TiG tries its hand at balancing Gloucestershire County Council's books
I'M NO accountant. Letting me loose with millions of pounds of public money is like handing the keys to your oil rig to BP.
But if you want to illustrate the sheer scale of a problem, there's no better way than sitting someone down in front of it and saying 'You sort it'.
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Challenge: Political reporter Steve Hackwell
That's exactly what Gloucestershire County Council has done with its budget simulator as it strives to save millions of pounds over the next four years. By logging on to www.meetingthechallenge.org.uk, anyone can have a go at balancing the books.
And it is only when you are handed the metaphorical axe and told to find savings of £35.8 million in the next financial year that you realise how tricky a task it is.
We are all guilty of a certain apathy when it comes to public spending. A million here, a million there – it's hard to escape the impression of Monopoly money being thrown around.
But £35.8 million will go a long way – you could buy 3 million school textbooks. Or 940,000 wheelie bins.
When you log on, you are faced with 15 categories, from road maintenance and rubbish disposal to school transport and trading standards. For each one, you can either cut or increase the budget by 25 per cent.
Due caution has to be swept aside in a tsunami of ruthlessness. It soon becomes apparent that increasing any of the budgets is not an option.
Indeed, you get a sense of just how pitiless council bosses will have to be to make the cuts. Before long, I was hacking away at anything which didn't directly threaten public safety – trading standards, school transport and rubbish disposal took most of the hits.
Even then, I had only managed to save half of what was needed. Most of our cash, as we would expect, goes on protective measures for older people, youngsters and the most vulnerable.
Cutting a fraction of these budgets makes far greater savings than demolishing the entire funding for the county's libraries. By snipping five per cent from each one, as well as from the fire service, I eventually managed to save £37.4 million. Phew!
The question is – can you do any better?
14 Comments
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by S.C., cheltenham
Thursday, September 09 2010, 8:02PM
“Has anyone had a go at completing this GCC farce
It has to be a joke surely - no detailed information whatsoever
How much time, money and effort was wasted on developing this - another example of GCC waste
Jeez - sack the top tier and start again”
by Joe K, Barton & Tredworth
Thursday, September 09 2010, 4:51PM
“You can't manage a blog, Steve, never mind the council's budget... ;)”
by The Khazi of Kalabar, Cheltenham
Thursday, September 09 2010, 4:30PM
“Do oil rigs have keys? No.
Are TiG a bunch of 3rd rate amateur bumpkin wannabe journalists? Yes.”
by Boris, The Big Smoke
Thursday, September 09 2010, 3:07PM
“They will never entertain unitary authorities, as it will take time for the benefits to be seen. All politicians look at the short term, what they can be seen to be delivering. Start off gradually. All district and county councils have HR, Procurement, IT and other 'back office' depts. They all provide the same services to different organisations, this is highly duplicitous and could be reduced by merging these back office functions. Equally if each of the 6 districts has an identical post, why can't the county look to share 4 or 5 people.
Looking at where to cut funding is flawed and we end up with blanket cuts. Stop looking at each council individually and look at the services the county as a whole receives and how we can deliver them more effectively.”
by geraint, gloucester
Thursday, September 09 2010, 2:54PM
“Quedgeley Guy is spot on!”
by Amazed at amateurs, Glos
Thursday, September 09 2010, 12:04PM
“TiG - As with all your journalistic attributes - unprofessional half a job journalism!”
by Mercedes Man, Glos
Thursday, September 09 2010, 11:51AM
“Top marks to Quedgeley Guy for this remark - We should go Unitary and make this current shower of jobsworthies reapply for their jobs. From the Top to the Bottom.
Starting from the Top! ¿ But this is closely followed by an element of what Jimmy glos states - Of course it would be nice to see how much some of the higher up staff get paid. So we can all moan and point fingers. But nothing will be done about it, as the government says it must always compete with the private sector for good staff in the higher ranks. Jimmy most of the higher echelons of shire hall would never get such lucrative salaries or employment terms and conditions in the private sector. On that subject our ex MP received a very large payoff in excess of £65,000 and has still not found a job in the private sector. But was he worth any less than the excessive amount of GCC CEO receives? The clear out must begin at the TOP and stop paying the high five figure severance payouts. Of course many will take payoff money + gold plated pension then reapply to work 1 or 2 days a week setting up as consultants advising the same council. What a shame this government has cottoned on to them ending up on the payroll of speed camera partnerships.”
by Sandra, Gloucester
Thursday, September 09 2010, 11:10AM
“The simulator was of little use in reaching any constructive decisions as there was so little information to go on .”
by Quedgeley Guy, Quedgeley
Thursday, September 09 2010, 9:43AM
“Paul is right, the Budget Simulator is a biased and crippled facility.
Nowhere on it is there costs of Pensions,Consultants,Handshakes or anything that I'd consider fair meat for the grinder.
We should go Unitary and make this current shower of jobsworthies reapply for their jobs. From the Top to the Bottom.
Starting from the Top!
They've been sussed and now they're trying to shift responsibility for their lack of planning.
Incidentally,the deficit is 7 percent not 25. It is also £120 million over 4 years,which is £30 Million a year not £35.8 Million.
Someone is manipulating and altering the numbers on a daily basis and I suspect it's to save their jobs and has very little to do with saving our money.”
by Jimmy, glos
Thursday, September 09 2010, 9:31AM
“The council full budget report is now on http://www.meetingthechallenge.org.uk/allocation
Or can be found here http://www.gloucestershire.gov.uk/index.cfm?articleid=12490
I received an email from the council, saying there is not going to be a survey style consultation like there was in the form of filling in forms like some of us did for Cheltenham Borough Council a few weeks ago.
It would appear the council is just going to be looking at some of the results from the ¿Budget simulator¿ I am all in favour of more democracy etc. But to be to fair the council, they do know what they are doing. Lets just let them get on with it, they are the ones they run it, so they know the places to make the cuts. How is a builder or bus driver or teacher or even an unemployed person going to be much help in telling a government sector where the cuts should come???? I just think this is a bit of a waste time/PR exercise.
Of course it would be nice to see how much some of the higher up staff get paid. So we can all moan and point fingers. But nothing will be done about it, as the government says it must always compete with the private sector for good staff in the higher ranks.
Also if you have any questions Mark Hawthrone is on the web chat from 11.15am today
http://www.thisisgloucestershire.co.uk/news/Gloucestershire-County-Council-leader-Mark-Hawthorne-live-webchat/article-2620755-detail/article.html
Also it seems a bit nuts that we are not paying Council Tax next year? Whats that all about. I would rather just pay my Council Tax tbh.”