Norwich City Council is asking the public which services it should cut.

Fewer Christmas lights, public toilet closures and a hike in burial costs - Norwich City Council asks public to choose which cuts to make

by DAN GRIMMER Wednesday, July 20, 2011
6:30 AM

Families in Norwich are to be asked to pick and choose from a list of almost £1m of proposed cuts to front-line council services, including plans which could see streets cleaned just once a month and the number of Christmas lights in the city slashed.

Norwich City Council needs to make £4.6m in savings in the next financial year and today launched a consultation asking the public to help decide how to do that. Having made millions of pounds of savings behind the scenes over the past three years, officers have warned it is now impossible to deliver future savings without hitting public services.

So City Hall has started a 12-week consultation called Your Services, Your Say, which includes a questionnaire listing specific services which would save just under £1m if they were all cut.

The council says it needs to identify £600,000 of savings from that list, so it is up to the public to decide which services are most important to them and deserve to be spared the axe.

Among the suggested cuts are:

Only cleaning streets once a month, apart from a small number of city centre areas such as Prince of Wales Road, to save £110,000.

Saving £20,000 by cutting the number of Christmas lights in the city by a third.

Increasing the cost of burials from £518 to £630.

Hiking the cost of renting an allotment.

Closing under-used public toilets such as Tombland and St Saviours to save £20,000 a year.

Brenda Arthur, leader of Norwich City Council, pictured, said: “We have got to take some very tough decisions, but this is also a chance for the public to tell us how they think we should be spending the money we have got.

“We have been making savings over the past three years which has protected front-line services, but we are in a position now where we need to have a genuine consultation with the public about those services.

“The heads of each service have looked at their departments and talked to the portfolio holders about what is important and where savings might be able to be made. My view is that this is now out for proper consultation. We have put forward a list of services which would save more money than we actually need to save, so this really is a choice for people.”

Officers are already looking to save £3.6m by becoming more efficient, new ways of working and cutting service costs, which looks certain to mean a loss of jobs at City Hall, although the details of that have yet to be finalised.

Speaking at a council meeting last night Claire Stephenson, leader of the opposition Green Party group, said: “I’d like to have seen an opportunity for people to make their own decisions, rather than just ticking boxes. I hope the real thoughts and feelings of city residents will be found and taken into account and the future shape of the council will be fit for purpose.”

Judith Lubbock, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, said she welcomed the attempt to make savings, but said the consultation was “rather superficial”. She said her group would carry out its own consultation, asking people about a wider range of issues, including the pay of senior officers at City Hall.

On top of the £600,000 savings on front-line services, the council says it can save a further £150,000 if people change the way they contact the council, using the internet rather than visiting City Hall or neighbourhood offices.

And the council says if it cuts opening hours of council offices by two hours per day for telephone calls and in person visits it would save about £60,000 a year. The city council says it can make at least £370,000 further savings by making other changes to the way it works. At this stage the council has not revealed what that will entail, but said there will be separate consultations in the weeks ahead with groups and individuals affected.

The eight-page document is published on-line at www.norwich.gov.uk today and consultation runs until October 12. The cabinet will consider the responses on November 9 and use the results to prepare its budget for next February.

While paper copies will be available to those who request them, by calling 0344 980 3333.

The council hopes to save money by not sending them out to everyone in Norwich, instead encouraging people to fill it in on the authority’s website.

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74 comments

Some ideas: Close some of the public toilets other than the ones in the multi storey car parks (are they city council run?). Haven't used any council run places for years!! N.C.C. - concession fares on bus like on the park and rides. Remove the B.S.O.G. Fast food outlets to pay for their own rubbish collection. Cut the xmas lights, they do sod all on the whole. If the shops want any they can pay for them. Get rid of the stupid lord mayors procession malarkey. What exactly does it do other than create chaos through the city?

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NorthCity

Monday, July 25, 2011
Getting rid of the councils hospitality budget and consultants fees would probably be sufficient to cover the whole amount.

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Cynical Bob

Saturday, July 23, 2011
Be careful of what services or expenditure you wish to discard. What happens in the next 4years of govt and council spending cuts will shape the future for for our children and local communities. Once its gone, its gone for good.

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MaxB

Saturday, July 23, 2011
I live in the City but most of my council tax goes to the County, so basically Busy mum City or County all the same thing to me, cuts is cuts!

