£3.8million council tax benefit black hole for Gloucestershire councils

“Very edifying to see a Lib Dem concillor moaning about the consequences of THEIR coalition governments' policies. Seems they want the perks of government without the local election backlash.”

“@ honslknjklyt


"Some right rich so and sos are getting this freebie and we who are less off that them are paying for it."

So what your saying then honslknjklyt is that those of us who work hard and pay our taxes should fund the feckless like you but cant have anything back? I'm sorry but it should workout that those who pay the most benefit the most, how else do we get people like you to up their game!

Plus read your post back, it dont read proper....lol”

“I think them blue badges that allow themselves and their families when they transfer them etc should be means tested as well as bus passes should be means tested.

Some right rich so and sos are getting this freebie and we who are less off that them are paying for it.”

“roynicholas - will go along with that - foreign aid is a con-game, stops the poorer countries from sorting out their internal social and political problems - many corrupt officials make a good living from overseas aid, and aid distorts internal economy and breeds incompetence, and dependence.”

“Well said SandraPee. Of course tax cuts for the very rich will go ahead.”

“Charity begins at home, its about time all the millions being spent on foreign aid was stopped especially when we read that fat cat so called consultants are creaming off the majority of it.
If we have this sort of money to give away why not keep it in this country and help the vulnerable and less well off who genuinely need it.”

“So there isn't enough money for benefits, both at a national and local level. Not a great surprise.

Time the WHOLE benefits system was overhauled (not just council tax benefits, as covered in this article), so that those who genuinely need help get what they are entitled to, whilst those ripping the system off are identified and cut off, with action taken to recover fraudulent claims as & where necessary.

BUT, there is no point in "overhauling"the system if it costs hundreds of millions of pounds to implement new systems which then only cut the bill / recover fraudulent payments of a fraction of the cost. Money spent on sorting out the benefits system is potentially money that could be used for genuine benefits claims.

I'm fed up of reading about apparently-crippled people who are claiming every benefit available, until they are caught playing golf / bowls / cycling / running etc. Whilst they might end up being made to repay the fraudulent benefits they've received, I bet they don't also have to foot the legal bill of their trials.”

“Why is it that these cuts always affect the pensioners and the low paid. If it is a black hole then it is not half a black hole and since "we are all in it together" the cuts should be spread. There are still many overpaid "managers" who we don't need and can no longer afford.”

“Perhaps the Glocestershire town hall muppets could come clean and tell us how many PFI projects we are paying through the nose for, It's been well documented for many years what a big rip-off these schemes are, yet the muppets still enter into contracts with these charletons.
Last one was the Fire service, Totally unnesseserry, but as its funded by PFI thats OK, and the Gloucestershire tax payer will pay for the next 50 years... If you try freedom of information route, you will be told its not relevent.... When the benifits are cut, its because this is what the extra money is for.. Am i right...or am i right...”

“SandraPee - will go along with much of what you say - need for local authorities to get pragmatic, learn business skills, cut out wasteful services which don't mean a great deal to the environment, and shelf vanity projects.”