|
EARLY DECEMBER 1998
First of all greetings and best wishes for the New Year and even Christmas if this gets to you in time.
The early closing for the village magazines is not normally a nuisance, but it is in December each year because during that month the news about the County (and District) BUDGET PROSPECTS start to unfold on almost a daily basis right through to the end of the month. In January I hope to tell you more about our local scene which may well differ from what you may have seen or heard in the media.
At this moment I can only give you a first impression which I can build on later as the Government Pandora's box opens more widely.
Mr Prescott announced just under 5% increase in spending for English local government recently. The details are still foggy as far as Cambridgeshire is concerned, but it is certain that we have a fraction more to.spend than the average for England as a whole and shire counties in particular.
It could have been worse; both Cambs. County and E. Cambs. District have done better than the English average government grant but we were starting from the lowest points in the first place.
It is a major disappointment that against all advice, and the undertaking by Mr Blair before the 1997 election, we are not to get the cost of living allowance known as the Area Cost Adjustment (ACA). This penalises Cambridgeshire in comparison with neighbouring counties to the south and round London by something around £11-12m.
As it happens, the projected Government and local figures show Cambs. has a probable budget gap of a similar size. This leads me to forecast a rise in Council Tax of more than the 4½% forecast by Mr Prescott, withdrawal of some reserves, and still further cuts in services. At the same time the demand on our services increases in line with our fast growing population. To put it at its mildest the Conservative County administration has a dilemma. I am sure that the other two parties will be "constructive" in their opposition at this difficult time.
I write this letter as the snow is falling. May I remind you that Age Concern has issued free advice for older people on how to keep warm and well. Age Concern
|
|