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Matt Stevenson

Friday, July 22, 2011
Buses are the County Council - so cutting bus passes won't help here. That said always worth highlighting the pressures young people in rural areas face - but like I say, one for the county.

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Busy mum

Friday, July 22, 2011
Many of todays younger pensioners who are entitled to free travel have retired on good pensions with a lump sum payout and are in a far better position than most young people to pay for bus travel. However most studentsschool kids could just as well bike or walk to uni, college or school. Free bus travel should only be for the disabled and elderly who have mobility problems so more single deckers rather than double deckers are needed. Most older pensioners are in greater need for home help and fuel energy payments than a day out on the bus, thats something the big society could provide. Unfortunately our politicians have messed things up so badly that we can no longer afford to gift these over generous subsidies to the shareholders of privately owned companies who provide our public transport and then maybe we can keep our public toilets open and sweep our streets more than once a month!.

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Matt Stevenson

Friday, July 22, 2011
Well Angrybird, I'm not sure about stopping the pensioners free travel but I do think the orange stripped pass is the most abused pass ever. The council could save a pot of money if the holders of these passes had to pass a stringent medical before being granted a pass. The council have made positive steps by making carers pay now its time to weedle out the other abusers of this pass. Unfortunately, once again, many people who are more than entitled to have free travel will be penalised because of the few very selfish people who know how to work the system.

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hrtdriver

Friday, July 22, 2011
Angrybird is spot on. As a Nation we can no longer afford to gift billions of tax payers £'s directly into the deep pockets of the share holders of these privately owned public transport providers with our over generous subsidies while our City & County Councils struggle to maintain basic services. Bus Service Operators Grants (80% tax relief on fuel duty) and concessionary fares must be cut back to provide only for those with mobility disabilities. Students and school kids should get on their bikes just as we did! Many pensioners are in greater need of home help and fuel allowance than a day out on the bus, that's the unfortunate reality of the mess our politicians have got us in!

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Matt Stevenson

Friday, July 22, 2011
robotsthatcare , your system of the biggest bully runs things....we used to have here in blighty, it was called the royal family.

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nrg

Friday, July 22, 2011
Lets really put the cat amongst the pigeons and say do away with the free bus pass for pensioners!Let's go back to concessionary fares instead of having them line the pockets of bus companies with their unlimited travel!trips to the city every day,one stop hops even days out to the seaside 7 days a week!paying passengers can't even get a seat at times on buses to Yarmouth or Cromer due to them!! An outcry if we ask them to start paying a small fare!but what if that fare meant routes in out lying towns and villages could continue?what about the pensioners with out bus services, do they get value from passes? My retired parents live a village and rely on taxis friends and family for shopping hospital visits etc can they say we don't want to fund bus travel which we don't use?the sad truths everyone wants someone else to suffer but not the services close to them and yes let's stop the lord mayors parade and the money it raises for local charities who already being hit by the cuts.!!

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Angrybird

Friday, July 22, 2011
@Angrybird, here here, it costs me almost £80 a month for bus travel and a lot of these pensioners have got a lot more money than I have, so yes make them pay something towards their fare.

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nanafirst

Friday, July 22, 2011
Lets really put the cat amongst the pigeons and say do away with the free bus pass for pensioners!Let's go back to concessionary fares instead of having them line the pockets of bus companies with their unlimited travel!trips to the city every day,one stop hops even days out to the seaside 7 days a week!paying passengers can't even get a seat at times on buses to Yarmouth or Cromer due to them!! An outcry if we ask them to start paying a small fare!but what if that fare meant routes in out lying towns and villages could continue?what about the pensioners with out bus services, do they get value from passes? My retired parents live a village and rely on taxis friends and family for shopping hospital visits etc can they say we don't want to fund bus travel which we don't use?the sad truths everyone wants someone else to suffer but not the services close to them and yes let's stop the lord mayors parade and the money it raises for local charities who already being hit by the cuts.!!

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Angrybird

Friday, July 22, 2011
Why don't we just do away with local government all together? We could a system whereby whoever is physically strongest or has most money could set the rules. This would be the ultimate example of David Cameron's 'Big Society'; our leaders would be those with the biggest bank balance or biggest biceps.

