And for some extreme left Councils it is a way of deterring customers and businesses in order to keep the area impoverished.

    Poverty-stricken constituencies exist because the voters vote for the Left, not vice versa.

    Generally the difference between the Left and the Right for Councils is that for the Left it is all about ideology whilst for the Right it is more about what works the best for the residents.

  17. Christine
    August 6, 2021

    ā€œCouncillors should look at all Council servicesā€

    What council services? Where I live these are far and few between. We have volunteers running the library, picking up litter, and doing the gardening. The roads are a disgrace. We are charged extra for a green bin. Due to the pingdemic our other bins havenā€™t been emptied for weeks.

    Our council tax seems to go on funding six-figure fat-cat salaries and paying people to sit at home doing nothing.

    1. Andy
      August 6, 2021

      This is because you vote Conservative. The Tories have spent most of the last 50 year attacking councils by centralising power, and removing their ability to raise money. Cash grants from Westminster have been slashed, the right for councils to set their own council tax levels has also been limited. The result is that your council does not have enough money to do all the things it needs to do. This is why your libraries are closed and your roads are full of pot holes.

      But, unlike the majority of voters, you carry on voting Conservative so the problem will never improve. However some billionaires are very grateful for your continued support for their chums who helps them dodge tax.

      1. No Longer Anonymous
        August 6, 2021

        Yet you tell us you are a Conservative voter, Andy.

      2. NickC
        August 6, 2021

        If what you claimed were true, Andy, then under Labour 1997-2010 things should have got better. They didn’t. Why do you keep making things up?

      3. a-tracy
        August 6, 2021

        Andy, yet they find enough money to top up their own pensions from council tax funds and make poor investments that need bailing out. They rip off the private housing estates and leave them with poor to no services, no planting, old iron railings, unkempt areas, pothole crazy, poor road repairs, since they took over services have got worse in a Labour voting town and we’re paying more for less, they aren’t monitoring the road sweepers and grass cutters anymore so walkers get hammered with stone chips and they’re inventing new wages to charge extras on top of the max allowing like adding in a green waste tax.

      4. Christine
        August 6, 2021

        How do you know who I voted for? Why do you presume I vote Conservative?

        My understanding is that council tax bills are higher in Labour run areas.

        We now have thousands more houses in my area yet the council provides far fewer services than they used to. They donā€™t seem to have any problem raising money as the bills go up by more than inflation every year. I pay more for a monthā€™s council tax in the UK than I pay for a whole year for my property in Spain and yet I get fewer services here. This just doesnā€™t add up.

    2. J Bush
      August 6, 2021

      +1 Ditto.

      Message to young Andy
      The previous CEO at County level was Labour. Xxxxxxx and was obviously annoyed when I asked in a public meeting how much was given to trade unions. She answered, the amount was within the national average. Despite effort, got even more visibly annoyed, when I pointed out the population of Cumbria is smaller than many others Counties, so therefore the cost per capita would be significantly higher and asked why people who were not even in a trade union were being to forced to fund them. She said she didn’t this information to hand and if I gave my contact details to one of her minions after the meeting, which I did, and she would provide this information for me.

      She didn’t, even after contacting her office. In the end I went to the local rag to shame her failing to respond to a FOI request. Because of her intransigence the FOI was subsequently made public to all.

      Lesson for the day – it is not not just the ‘conservative’ party who are flawed.

  18. Alan Jutson
    August 6, 2021

    For decades I have moaned about pre paying to no avail.
    They do not like payment on leaving John because then they can only sell the parking space once.
    Payment on arrival with a guess to how long you will stay means there is an element of left over excess time, which can be charged for again, thus with maximum use the car park it will actually make rather more income than planned.
    Likewise the whole point of having your registration number on the ticket, is so that you cannot pass the excess time left on the ticket onto someone else.
    Hospital car parks are an excellent example of having to guess the time or be fined, when the appointment overrunning, is nothing to do with you at all. !

    1. Fedupsoutherner
      August 6, 2021

      At our hospital you are very lucky to find a space at all. I remember having to go to the eye hospital with my child. I had to park on the road with a time limit. Her appointment was 2 hours overdue and I had to go out to move my car or face a fine. I missed her appointment.

      1. Fedupsoutherner
        August 6, 2021

        No parking charges in Scotland at hospitals.

        1. glen cullen
          August 6, 2021

          Thats because the cost is subsidised by the English taxpayer

          1. Fedupsoutherner
            August 6, 2021

            Having lived there for 15 years I am aware of that.

          2. turboterrier
            August 6, 2021

            Glen Cullen
            Like almost everything else in the country.

    2. SM
      August 6, 2021

      You are so right about hospital car parks, Alan.

    3. Mockbeggar
      August 6, 2021

      I agree. If I pay for two hours of parking and only use one hour, I have still booked that parking space for two hours and I should have the right to allow anyone I choose to have the time left over.

