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I back new town council for High Wycombe
THE campaign to create a town council for the town of High Wycombe deserves to be supported and not just by its residents, but also by residents of the other areas, both urban and rural, represented on Wycombe District Council.
At present, district councillors representing High Wycombe town wards are sometimes tempted to treat Wycombe District Council meetings as if they were concerned solely with High Wycombe town matters. If they had their own town council, that excuse would be removed.
There seems to be a fear that the creation of a High Wycombe Town Council would increase costs, and hence the level of council tax, both for those living inside and those living outside the High Wycombe town area, but this would not necessarily be so.
The new town council would have the power to raise revenue through its own precept (collected as part of the council tax) enabling it to take on additional responsibilities if it so wished, but that would only be at the choice of the residents.
Another option would be for the district council to delegate functions and budgets to the town council, leaving council tax unaffected.
None of this should lead to any need for other town and parish councils in the district to increase their own precepts.
Perhaps it would be a good idea to abolish the district council, and establish a unitary Bucks County Council, giving revitalised town and parish councils even greater responsibilities to deal better with really local concerns?
Unsurprisingly, since turkeys can't be expected to vote for Christmas, district councillors in Wycombe and elsewhere in the county recently jibbed at this sensible suggestion.
Derek Edwin Done, Harwood Road, Marlow
8:14pm Thursday 1st May 2008
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CommentPosted by: bystander, home on 8:27pm Thu 1 May 08
Oh Derek, you should've declared that you were once LibDem Mayor of Marlow Town Council when you wrote in, and that all this has been looked into before. It is indeed a choice for people to choose whether they want their services run by Town or District but nobody will admit the truth, that it always quadruples the townsfolk's council tax.Many towns now have their own council and every single time the taxes go through the roof. It doesn't take a genius to know that economy of scale makes it cheaper for a large organisation to do the tasks than it does for a small organisation. Anyone experienced in contracting will know.
Oh Derek, you should've declared that you were once LibDem Mayor of Marlow Town Council when you wrote in, and that all this has been looked into before. It is indeed a choice for people to choose whether they want their services run by Town or District but nobody will admit the truth, that it always quadruples the townsfolk's council tax.Many towns now have their own council and every single time the taxes go through the roof. It doesn't take a genius to know that economy of scale makes it cheaper for a large organisation to do the tasks than it does for a small organisation. Anyone experienced in contracting will know.
Posted by: Pierre, HW on 8:34am Fri 2 May 08
Oh, bystander,
Please don't get tetchy with Derek Done for not declaring his Marlow democracy connections.
After all, Cllr Tony Green did not declare that he receives over £1,000 per year allowance for being the Chairman of the High Wycombe Town Committee when he argued in favour of the Town Committee and against the Town Council. He therefore has a vested interest in making sure there is no Town Council - he would be financially worse off.
But don't tell the voters that!
Oh, bystander,
Please don't get tetchy with Derek Done for not declaring his Marlow democracy connections.
After all, Cllr Tony Green did not declare that he receives over £1,000 per year allowance for being the Chairman of the High Wycombe Town Committee when he argued in favour of the Town Committee and against the Town Council. He therefore has a vested interest in making sure there is no Town Council - he would be financially worse off.
But don't tell the voters that!
Posted by: Pierre, HW on 8:38am Fri 2 May 08
Oh Bystander,
Don't be so tetchy with Derek for not declaring his Marlow democracy connections.
After all, Tony Green did not declare that he receives over £1,000 per year for being Chairman of the High Wycombe Town Committee, when he argued against the Town Council and for the retention of the Town Committee.
He has a vested interest in not having a High Wycombe Town Council.
Oh Bystander,
Don't be so tetchy with Derek for not declaring his Marlow democracy connections.
After all, Tony Green did not declare that he receives over £1,000 per year for being Chairman of the High Wycombe Town Committee, when he argued against the Town Council and for the retention of the Town Committee.
He has a vested interest in not having a High Wycombe Town Council.
