The annual round of budget announcements has begun: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/cash-put-aside-for-airfield-and-council-hq-in-budget-plan/

I think Coventry are going to get Royally shafted again. Much of what was once the council tax is now called 'precepts' in a crude attempt to disguise the annual rise. But the bottom line is that we are paying substantially more for a lot less.

The gripe that it is all central government's fault for cutting their allocations doesn't wash with me. I've yet to see a council not riddled with waste, duplication and 'jobs for the boys'!

Organisations will always need more cash; they're basically all bottomless pits: https://www.northwarks.gov.uk/news/article/556/have_your_say_on_police_funding

Most are very badly run Lex. Inefficiencies, waste and duplication are rife. I spent a part of my working life looking into such things, there's always money to be saved, but the powers that be usually refuse to adopt savings because they are savings that they ought to have seen, and it makes them look bad. Bad management is rife!

I was wondering what to do with my pay rise this year: https://stratfordobserver.co.uk/news/warwickshire-households-facing-another-big-hike-in-council-tax-11082/

I'll believe we'll get more police on the beat when I see it: https://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/warwickshire-police-commissioner-says-tax-hike-will-mean-more-officers-will-be-put-on-streets-1-8797091

That makes two of us Lex. I can't remember the last time I saw a policeman in the flesh.

SDC's survey was a really representative sample: http://www.stratford-herald.com/95911-consultation-reveals-publics-budget-priorities.html

People really want CCTV? Coventry is littered with the damned things, yet look sat the problems we have! I find CCTV very intrusive, not because I'm not behaving, but because I feel that I'm being spied on by some pervert voyeuristic council employee.

A mixed bag for Solihull's budget: https://solihullobserver.co.uk/news/solihull-council-tax-rise-set-as-chiefs-seek-budget-go-ahead/

Rugby's set its budger: https://www.rugbyadvertiser.co.uk/news/politics/rugby-council-votes-to-increase-its-share-of-council-tax-bills-by-three-per-cent-here-is-what-it-will-be-spent-on-1-8828526

A bit of good news if you live in North Warwickshire: https://www.northwarks.gov.uk/news/article/565/zero_council_tax_increase_for_borough_council

That is a rare, and no doubt welcome piece of news for some

Got my bill today. It's gone up £7 a month - could be worse.

I had mine a week or so ago. It's gone up, but truthfully, without seeking out the previous bill I couldn't say by how much.

What really grinds my gears is the flagrant waste and incompetence that goes on that we can do nothing about. - Last year's Godiva festival anyone?