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robotsthatcare

Friday, July 22, 2011
@LocalDad @Maxpower - you're spot on! Between some of the moaning and finger pointing there are some good ideas such as getting some of the big stores to pick the Xmas light tab and fast food outlets and bars to take a greater responsibility. I have completed the survey and I would say that ticking the "culture" box would count as Lord Mayor procession for the moaners here. I hope you will be filling it out yourselves rather than just pontificating!

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Busy mum

Friday, July 22, 2011
@LocalDad @Maxpower - you're spot on! Between some of the moaning and finger pointing there are some good ideas such as getting some of the big stores to pick the Xmas light tab and fast food outlets and bars to take a greater responsibility. I have completed the survey and I would say that ticking the "culture" box would count as Lord Mayor procession for the moaners here. I hope you will be filling it out yourselves rather than just pontificating!

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Busy mum

Friday, July 22, 2011
@LocalDad @Maxpower - you're spot on! Between some of the moaning and finger pointing there are some good ideas such as getting some of the big stores to pick the Xmas light tab and fast food outlets and bars to take a greater responsibility. I have completed the survey and I would say that ticking the "culture" box would count as Lord Mayor procession for the moaners here. I hope you will be filling it out yourselves rather than just pontificating!

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Busy mum

Friday, July 22, 2011
I say ban everything and everyone from the city centre, leave it to the pigeons and the little imbeciles now about to break up for their summer holidays. In fact, why can't we tax children? They get in the way, pollute and contribute nothing.In fact ban children, neigh even child birth! That's the solution I tell you, ban procreation!! (or at least tax it)

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frank young

Friday, July 22, 2011
Lets cut everything that makes Norwich a fun place to live! I will happily pay extra council tax for a special day to celebrate whinging. How about a day out to Yarmouth - single tickets only. Or let's be hard nosed about this. EventsXmas lights, pretty roundabouts, nice trees etc equals more visitors. That means businesses make more money. Which means they employ more people. Who get paid wages. Now that seems to be a "good" thing to me!

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Local Dad

Thursday, July 21, 2011
I agree with most of your comments maxpower but the billions of tax payer £'s gifted to these Privately owned bus companies has not held back bus face increases. With 60% of turnover achieved through subsidies there is no need for these companies to compete with each other, they might as well be nationlised!

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Matt Stevenson

Thursday, July 21, 2011
I agree with hrtdriver whats the point of cutting events in a city like Norwich,anything which makes people visit us is whats going to put money into the city,or shall we go the way of other town centers with closed shops everywhere and no council tax income from them.Would you like to see no holiday makers coming in to the city too?or just gay people spending money?As a married working woman with no children shall I complain about MY money being spent on schools?or anything connected with children!no!as I understand it pride is a day from the lgbt community for EVERYONE organised by VOLUNTEERS with perhaps a small council injection towards it,How many of the people moaning about the cuts actually give anything back to our city or just sit and tell us what they WOULD do,also yes lets cut the bus funding Im sure all the non drivers in norwich and norfolk would love to pay sky high prices on top of low wages to travel to work,,bus fares are a struggle for many already so how many of you moaners will offer to give lifts to people into work when the routes are cut?again yes there are some new buses in the city mainly from rail station and uni but again to visitors to our great city it shows a good impression that we are on the map we are worth investing in and coming to.No I dont have the answer to cuts but when they do come I hope its after efficiency and procurement within city hall has been looked and picked over and is spread through the whole community of Norwich so we ALL shoulder some of it.

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maxpower

Thursday, July 21, 2011
hrtdriver, could you tell us how much these 'events' give the tax payer of Norwich, I'm sure it must be millions and without them we would in a even worse situation. More pride marches,more fireworks and more special months for everyone in Norwich.

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nrg

Thursday, July 21, 2011
Who are you to say what "we" want? You may not want a Pride or a Black History Month but have you any idea how much money these events and other events like them actually bring into the City?

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hrtdriver

Thursday, July 21, 2011
Wow, what a debate, well done the Evening News. It disproves the lie ,often repeated, that the only benefit they get from the council are their waste collections ! Now let's see what the public's ideas for cuts are and the numbers taking part in the exercise, so we can have an opinion on if they are representative of more people.

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bedoomed

Thursday, July 21, 2011
I'm nobody!

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Adey

Thursday, July 21, 2011
I agree the Mayor serves no purpose, I didn't even know it was a woman until the Lord Mayors procession.