      1. hefner
        August 7, 2021

        +1, indeed. Unfortunately thatā€™s why most parking ticket machines (most of them less than five years old around where I live) are being replaced by ones that need the plate number before issuing a ticket.

  19. Roger W Carradice
    August 6, 2021

    Sir John
    You are a member of the party in power. Perhaps you could try and get the government to address some of these matters rather than banning my gas boiler.
    Roger

  20. SM
    August 6, 2021

    Sir John – completely off-topic, there appears to be quite a lot of publicity given to the PM’s ‘green approval’ reference to Mrs Thatcher’s coal mine closures.

    Perhaps it is worth pointing out that during her premiership of 11 years, 160 mines closed.

    During Mr Wilson’s premiership of 8 years, some 290 mines closed.

    Doesn’t anyone check Mr Johnson’s utterances before he proclaims them?

    1. Pud
      August 6, 2021

      Labour criticise the Conservatives for not being “green” enough, so Boris, in my opinion, rather cleverly gave them the choice of either agreeing that Mrs Thatcher was correct to close mines or hypocritically arguing that the mines should have stayed open.

    2. Andy
      August 6, 2021

      Of course nobody checks what he says. Seeing that most of what he says is either rubbish or lies.

      1. NickC
        August 6, 2021

        Perhaps you need to get someone to check what you say before you comment, Andy?

        1. hefner
          August 7, 2021

          The difference between Andy and Mr Johnson is that one is PM not the other. Canā€™t you see the difference, really?
          Ever having a bit of thinking before commenting?

      2. steve
        August 6, 2021

        Andy

        Re Johnson : can only agree with you. I don’t believe a word he says either. It’s all shit to be honest.

        1. No Longer Anonymous
          August 6, 2021

          +1 Steve.

    3. formula57
      August 6, 2021

      So Harold was earlier and greener! Who knew.

    4. Micky Taking
      August 6, 2021

      They were not closed as a ‘green’ measure. Won’t somebody tell the truth that most mines were essentially exhausted or the manpower (heavily unionised) versus output was uneconomic (and often dangerous). The horrendous miner deaths, mostly in older unfit men have been stopped – does nobody want to commend the closures on health grounds?

      1. glen cullen
        August 6, 2021

        Thought they closed so we could import cheaper coal from Poland

        1. Micky Taking
          August 6, 2021

          UK use of coal:-
          1970 155m tonnes.
          1985 105m tonnes.
          2000 60m tonnes.
          2010 50m tonnes
          2020 5m tonnes.

          Why would we be importing from Poland when we don’t use it anymore?

          1. glen cullen
            August 7, 2021

            I have no idea it was just a perception in the early 80s….I am not saying it was correct but it was the message at the time that our coal mines were not cost effective

      2. No Longer Anonymous
        August 6, 2021

        Remember that those mining communities still exist – the only difference being that they are without jobs and better off on welfare, if not healthier because of drug and alcohol abused and family breakdown and crime.

    5. miami.mode
      August 6, 2021

      Not such a simple answer, SM. You surely have to take into account percentages of closures, people employed, production losses as well as difficulty of operations. Also there cannot be a definitive answer as British Rail moved from steam to diesel during part of Harold Wilson’s tenure.

      1. SM
        August 6, 2021

        I didn’t make myself clear – my criticism was actually that unnecessarily mentioning Mrs T and coal mines would invite precisely the kind of reaction that Starmer et al promptly provided, aside from the fact that the closures had no ‘green’ motivation.

        It appears that Mr Johnson thought it was an amusing comment.

    6. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      ”Doesnā€™t anyone check Mr Johnsonā€™s utterances”
      I believe its Carrie

    7. MiC
      August 6, 2021

      Thatcher only closed the mines because cheaper coal could be imported.

      1. NickC
        August 6, 2021

        No, it was more because coal was needed rather less due to the advent of that modern boon – nationally piped natural gas.

      2. steve
        August 6, 2021

        MiC

        Yep sure was.

      3. Micky Taking
        August 6, 2021

        If they still have reasonable access to coal – WTF haven’t we reopened them?

    8. lifelogic
      August 6, 2021

      Thatcher closed mines mainly for economic reasons, but she did rather later fall for the climate alarmism religion/con trick. One of several mistakes she made – Closing many Grammar schools, appointing John Major as chancellor, failing to sort out the Communist NHS, burying us further into the EU. She was however a rather better PM than any other in my life so far but the quality of the competition is so very dire.

      Though Wilson for all his faults did keep us out of Vietnam and gave an EU referendum all be it rather a con trick one.

    9. MiC
      August 7, 2021

      Why don’t you look at the number of jobs lost in the industry rather than the number of pits?

      Some were literally one-man-in-a-hole operations.

      Reply Still a bad number for Labour

  21. Alan Jutson
    August 6, 2021

    Why do Councils set out to annoy people, simply because they can, and they have the law on their side, and you have no other option but to use their services and do as you are told.
    No completion , so no choice.
    There are some very good people working for the Council who do care, but they do not tend to last long from my experience.

