Council Tax Benefit Changes Consultation

This week like many residents in ESBC I received a letter from Tory Councillor Bernard Peters regarding changes to the Council Tax benefit.

This change is another cut by the Tory Government.

The letter states that there is eight week consultation which ends on 29 October 2012.  But the letters have been received two weeks before end of consultation period.

Can Cllr Peters tell the residents of ESBC why he has sent the letter so late and what are his motives?

How to evict Hot Dog Trader?

The Tory controlled ESBC has removed Hot Dog vendor from Station Street after serving the local population for over thirty years.  But they have handled this relatively simple matter like this:

First the Council told all Street traders that they will be moved to Market Square. But after over 4000 signature petition the Council was forced to do a U turn and told the traders they can stay in Station Street.

Then they told the traders they will have to retender for their pitches as the Council wants to attract new traders with different offerings.

The Council duly commenced advertising campaingn and paid for adverts in different Newspapers spending cash whilst cutting vital services.

Despite the advertising campaign the response was very poor and the existing received applications from existing traders.

Throughout this process, the Council did not consult properly and instead tried to restrict communications. 

They then evaluated the applications and awarded four pitches to existing traders.  The only one to lose out was Hot Dog Vendor and after over thirty years service, he has bowed out.

So after months of uncertainty, U turns, confusion and at a considerable cost to the tax payers, the Tory Council has evicted the Hot Dog trader.  It can only be described as utter shambles and waste of money. 
Whilst all this wasgoing on the Lib Dem Councillor who represents the Town Centre Ward went totally quiet. 
The next big project for these Tory Councillors is to kill the Market. 

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Final-curtain-for-hot-dog-vendor-as-he-is-given-boot-15102012.htm

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Council-under-fire-over-gag-order-on-street-food-traders-24092012.htm

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Business-born-out-of-redundancy-is-under-threat-from-council-19092012.htm

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Health-food-not-an-option-at-iconic-Splash-Wagon-13092012.htm
http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Hungarian-refugee-who-became-a-Burton-gem-12092012.htm

http://www.burtonmail.co.uk/News/Council-is-going-cold-on-80-years-of-success-11092012.htm

What is the truth?

Councillor Grosvenor has tried to clarify the situation in respect of salary increases for ESBC Heads of Service in a letter to Burton Mail.

But we are even more confused!

The figures are given on pages 59 & 60 of Statement of Accounts and they appear to be self explanatory.

I asked Councillor Grosvenor a straight forward question: What was salary increase for the rest of the staff? 

Can Councillor Grosvenor tell us if all employees received a similar percentage pay increase as Heads of Service?

The point is these salaries are awarded to senior officers in the wake of job & service cuts.