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nanafirst

Thursday, July 21, 2011
How about stopping the men who are suppose to be working for council from hanging around on the market drinking tea all day, it doesn't matter what time you go through there you will always find at least 10 of them standing around the tea stalls.

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nanafirst

Thursday, July 21, 2011
i dont live in the city but it cheeses me off when i see 4 blokes planting plants on a roundabout. who actually looks at them. also xmas lights should be payed by traders and do away with firework display after lord mayors procession( they must cost a bomb)

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canaryboy71

Thursday, July 21, 2011
We are only being asked to comment on the councils suggestions and even then some of them are too vague to make a decision about. What does some grass verges mean? What does reducing some tree planting mean? How do I express my ideas to the council? This is yet another tick box, or to be accurate place you cross in the box exercise. At the end of which the council will say they have consulted residents!

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Norwich lad

Thursday, July 21, 2011
According to the department For Transport BSOG claims for 2009 show that First Eastern Counties Bus Ltd claimed £4,105,655.02, that is a lot of tax payers money being gifted to this privately owned bus company for essentially burning diesel, lets hope that they waste our money efficiently while the council is closing public toilets!

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Matt Stevenson

Thursday, July 21, 2011
Double the business tax on retailers that sell chewing gum and use that money to off-set street cleaning costs.

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country bumkin

Thursday, July 21, 2011
I don't think the christmas lights should be funded by city hall at all. Its the city centre traders who benefit from them, so its the traders who should be paying.

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robotsthatcare

Thursday, July 21, 2011
The reason I have most needed to contact the council is to have my RentCouncil Tax billstatement explained as it is so confusing and I need a human being to go through it in person to help me understand what it means. Perhaps they might save money by simplifying these statements! In addition, I do not believe in taking away council staff jobs and relying on a website. The potential saving of reducing staff this way must surely be cancelled out by any of them being forced to become jobseekers and claiming council tax and housing benefits?

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Fred Bloggs

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
LGBT Pride is not a council event - it is run and funded by volunteers and sponsorship - so it is totally irrelevant to bring it up in this discussion. You might as well say that the council could save money by stopping Boy Scout meetings or the WI. And anyone who wants to see Heterosexual Pride can wander down Prince of Wales Road on a Saturday night - it happens every week there.

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asmith67

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Interestingly, the Citizen Panel questionnaire asks for input on various choice options around: a) reducing services b) increasing charges But presents no options around reducing layers of comfortably ensconced management & armies of clerical staff. So, we start from an implied assumption of Council perfection in cost efficiency - which doesn't sound very 'Labour' to me. It would be amusing if it wasn't outrageous - and I wish I could say that I was surprised.

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airborneyellow

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The council wants us to prioritise 20 items of public expenditure to make savings: go to www.norwich.gov.uk for details. They are not asking to learn about anyone's prejudices and ignorance. Norwich has a reputation for being backward, the kind of rubbish being spouted on some of these comments sadly confirms that. If want to daft suggestions then not having premier league football hooligans in the city to police would be an obvious saving for local council tax payers..

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itsme73

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
My suggestions aren't on this list - How does one get an idea launched? Oh yes - go to the Tory pre-NCC meeting and get told what to agree to there before the proper meeting. Like so many bad ideas for Norfolk. Palm revelations today are just the start of the business of politics being waged against us tax payers.

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IanofNorfolk

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
adey .. who are you !

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billythebookie

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
It's fine being given a choice providing it is a free one and covers all available options. Let the people suggest the list and let the vote be from the peoples' list.

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Nigel001

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
adey .. who are you !

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billythebookie

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Just pick from the list of cuts, there is absolutely no need to bring Norwich Pride or the Lord Mayor's parade into this at all. We elected the city councilors, now lets respect their ideas on how to save money AND appreciate the fact that we are being given a choice!

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jbrown

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Save money? Convert city hall to residential flats and run all services from central government. Most of your council tax goes on pension funds and salaries,so cutting down on a layer of beaurocracy will mean you retain all the services and cut costs. None of this will happen,of course,it is always the little people who suffer,and the sprawling council empire will remain intact.

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Harry Rabinowitz

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Billy.......they are the most sensible comments I have ever seen from you!!! LOL - you ok????