    1. turboterrier
      August 6, 2021

      Alan Jutson
      Very true Alan but those that care are very few and in between.

    2. steve
      August 6, 2021

      ” Why do Councils set out to annoy people ? ”

      Because they’re a woke left wing mafia…..they hate people, especially people who own anything that was worked bloody hard for and earned fair and square.

      Makes your spine shiver to think that during the cold war these psychopaths would have a bunker reservation and be given the power of life and death over any survivors on the outside.

  22. Nig l
    August 6, 2021

    Very annoying but I seem to remember your government repeatedly talking about bonfires of red tape, quangos, free parking at hospitals, weekly bin collections.

    Guess what, same kind promises that Boris is prone to make. And in other news Alok Sharma is ignoring the rules the rest of us have to adhere to so more doubke standards, we are told we need PCR tests because they provide better information on variants, only one problem HMG only tests a small number, so rubbish, HMG wonā€™t publish infection rates etc because it knows itā€™s reasoning will be found to be false and Amanda Pritchard already spinning her version of the ā€˜truthā€™ re young peoples infection rates.

    Itā€™s just lies and more lies.

    1. Andy
      August 6, 2021

      Weekly bin collections is one of my favourite silly Brexitists gripes.

      If you need your bin collected weekly you create too much rubbish. Simple as that. You need to create less waste. In fact, rubbish collections should be reduced to monthly to force us to waste less.

      Collect recycling fortnightly and allow a (small) caddy of food waste to be collected weekly and everything else should wait.

      1. Alan Jutson
        August 6, 2021

        May be a problem for those living in flats Andy, perhaps a fire hazard with rubbish on the landings ?

      2. Peter2
        August 6, 2021

        One person in a flat versus a big family in a large house are going to have totally different amounts of waste.
        Delaying waste collections for weeks creates smells and encourages insects and vermin.

      3. No Longer Anonymous
        August 6, 2021

        Really ?

        People have taken up recycling and energy saving without complaint and largely of their own accord. The reduction in Britain’s carbon footprint, thus far, is entirely down to the efforts of the populace, so why no recognition of this, Andy ?

      4. MiC
        August 6, 2021

        In principle yes, Andy, but only if ad hoc access to waste disposal sites is completely unrestricted.

        There seems to be rationing at the mo in many places.

      5. Dave Andrews
        August 6, 2021

        I suggest out of town supermarkets should be required to provide waste bins for all the packaging they produce. Customers can bring it along each time they come back to shop. Hopefully they will have an incentive to produce less and make the waste easier to recycle.

      6. NickC
        August 6, 2021

        You do love forcing other people to do things, don’t you, Andy? Yet when you were forced to accept Brexit by a majority vote (and the BINO we got was a very close run thing) you caterwauled about it for years – and you still do.

      7. steve
        August 6, 2021

        Andy

        But what you evidently don’t realise is that every home owner is STILL paying their council to sort and segregate refuse, despite the fact that councils got rid of the sorting lines decades ago.

        If you have recycling bins, YOU are doing THEIR job for THEM……and still paying them to do it.
        This is why I deliberately mix my refuse, I’m paying them to sort it, so they should be sorting it, not me.

      8. hefner
        August 7, 2021

        Andy, not everybody has a garden (eg, flats) and even with a (tiny) garden a lot of terrace houses cannot accommodate a food composting bin.

  23. turboterrier
    August 6, 2021

    If my council is anything to go by , the local councillors bemoan the fact that 80% of their budget is spent on social services and related disciplines.
    No wonder they are after every extra pound they can get hold of.
    Looking around you can see how much waste there is in the wayy they apply themselves. They can do want they want because they can and its not their money.

    1. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      Agree – What councils do and how they are funded needs a complete revamp

  24. Dave Andrews
    August 6, 2021

    Should we be surprised?
    Every election time for the local council I get a small pile of leaflets from prospective candidates about this and that they will do. It will all cost to do it, so where are they going to get the money?
    So we have councils that are committed to spending.
    I look in vain for the candidate who will tell me they want to reduce costs and what they will do to achieve it.
    Local councils are strapped for cash when they have to shell out for care costs for people who have squandered all their money on careless lifestyles when they were younger.

  25. Iain Gill
    August 6, 2021

    I tried applying for the regular user pass for the Dartford crossing, they repeatedly refused as their credit reference people think I am not a legal resident of the UK. Absolutely hilarious email exchanges which exposed their obvious incompetence. But they are a monopoly provider so get away with it. I gave up and pay normally for each trip.

  26. Micky Taking
    August 6, 2021

    Sir John you have captured just a handful of the everyday complaints citizens going about their attempts at lawful activitiy face. Bureacracy gone into overdrive.

