Cruiser action among more cuts to services by Cheltenham Borough Council
CASH-STRAPPED Cheltenham Borough Council is preparing to cut back on some of its services in an effort to save more money.
The authority has said its staff will no longer deal with areas it has no obligation to cover.
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CUTBACKS: Cheltenham Borough Council is scaling back its involvement in initiatives including the town's cruisers, helping drivers looking for parking and liaising with taxis. It will be involved in a project to improve to signs for pedestrians and facilities for cyclist
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CUTBACKS: Cheltenham Borough Council is scaling back its involvement in initiatives including the town's cruisers, helping drivers looking for parking and liaising with taxis. It will be involved in a project to improve to signs for pedestrians and facilities for cyclist
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CUTBACKS: Cheltenham Borough Council is scaling back its involvement in initiatives including the town's cruisers, helping drivers looking for parking and liaising with taxis. It will be involved in a project to improve to signs for pedestrians and facilities for cyclists
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CUTBACKS: Cheltenham Borough Council is scaling back its involvement in initiatives including the town's cruisers, helping drivers looking for parking and liaising with taxis. It will be involved in a project to improve to signs for pedestrians and facilities for cyclist
A report to the cabinet identified a number of services including: helping police tackle the problem of cruisers, giving advice and directions to drivers looking for parking, speaking to taxis about issues they face, and checking the quality of repairs to the road.
But the ruling Lib Dem administration could not explain to the Echo what these cuts would involve in each case, or how much money it would save the authority.
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It said many of the tasks were the responsibility of Gloucestershire Highways, or could be stopped without creating major problems for residents. However, the decision has been criticised by the council's Conservative group.
Councillor Rob Garnham (C, Park), Conservative group leader, said: "There is no question that this is a cut in services, forced upon the Liberal Democrats by their own inaction."
The changes have come about as part of the county council's decision to take over the enforcement of on-street car parking.
The changes will be brought in from April 1.
Councillor Paul McLain (C, Battledown) said it raised questions about what the authority was now responsible for.
He added: "This is yet another nail in the coffin for Cheltenham Borough Council.
"Housing in the town is run by Cheltenham Borough Homes. Waste collection and street cleaning are done by Ubico.
"The council is about to offload all its leisure services into a trust and sell off the Municipal Offices. What's left?
Councillor John Rawson (LD, St Peters), the borough council's cabinet member for finance, said the resulting reorganisation did not mean the council would stop being heavily involved in transport issues.
He said the council would be taking part in Cheltenham Development Taskforce's Think Travel sustainable transport project, which includes plans to improve signs for pedestrians and facilities for cyclists.
Mr Rawson added the authority would stay involved in any transport issues which affected public safety, and would work with Gloucestershire police to tackle any anti-social activities, like cruisers.
He said: "At a time of great financial difficulty, I think we have to pull back from activities that are largely shadowing or duplicating the work of the county council.
"People in the town may need to get used to going direct to Gloucestershire Highways when they have transport issues, instead of using the borough council as a go-between.
"But we will still do the essentials, such as working to protect the environment and safeguard the public."
4 Comments
by CBCschmucks
Monday, January 28 2013, 4:20PM
“The Cheltenham Borough Rip-off has one hell of a nerve paying those salaries to idiots who couldn't manage a you know what in a brewery. and to top the insult off they strip the community of services like that mentioned and more. The levels of gross incompetence is massive! These clowns that govern our town probably couldn't even hold down a job in the private sector without being sacked for stupidity. Case in point the recent handling of the rubbish removal. Dave, you quoted ""The authority has said its staff will no longer deal with areas it has no obligation to cover" which is shocking, but I say how about the tax paying residents of Cheltenham take the same tack and no longer pay council tax as we the residents have no obligation to pay for something we no long receive or want. If CBC were a business the administrators' would be padlocking your door by now. Imbeciles!”
by Dave_t10
Saturday, January 26 2013, 7:48PM
“"The authority has said its staff will no longer deal with areas it has no obligation to cover"
AT LAST!!
I look forward to seing the many pointless services that they should NOT be provided cut and them reverting to just empty the bins, sweep the street and light the roads....(and a small handful of other thing).
They high paid Directors can be scrapped as they control nothing and finally our council tax rates can be slashed as they are only providing the services that they should be.”
by elgoog
Saturday, January 26 2013, 11:23AM
“The taxpayers Rich List shows the following payments for those on over £100K in 2010 -2011;
Cheltenham Chief Executive 127,690 138,066 8.13 Salary £108,083; Expenses £1,347; Benefits £1,267; Other Payments £10,061; Pension £17,308
Assistant Director - Customer Access and Service Transformation 68,518 101,305 47.85 Salary £66,104; Expenses £318; Compensation £26,401; Benefits £1,033; Pension £7,449. Left during 2010-11
Executive Director - 104,129 - Salary £89,104; Expenses £732; Benefits £1,239; Pension £13,054
Executive Director - 104,096 - Salary £89,104; Expenses £699; Benefits £1,239; Pension £13,054”
by elgoog
Saturday, January 26 2013, 9:16AM
“"Housing in the town is run by Cheltenham Borough Homes. Waste collection and street cleaning are done by Ubico.
"The council is about to offload all its leisure services into a trust and sell off the Municipal Offices. What's left?"
What's left is an overweight management structure that we cannot afford. The chief executive continues to get around twice as much as an MP. Are we to suppose that these are the essential services that we cannot cut?”