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Adey

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Norwich Pride is a celebration from the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Trans (LGBT) community for everyone. As one of the organisers, I can confirm that we are not funded by the City Council but we would like to say a big thanks to the City Council Events Team for all their support and advice. The third Norwich Pride is on Saturday 30th July and you're all very welcome to attend. Norwich Pride is run by a creative, enthusiastic bunch of volunteers. Our mission is to ensure that we live in a city where EVERYONE can feel safe and proud to be themselves. Our central events are free and inclusive and we pay for them by fund-raising all year round. Please do not use this debate on council cuts as an opportunity to express homophobic views.

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shellytelly

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Really pleased to see people sticking up for the Pride event. Pride is a community event, organised by volunteers. We are really grateful for the support of the city council but actually the day is really funded by our fundraising and by support from the trade unions. Pride is for everyone - over 4,000 people came last year - lots of straight people love it and feel part of it too. Pride events remain important to mark the achievements of LGBT people and continue the struggle for real equality. It is important that the issue of who or what pays for the cuts does not divide us and cause as to argue amongst each other - which throughout history has had disasterous consequences, a point well made earlier.

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N.O'Brien

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
kempster: so we now have to vote on what events go ahead based on how much litter is created?! Ok so lets ban football matches.. they are messy. This article is about budget cuts at the council. The Norwich Pride event has done its own fundraising and sponsorship, it is not a council event. So I do object to comments about blacks and gays and how somehow they are to blame. The council spends about £67 million a year. Come on guys get real.

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itsme73

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Would it be too much to ask that Norwich City Council tells us how much cutting the Lord Mayor's Procession would save? Presumably they need to include all costs including staff overtime for the event. And what about knock-on costs arising from road closures? Then maybe we can decide if that expense is more worthy than regular street cleaning? Or is the whole event an ego trip for the Council?

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Nigel001

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Norwich Pride is not a Norwich City Council event. You may not want it, but hundreds of other people do. Evidence the huge attendance in the last two years.

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Yojimbo

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
@itsme73 - Well said, totally unnecessary comments. I agree with some of the ideas here - getting some shops to pick up the Christmas lights tab, and the BID scheme. But the Lord Mayor's parade is incredibly popular, I was there the other Saturday and the street were heaving - maybe sponsorship is another way rather than axing altogether?

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Busy mum

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
john i agree to some extent about the lord mayor, but jenny lay i think deserves to be in this position as shes the best councillor we have ever had, who goes out of her way for anyone with problems not many left like her,i wish her all the best in the world, but i also see your point,

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morello

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
didnt the old soldiers get there funds cut as well, when they going to start looking after the people of this country who have payed in all there lives i dread getting old and insignificant,,,,,there right what they say england the land of milk and honey unless your english

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morello

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I agree with you completely.

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Matt Stevenson

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
We need a city centre business improvement district set up; local businesses pay a fee for enhanced levels of service e.g. to steam clean chewing gum off pavements, pay for xmas lights etc. It works well in many other parts of the country, it could work here too and reduce pressure on local council tax payers whilst ensuring the city centre is a retail showcase.

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itsme73

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
The comments against Norwich Pride are really unpleasant. What has a community organised event got to do with a reduction in council spending? It is worth remembering that during the economic depression of the 1930s is when the nasty anti minorities sentiments in Germany and Italy resulted in the rise of extremism and prejudice. Don't pick on minorities when your anger should be turned in the bankers and politicians who got us into this mess in the first place. We need hope not fear to get us throught this. So easy to point the finger of hatred towards others.

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itsme73

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Just got back from holiday in Turkey. We last went there 6 years ago and have noticed such a change in the country and the people. One of the fastest growing economies in the world, Lots of new house building, new shops, new dual carriage way roads over the mountains, clean and tidy streets and immaculate clean public toilets. Oh yeah! and a cheap flexible and reliable bus (dolmus) service. How is it that our politicians, both our MP's and local councillors have made such a cock up of running our country such that we now need to switch of street lights and shut public toilets to balance the books!

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Matt Stevenson

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Each year 60% of the UK Bus Industries total turnover (according to the LGA), approx £2.7 billion, is gifted directly from tax payer subsidies to the PRIVATELY owned Bus Companies such as First Bus. Since First Bus in Norwich is sufficiently affluent to purchase brand new double decker buses to trundle around our comunities virtually empty for much of the day can we not make savings by removing the Bus Services Operators Grant ( BSOG ) which rewards Bus Companies to burn diesel rather than carry passengers! Also do we really need to spend millions of council tax payer £'s on a Bus Rapid Transit system that is already an outdated self defeating concept in public transport. There are plenty of areas where savings could be made other than closing public toilets!