  27. Alan Holmes
    August 6, 2021

    It is not just councils that are predatory, all government is. That is the nature of any organisation that exists by forcing people to pay – extortion by it’s proper name. All such organisations are then staffed by people who enjoy using any power they have to control others. A self reinforcing cycle that results in increasing tyranny as we can see very clearly in the last two years.

  28. Old person
    August 6, 2021

    Good morning.
    Yesterday, I received an email from my local council to update their list of eligible voters. The email seemed to be genuine giving two pass codes and a link for your browser to follow.
    The only problem ā€“ the email was redirected to the TRASH folder. Why? Because, the link visible in the email was not the link they wanted you to follow. It went to ā€˜lnk.ieā€™ with an embedded redirection. Needless to say the email has been ignored ā€“ I do not reside in the Irish Republic.
    Of course, the council are not really interested in voters, only that the correct council tax has been paid.

  29. agricola
    August 6, 2021

    Government at all levels attracts a lack of common sense and downright incompetence. Look at the evidence. PPE unpreparedness for any emergency. By contrast a manager from the private sector organising the Vaccine programme. Moving back the governments unbelievable and totally shambolic involvement with any international travel. Any time government local or national choose to do anything it has a catastrophic result and at the end of it the citizen pays for every incompetence. The biggest shambles on the horizon is government going green. The deficit they are investing in is enormous. Consider the number of people governance employs, the cost of them and the cost of their failures. For the productive sector of the economy it is akin to having a sea anchor permanently streamed. There has got to be a better way of doing things.

    1. No Longer Anonymous
      August 6, 2021

      Thank God the government aren’t in charge of supermarkets. We would have starved by now.

  30. Nig l
    August 6, 2021

    And in other news electricity prices are set to soar and the NHS has already got its begging bowl out for another 600 million to cover a difficult winter on top of the same amount given in April.

    When will someone have the guts to stand up to them and demand efficiencies.

    1. NickC
      August 6, 2021

      Nig 1, Electricity prices are being increased to pay for the “net zero” program. And this is just a taster – electricity prices will rise for years to come.

      1. hefner
        August 7, 2021

        ofgem.gov.uk 29/07/2021 ā€˜Infographic: Bills, prices and profitsā€™
        statista.com 30/03/2021 ā€˜Aggregate profits of large energy suppliers in Great Britain from 2009 to 2019, by segmentā€™

        Ā£1.2 bn profits in energy generation, Ā£302 m loss in the domestic supply segment, therefore hike in domestic prices from October 2021.

        npower now part of E.ON, Scottish Power now part of Iberdrola, SSE now part of OVO-Energy

        As of 06/07/2021, the dividends from the big five are: Centrica (in 2019, 9.9p div. per 49.1p share, cancelled in 2020), Eongy 4.2% , EDF, 1.95%, Iberdrola 4.15%, SSE 5.24%

        So NickC, your comment only reflects a small part of the story.

  31. Bryan Harris
    August 6, 2021

    I’ve avoided driving in central London purely to avoid the painful congestion tax – Now they want to extend it to the outer boroughs… which is all about money of course – greedy bureaucrats, and will mean less trade for areas that need visitors.
    I use the QE Dartford bridge at times, and there is no annual charge to keep the account open, you just top up as required. Kahn is ripping us all off.

    There’s something else that enters into all of this — Some people with a little power use it to maximum capacity, because they can… They see their role as enforcement, not serving.

    I hope some of the people being talked about read this diary, but will it make a difference?
    Some councils are more authoritarian than others, and I’d place mine, Sevenoaks as one of the better ones for the points made above.
    We still use plastic bags, just 2, for weekly rubbish collections — I dread what the government is planning with their consolidated nationwide approach to rubbish – No doubt we will end up with 17 huge bins!

  32. Andy
    August 6, 2021

    Ofgem has confirmed this morning that your electricity and gas bills will rise by an average of Ā£150 next year. Petrol is already the most expensive it has been for a decade.

    These Brexit price hikes were totally foreseeable. Indeed, the House of Lords did foresee them – warning in a 2018 report of such a scenario.

    Perhaps as you are paying far more cash to heat and power your home you can sit their in your Union Jack pants enjoying your sovereignty?

    PS: my prices wonā€™t rise as I saw this coming and am on a two year fixed price deal. You are most welcome.

    1. Peter2
      August 6, 2021

      Ofgem’s CEO in his press release says it is due to rising fossil fuel costs, especially gas, on world markets.
      No mention of brexit andy.

    2. No Longer Anonymous
      August 6, 2021

      At least I’m not sitting in my blue and yellow EU pants in my mum’s basement.

      Seriously.

      I can’t believe anyone who writes so prolifically as you (without any reference at all to the problems the business you claim to run) has a proper job.

    3. SM
      August 6, 2021

      The price of petrol and diesel has just risen in S Africa – could you explain how that is linked to Brexit too, please?

    4. Mike Cross
      August 6, 2021

      These are not BRExit price hikes, but due to ā€˜greenā€™ government policies.

