To wonder WTF has gone wrong at Northamptonshire County Council?

[KenAdams]

Lack of funding or poor management?

The Tories don’t like local government.

They like a central state - which is ironic given that they throw out the term “nanny state” as an insult to labour.

They want central command and control and do not trust people to make decisions - hence the slow death of local councils.

Tory area here too. Amazing sitting in public meeting about the closure of a local school to hear a rather high society villager ask " can the council access a pot of money to save our school" ....that's a no then!

we are in Northants and part of the complete fuckup that is Daventry District Council who have spent millions on plans, surveys and consultants for a dead end canal arm going to the middle of nowhere. A town ballot was held overwhelmingly rejecting the project which was then deemed 'non binding' and no external funding has been found as its such a stupid vanity project. In the meantime schools are struggling social services going downhill, main roads are like quarry tracks with huge potholes and the council tax has just had huge increase. Sorry for the rant but feel powerless against such incompetence. And half the staff seem to have lease cars that do nothing all day sitting in the car park why not have a few pool cars that are used constantly.

Not sure if it eases your rant but for correctness lease cars are leased by the employee through our wages not paid for by the councils. No perks!

Dopey, Having previously worked in a local authority not a million miles from Northamptonshire, this is half of the problem - a complete lack of understanding of how the district and county authorities are funded and who provides which services. I have seen the proposals for the canal arm and agree it is a project that seems ridiculous in the current financial climate, but that has no link at all to the county council position. The county council in Northamptonshire are required to provide schools, social services and main roads so there is no link to their financial position and the canal arm being supports by the district council.

Blue is right, lease cars are paid for by the users of the cars, not given as a perk! That might have been the case many years back, but most councils reviewed this position a long time ago as there is just no funding for any perks - in truth there are no decent wages, no ‘gold plated pension’ and no perks at all to working in local government these days, it’s a thankless task.

I find it hard to believe that there is no financial advantage in a lease car to an employee otherwise why have one. Why does the Inland Revenue tax the user. I understand the confusion but councils certainly don't help themselves. I recently had a blue badge from Northants and they don't cash cheques until the end of the month after Badge is issued. They should cash cheque immediately a) for instant revenue b) prevent fraud or accidental non payment e.g. disabled person passing away and account is frozen. Just one silly example but I'm sure it's tip of iceberg