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Matt Stevenson

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
well as the council wishes to slash costs and therefore close public toilets, it just means we have less places to take a slash

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chebram71

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Xmas lights....if street traders want them let them pay for them electric bill too.

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The Watcher

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Yes get the local fast foods to do more in clearing up rubbish

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The Watcher

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Street lights are County Council - and yes they're still switching them off.

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Busy mum

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
They've been harping on for ages about turning street lights out yet I've seen workmen in the city over the last few weeks actually replacing street lights (not just the bulbs, the whole thing)!! How much did that cost? We don't need solar panels, we don't need "gay pride" marches, we don't need "Norfolk black history month". Loads of savings can be made, problem is they want to affect the majority rather than the minorities.

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Kempster

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Ruddy useless council. Scrap Chirstmas lights at your peril. But, don't moan when Norwich attracts fewer Christmas shoppers, as there's nothing festive about coming to a city that limits Christmas festivities. That'll do the local trade a world of good ... Scrap the Lord Mayor and save some reddies. What does a Lord Mayor do and what is he or she's purpose in todays society? Oh yes, that's right. The do nothing all year and then get a night of festivities purely directed at them. That's the true waste of money. Road closures, clearing up, shops shutting up early, pollution from lorries pulling floats.

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canaryfan01603

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Well for a start lets ask the High Street Retail chains on St Stephens to pay for the lights, after all its their businesssales which benefit from them!

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Piranha24

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
But thet are our democraticaly elected represenatives so anthing that they decide is democratic! Solar Panels.The Gay Pride March.The Lord Mayors Procession and so on...they know what we want as "we" elected them

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Albert Cooper

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Also get Community service people to do lot more things, like cleaning up parks allyways graffitt ect

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billythebookie

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Firsty get all the takeaways to pay a rubbish tax, that would pay for the cleaning of the streets

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billythebookie

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
prehaps if you didnt try to take people to court for alleged non payment of council tax when they have a direct debit already set up with no arrears owing, you would save money instead of booking expensive court sessions for no reason!!!!!!!!!,,,,,,,

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morello

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
and wheres the kids zone this year, the council provides nothing on the heartsease estate where we have a lot of problem children with problem parents, smashing windows etc. bunch of BANDITS

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morello

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Get rid of the Mayor & wastes of money like the Lord Mayors procession. Look at Councillors expenses. For example are we paying for travelling expenses in excess of bus fares? The councillors talk about supporting public transport, but don't themselves. Lets look at value for money before cuts.

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el84

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Its very easy to waste money when your not held accountable for it. These cust simply aren't needed, the council is an in-efficient and incompentant organisation and would be able to save money by becoming more efficient and stop wasting our taxes on needless 'improvements' which we dont want or need.

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Crazy

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
NCC make cuts in public services at the expense of Solar Panels on City Hall which they claim will save money, but the initial oulay will take years and years to recoup. But it is services that will be cut right away, I think the salaries of the City Hall leader needs to be cut especially BA, it is her and her previous leader Mr Morph, that have caused most of the economic problems this city now faces.

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chebram71

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
Agreed, Council bureaucracy needs to be reviewed, I'm betting that the salaries of the senior management haven't been "cost cut" either - I'm not talking about front line staff, but the faceless suits who should be more accountable to their ratepayers for their past errors.

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nathanp

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
HIKE IN BURIAL COSTS! Whatever next, I won't be able to afford to die soon.

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chucky noris

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I would start by doing away with the office of Lord Mayor who serves no purpose whatsoever in today’s world. It would save a terrific amount of money and no one would notice the difference.

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John L Norton

Wednesday, July 20, 2011
I notice there is no suggestion for cutting Council bureaucracy which is what is needed more than anything. Staff numbers have increased over the last 15 years, much of them doing jobs that would have no impact on services to the public. Pay has also increased much more so than in the private sector over the same period. It is time to cut some of these non essential empires back as well as improving efficiency sugnificantly. The private sector has already had to face up to many of these issues and tough as it may be for some individuals, we need smaller government not the bloated one we have now.

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andy

Wednesday, July 20, 2011