    5. NickC
      August 6, 2021

      Andy, Electricity price rises are a direct consequence of the climate policies you demand.

  33. Nig l
    August 6, 2021

    And in yet another example how this government sh***s on people without any care whatsoever, changing countries to Red with minimum notice, expensive needless tests etc. Happy to trash family life, kids education, people who canā€™t get the needed health whilst they swan around with millionaires lifestyles untouched by the misery they are causing.

    Boris joking about the whole communities that Thatcher destroyed whilst only recently ordering wallpaper he had no idea about how to pay for at a price for just one roll that would take a person on a minimum wage two weeks to pay for.

  34. Denis Cooper
    August 6, 2021

    Off topic, people may like to know that there is a new edition of this official guidance:

    “Declaring goods you bring into Northern Ireland ‘not at riskā€™ of moving to the EU”

    Essential reading for anybody who plans to move any goods at all in from the rest of the country, detailing the kinds of evidence needed to prove that they are unlikely to cross the border into the Republic.

    https://www.gov.uk/guidance/check-if-you-can-declare-goods-you-bring-into-northern-ireland-not-at-risk-of-moving-to-the-eu

    It reminded me of a comment I submitted three years ago about how an imported potato would be treated under the innovative Olly Robbins customs plan. Sadly that contribution was not approved for publication, but here is a taste of what readers missed:

    “If there is robust evidence that the potato is destined for a British dinner plate then he will demand the UK import tax; however if there is robust evidence that the potato is just en route for a continental or Irish dinner plate then he will helpfully collect the EUā€™s import tax on its behalf … But if the final destination of the potato is unclear he will demand the higher of the two import tax rates, with a promise that if he later receives an affidavit that the potato has been entirely consumed within the lower tax territory he will send off a cheque for the difference, the excess tax which he charged at the point of importation.”

    Three years on and we have another variation on the same insane theme.

    1. NickC
      August 6, 2021

      Denis, Thank you again for your research, and your sanity.

  35. The PrangWizard of England
    August 6, 2021

    The only thing which will change anything for the better in this country which is administered incompetently in every area and at all levels to the detriment of England and led by out of touch arrogant elites is mass direct action.

    1. Dave Andrews
      August 6, 2021

      How about changing things using the ballot box? If this country is being administered badly, there is an opportunity to vote for something better at the next election. If this country is being administered badly, it’s because incompetent people have been voted in. The country gets the government it deserves.

  36. formula57
    August 6, 2021

    Councils annoy likely for the same reason that quangos are out of control: absence of effective political control over self-serving functionaries.

  37. agricola
    August 6, 2021

    A short example of the way HMG are screwing up the lives of its double jabbed citizens totally unnecessarily.
    At the end of the month I plan to fly Spain / UK. Costs are as follows.
    Air fare with leg room about Ā£66.00

    Government Additions.
    PCR Test prior to departure Ā£84.00 approx
    PCR Teas 2 days after arrival Ā£120.00
    PCR Test 8 days after arrival Ā£120.00

    Total PCR cost Ā£324.00 against Ā£66.00 to get there.
    I maintain that the double vaccination is sufficient assurance, and if not what is the point in having it. If I develop symptoms after arrival that is the time to get tested and discover new variants. In any case there is an official test centre half a mile from my destination, why cannot any testing be done there at government cost. I could get an MRI scan for less than the cost of three PCR tests just to put this racket into context.

    One thing is for sure, HMG puts a rapid end to this nonsense or I see a deluge of votes departing or abstaining over the next three years.

    1. MiC
      August 6, 2021

      So what’s the drill if you fly from another European Union country – as the UK used to be – to Spain then, Agricola?

    2. hefner
      August 7, 2021

      agricola, +1
      MiC, It depends on the destination country, but right now for the countries I checked (France, Germany, Italy, Austria) it appears enough to show a proof of double vaccination (with second one at least two weeks old) plus of being able to use the EU equivalent of the NHS Covid app (TousAntiCovid in France) for getting Covid info and reading QR codes in the venues that require it.
      Non-vaccinated people should have the proof a negative PCR test of less than 72 hours, and the app.

      To me at least, it is clear that ā€˜the UKā€™ is trying to extract the maximum of money from travellers.

  38. Nota#
    August 6, 2021

    Sir John – exactly, it is all these little nuances that build up to be an enormous cost and drain on the UK’s valuable resources.

    It is also were the ‘grandstanding’ and need to ‘virtue-signal’ has got out of hand. Every new layer that requires new people that then creates empire building – creating ever increasing costs. When in reality there is no such position, no such need.

    There should be a need, particularly were taxpayer money is concerned to precisely lay out a cost reward, the value for money to the Customer. Government, Councils all State run/induced bureaucracies should as part of their accountability define the reward to their customers over and above not doing something.