Posted by: bystander, home on 8:41pm Fri 2 May 08
What, and he wouldn't get even more leading a Town Council instead? They get paid too, you know, if they vote it to themselves. Derek's a Liberal and they don't get a look in anywhere across the district at present so naturally he'll support anything that might be to their advantage.
What, and he wouldn't get even more leading a Town Council instead? They get paid too, you know, if they vote it to themselves. Derek's a Liberal and they don't get a look in anywhere across the district at present so naturally he'll support anything that might be to their advantage.
Posted by: Town Cryer, Wycombe on 10:02pm Fri 2 May 08
Glad to see such support from Derek for a town council. Good to see support from most parties and none political groups.Shame the Tory party is making this a political fight by blatently opposing local democracy for the town of Wycombe
Glad to see such support from Derek for a town council. Good to see support from most parties and none political groups.Shame the Tory party is making this a political fight by blatently opposing local democracy for the town of Wycombe
Posted by: Ivor on 7:26pm Sat 3 May 08
[bold]Another option would be for the district council to delegate functions and budgets to the town council, leaving council tax unaffected.[/bold]If functions can be taken away from the District Council then what are we waiting for? Let’s create the town council and start running Wycombe properly!
[bold]Have you read Ivor’s blog today?[/bold] Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Bucks Blog”.
Another option would be for the district council to delegate functions and budgets to the town council, leaving council tax unaffected.If functions can be taken away from the District Council then what are we waiting for? Let’s create the town council and start running Wycombe properly!
Have you read Ivor’s blog today? Click on the “Opinion” link on the menu on the left then click on “Readers Bucks Blog”.
Posted by: Town Cryer, Wycombe on 2:46pm Sun 4 May 08
good one ivor---
Whats stopping us is Tory inertia and blocking tactics
Saying that im aware of a number of local townies collecting signatures to make it happen despite Tory blocking tactics
want to add your signature???
good one ivor---
Whats stopping us is Tory inertia and blocking tactics
Saying that im aware of a number of local townies collecting signatures to make it happen despite Tory blocking tactics
want to add your signature???
Posted by: Pierre, HW on 11:19am Fri 9 May 08
Actually Bystander, you are wrong. There are two (count them - 1, 2) Liberal Democrats representing the Ryemead Ward!
Actually Bystander, you are wrong. There are two (count them - 1, 2) Liberal Democrats representing the Ryemead Ward!
Posted by: Brian Gilbert, Downley on 2:02pm Mon 12 May 08
Maybe a Town Council for High Wycombe might have organised a meeting to discuss the plans for the Hospital.
Maybe a Town Council for High Wycombe might have organised a meeting to discuss the plans for the Hospital.
Posted by: Town Cryer, Wycombe on 12:33am Wed 14 May 08
[quote][bold]Brian Gilbert[/bold] wrote:
Maybe a Town Council for High Wycombe might have organised a meeting to discuss the plans for the Hospital.[/quote] im sure a town council for wycombe would be in the fight to protect hospital
shame WDC isnt !!!
Brian Gilbert wrote:
Maybe a Town Council for High Wycombe might have organised a meeting to discuss the plans for the Hospital.
im sure a town council for wycombe would be in the fight to protect hospital
shame WDC isnt !!!
Posted by: Town Cryer, Wycombe on 7:14pm today
[quote][bold]bystander[/bold] wrote:
What, and he wouldn't get even more leading a Town Council instead? They get paid too, you know, if they vote it to themselves. Derek's a Liberal and they don't get a look in anywhere across the district at present so naturally he'll support anything that might be to their advantage.[/quote] Believe we have 4 Lib Dem councillors across the district.
Two of them are in the East end of Town and are doing a better job than many of the Torys in the surrounding wards
bystander wrote:
What, and he wouldn't get even more leading a Town Council instead? They get paid too, you know, if they vote it to themselves. Derek's a Liberal and they don't get a look in anywhere across the district at present so naturally he'll support anything that might be to their advantage.
Believe we have 4 Lib Dem councillors across the district.
Two of them are in the East end of Town and are doing a better job than many of the Torys in the surrounding wards
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