    Following on from your Blog yesterday – how much does the person paying, the UK taxpayer gain directly in financial terms from the appointment of the Lady concerned and COP 26 taking place. That then begs the Question why is the taxpayer saddled with the cost of these ‘grandstanding’ gesture which after all are just a form of electioneering – when they should be coming from ‘Party’ funds

    Just think how rich this Country would be, if the taxpayer didn’t have to pay to be insulted.

  39. IanT
    August 6, 2021

    Once again SJR, I’m sitting here pondering the dilemma of being happy to vote for you – but frankly not your Party.

    Boris was a no-brainer compared to Corbyn but was still the lesser of two evils. My wife still loves him of course – but she thought Cameron was wonderful too (I need an emoji with eyes looking towards the skies). I voted to leave the EU (and have no regrets) but I’m still waiting to see us take full advantage of our new found ‘independence’.

    Is it too much to hope for a government that has policies that actually make sense, hopefully based on available technologies, rather than some pie in the sky belief that it will be all right on the night? Everyone driving EV’s with no way to charge them from the existing (or planned) grid? Really?

    Is it too much to think that the MoD can actually organise a party in a brewery, when they can’t even buy an armoured car that actually works (a Ā£3B write off and no one is in jail – or swathes of MoD people fired) Really?

    Not to mention boatloads of economic migrants getting ferried into Dover (courtesy of HM Government) and we are seemingly unable to stop it? Really?

    You expect folk to vote fir Boris again? Really?

    1. Mike Wilson
      August 6, 2021

      You will vote Tory again. I donā€™t know when people will wake up and demand that first past the post is dumped. For decades you have voted Tory and look what a shambles local and National government is. Yet youā€™ll vote Tory to avoid Labour.

    2. NickC
      August 6, 2021

      You know Labour are going to win the next election when we reach peak Labour-are-finished articles in the MSM. The Tories were written off in the same way under Blair of course.

    3. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      You paint a bleak picture that represents reality ā€“ weā€™re going to faced with some demons at the next election, I expect to be stabbed but I donā€™t know yet whether Iā€™ll be stabbed in the front or back

  40. Lester_Cynic
    August 6, 2021

    The car driver is regarded as a Wallet on Wheels
    The services provided decline every year, the roads here are a pot-hole nightmare, the repairs are obviously done by a jobsworth because if the pothole doesnā€™t have a white line around it despite being next to one which has ā€¦ it will be ignoredā€¦I have photographic evidence

    Ever smaller bins provided and the costs of a visit to the local tip just encourages fly-tipping
    At Southmead hospital you have the choice of 1, 2 or 4 hours parking, because appointments always overrun I always play safe and opt for 4 hours, 3 hours is usually sufficient

    A year ago our conservative council declared a Climate Emergency, on enquiring whyā€¦. I was told because of
    the UN, all attempts to contact any of the Tory councillors were ignored, I thought that they worked for the benefit of the council tax payers

    My Tory MP ignores my emails

    I have a book by Quentin Letts entitled ā€œStop Bloody Bossing Me Aboutā€ which is the perfect example of the problem we face

    Keynsham council provides 4 hours parking for Ā£1 which is an enormous benefit for the businesses (those that havenā€™t been bankrupted by the lockdown)

    1. NickC
      August 6, 2021

      Lester, Write to your MP from the “TheyWorkForYou” website – they check with you whether you have had a reply, and your MP will know it.

      1. hefner
        August 7, 2021

        +1

  41. agricola
    August 6, 2021

    Something else you can sort out with the Health Ministry/NHS. I am a UK citizen, double Covid jabbed by the NHS. Because I reside in Spain a lot of my time I apparently cannot go on the NHS website app and have an electronic phone pass confirming my two jabs. My UK doctor recognising the utter stupidity of this has given me an A4 signed certificate detailing the two jabs. It will be interesting to see if Immigration recognise this or are steeped in the same bureaucracy that permeates the NHS. Just one more unnecessary stupidity to ruffle the lives of UK citizens .

  42. acorn
    August 6, 2021

    In 2010 local government spent in cash terms Ā£167 billion, 25% of all government spending. In 2020 it was less at Ā£162 billion, 18% of all government spending. Adjusted for inflation the 2020 spend should have been Ā£207 billion. That’s how you camouflage austerity that can easily be blamed on local government, not Westminster, by the unknowing voters; as demonstrated by today’s comments.

    1. MiC
      August 6, 2021

      Bull’s eye, acorn.

    2. Peter2
      August 6, 2021

      Although central funding has reduced the local authorities have been increasing Council Tax to largely make up the difference.

        1. Peter2
          August 7, 2021

          Your link won’t open.
          Somehow overall spending by local councils/ authorities has risen.
          So if central government funding has reduced where has the money come from?

          1. hefner
            August 8, 2021

            P2, the link opened for me.
            As you say, with an increase of council tax between 4 and 6% these last 8 years (Wokingham) people have (partly) compensated the decrease in grants from the government. What has not been compensated is directly reflected in reduced ā€˜servicesā€™: pot holes not (properly) filled, closure of public libraries, increase in prices in local sport/leisure centres, increase in local parking prices, distribution of smaller garbage containers/boxes (and people encouraged to go themselves to the nearby RE3 recycling centres), ā€¦
            Whether this can be put under ā€˜austerityā€™ or not is more semantics than anything else. National tax rates might not have increased more than inflation these last few years (and even that can be disputed as allowances have not followed) but local tax rates certainly have.

    3. No Longer Anonymous
      August 6, 2021

      But the salaries and numbers of six figure salary jobs has increased ! As have diversity and equality experts.

  43. ChrisS
    August 6, 2021

    The fundamental problem, with all public services is that they are run for the convenience of the staff and the organisation, not the customer. This applies to the NHS and Education as well as Council services.

    For example, in the NHS, why is it that I can’t ask my surgery for an appointment or a repeat prescription via email ? ( although have recently found that I can request a repeat prescription via the excellent NHS App).
    In education, the thorny subject of holidays and supply days needs to be a re-thought. It isn’t right that schools can close because of a little bit of snow or because the teachers want a meeting day. The effect on parents having to arrange for children to be looked after, often at short notice is a scandal.

    Socialist-run organisations such as London are the worst.

    Until there is a complete change of emphasis towards customer service, nothing will change.

    1. Micky Taking
      August 6, 2021

      Get your repeat Prescription filled by companies who specialise. Your GP will agree to a ‘batch’ system of approving typically 14 monthly deliveries. Pharm***** have been excellent these last 2 years.

  44. Mike Wilson
    August 6, 2021

    Mr. Redwood, it must be very heartening to know you are part of a system of government widely regarded as some combination of useless, self-serving and corrupt. Do you get any job satisfaction?

  45. Rhoddas
    August 6, 2021

    The immediate “acid test” of this government imvho is stopping boatmcboatface’s loads of illegal migrants.
    So far, utter failure and no accountability. When Sir John, when?

    I agree jobsworth councils are certainly up there somewhere, well ripe for transforming, neither Lolabour nor Tory councils are cost effective. Still they all have safe jobs, career paths, gold plated pensions and oodles of sick pay for the stress. No-one to vote for to kick em out.

  46. Kenneth
    August 6, 2021

    The cycling thing is getting stupid.

    Those that want us to cycle more (why??) should first consider that we need to have ways of separating this incompatible traffic.

    The current situation where slow bicycles are trying to share space with fast vehicles seems to be fueled by dogma and is irresponsible and dangerous.

    1. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      I recently read that theyā€™re spending Ā£1m to introduce a cycle lane in the centre of Ellesmere Portā€¦.they showed a picture of the main centre and all I could see was boarded up shops ā€“ just what the people need, a cycle lane to nowhere

  47. James Freeman
    August 6, 2021

    Councils do this because they run all the local roads, often have a monopoly over car parking provision and are responsible for granting planning permissions. These conflicts of interest are meant to be addressed through democratic control. But in local government this is weak; so they do what they like. The needs of motorists, local residents and businesses are not given sufficient weight the decision making process.

    Is this going to be addressed in the upcoming Planning Bill?

  48. claxby pluckacre
    August 6, 2021

    Sir John.
    Highways England !!!!
    Not fit for purpose…QED.

  49. Wokinghamite
    August 6, 2021

    I fully agree with what Sir John is saying here. I gather emission charges over a wide area of London are planned from October. My visits to London are very infrequent, and I am dreading having to grapple with whatever system is implemented. Perhaps they will be kind to us.

    1. glen cullen
      August 6, 2021

      Is the congestion charge fit for purpose, has it actually improved the environmentā€¦.if not itā€™s the wrong mechanism
      But that doesnā€™t matter it all about revenue collection, can you see the disconnect between the people and politicians SirJ ā€“ we donā€™t believe you

    2. Alan Jutson
      August 6, 2021

      Wokinghamite
      Indeed October 25th 2021 is the date anything inside the North and South Circular roads will then be in the new Ultra Low Emissions Zone for which you will have to pay to enter.
      Thus you need to be careful when using the north and south circular roads that you do not wander inadvertently, otherwise it will cost you, unless you have an electric vehicle that is.
      Visited Barnes and East Sheen only last month, they will both be just inside the new Zone,(part of East Sheen outside)some roads already have Controlled Parking and residents parking, and the Upper Richmond Road (South Circular) has a 20mph speed limit !

  50. X-Tory
    August 6, 2021

    Talking of Highways England, and related to the government’s electric vehicle agenda you have discussed previously, have you heard of the ‘Electric Van Experience’? No, this is not a new ride at Alton Towers, but a scheme costing us Ā£9.3 million whereby fleet van operators get to test drive electric vans, free of charge, for two months, to persuade them to switch. I realise that Ā£9 million quid is small beer to this government, and in truth I would normally just shrug at this news, but what really gets my goat is that this is NOT limited to electric vans made in the UK! So the BRITISH government is spending British taxpayers’ money to help FOREIGN companies, employing foreign workers and paying taxes to foreign governments. This is not only mentally retarded but TREASONOUS. I’m sure there are many other similar examples of government spending being used to help our foreign competitors and economic enemies, so why does no patriotic backbench MP ever protest at this sort of thing?

  51. Iain Gill
    August 6, 2021

    dear john,

    the illegal immigration taking place blatantly in front of our eyes every single day is getting silly.

    the people are clearly not going to put up with this indefinitely.

    just because the opposition are useless the government still need to do something.

    please pass on our displeasure to the PM and his ministers.

    thanks

    1. No Longer Anonymous
      August 6, 2021

      At least one good thing about Brexit.

      The Tories no longer have anywhere to hide. They did it (Maastricht) and now they can only just pretend they aren’t still doing it but now everyone can see.

      1. No Longer Anonymous
        August 6, 2021

        PS, If you donate to the RNLI stop it. It is a woke, political organisation like all the other big ones.

      2. glen cullen
        August 6, 2021

        Damn right, everything thats happens now is the Tories responisbility…nowhere to hide now

  52. a-tracy
    August 6, 2021

    The British Parking Association (BPA) is not fit for purpose. It allows flawed unscrupulous operators to put extortionate fines to people and fobs people off that appeal. The rules on parking need to be changed. Especially the private parking rip off companies.

    One particular bugbear is that you often have only 10 minutes to buy a ticket, one guy had no cash and there was nowhere to pay with his phone or debit card as the card slot didn’t accept the card (I wonder if this is a ploy), he had to go to a hole in the wall to get some cash and had to wait in a queue, he walked back but the ticket at 14 minutes he was fined Ā£60. There was a ticket purchased but the fine still stood even after appeal. The sign with the 10-minute rule was tiny and insignificant I also wonder if the person had just driven straight back out they’d have still been fined?

    Since this we have heard lots of people are having a similar issue, these fines are unfairly given and are too high a cost for the minor offence. This is putting people off going into local shopping centres. Another favourite is hotel parking, where you book your hotel parking at the hotel desk then you still get fined.

    1. steve
      August 6, 2021

      a-tracy

      BPA is not a government organisation. It doesn’t have to be fit for purpose, and exists only to represent parasites.

      1. a-tracy
        August 6, 2021

        Doesnā€™t the government appoint it Steve? Isnā€™t it just another quango type authority?

      2. hefner
        August 8, 2021

        Is that the same for all these companies that sprang up for providing PCR tests and were given a Government blessing by being advertised on the gov.uk site ā€˜find-travel-test-providerā€™.
        Just for fun, how many of these 447 companies will donate to a particular political party in the near future?

  53. Nota#
    August 6, 2021

    a demand for Ā£10 to keep open my Congestion Charge account from Transport for London

    Isn’t that an abuse of the trade description act – you can only have it if you pay more than the advertised fee!

  54. Ex-Tory
    August 6, 2021

    Surely the fundamental question is: do local authorities work for us, or do we work for them?

  55. Mike Cross
    August 6, 2021

    It must be terribly frustrating working for, or being a councillor in, a council. The whole thing is out of control and it seems that no one pays for making stupid decisions. I know that in one council Town Planning views Highways as totally incompetent. And then there is this matter of thieving from motorists by levying fines for minor infringements. Apparently this is acceptable in many councils because it produces income. Basically we are seeing a slide into unrighteousness and chaos. We might all like to consider why this is happening. Because it is happening everywhere, not just in councils.

  56. Lester_Cynic
    August 6, 2021

    My comment is still awaiting moderation despite the fact that there only a handful of comments when I left mine šŸ¤”šŸ¤”šŸ¤”šŸ¤”

    Perhaps too many home truths which make it unpalatable?

    1. steve
      August 6, 2021

      Lester

      Try re-writing it mate, sometimes works.

  57. Julian
    August 6, 2021

    I once (about 10 years ago) observed a council meeting of Brighton council in Hove and to be honest it was hard to tell which party any of the councillors were from. They all expressed the same line on global warming, cycle lanes and so on with no party variation at all.

  58. Aden
    August 6, 2021

    Very funny John. Now about HMRC which you control.

    Time to practice what you preach.

  59. steve
    August 6, 2021

    JR

    Welcome to our world Sir John ! You’re one of us now.

    This is what we have to put up with.

    Don’t know if you drive a car, but if you do you might care to realise your boss is a petrol thief…..he dilutes your petrol with ethanol, hoping you won’t notice.

  60. Margaretbj
    August 6, 2021

    They want you to feel stress just like them. The morons in councils shout at each other try and get one over the other as a way of life. They like the feeling of petty power. It’s so good to see them ranting when you feel calm and detached.

    1. hefner
      August 7, 2021

      M, so a bit like on this (not so quiet) blog?

Comments are closed.