Herefordshire Council cuts - your say

8:30am Thursday 17th January 2013 in News By Bill Tanner

READERS have inundated the Hereford Times with suggestions on how Herefordshire Council can save £10 million.

Last week we revealed the local authority's "Make Your Own Cuts" offer to the public to cover the shortfall in its 2013/14 budget.

Council leader Councillor John Jarvis said “everything is on the table” over savings in an unprecedented consultation affecting every man, woman and child in the county. 

The responses have flooded into the newsroom while others have made their feelings know on the newspaper’s website.

To read the online comments click here. 

Readers can still send suggestions to yoursay@herefordtimes.com

 

Comments(45)

silentbull says...
10:18am Thu 17 Jan 13

To be fare 'most comments' were about where the council went wrong 'but' will the council make the same mistakes again?
Is the pope Catholic?

But will the council take notice of some of the 'very good' advice that was given?
I think 'HERE WE CAN' should be changed to 'WILL THEY EL!!!'

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mizza21 says...
10:28am Thu 17 Jan 13

They are politicians after all.
One should engage ones Bu1|$h1t filter when they open their mouths.

As I explained to my son while we out stealing catalytic converters off cars the other night, Judge a man by what he does, not what he says he's going to do.

When the council explain how they are consulting the pubic on how to do their jobs, one can only draw the conclusion that they don't know how to do their own jobs.

I would not ask for pubic consultation on how to break into warehouses, so why should they be able to get away with it.
Saucy Beggars..

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bobby47 says...
11:02am Thu 17 Jan 13

By far and away our best saving would be Mr Jarvis himself and the gaggle of head nodders who sanction his chaotic and badly thought out schemes.
You say, 'Everything is on the table'. I say,'we'll climb upon that table, tell us when you are bloody horizontal on it and we can arrange for you to be carried out of the building'.
My good man you must go. Youve read our posts. This isn't going to stop and I know that you can't stop reading this stuff because you need to and have to.
For your own sake, climb upon your table and offer yourself up as a crucial saving.
You'll note that whilst some old Posters have gone such as Lukio, many are still here and new Posters have arrived to invigorate the need and wish to rid ourselves of you so this momentum that I know you feel beneath your chair isn't going to ease up. It's going to continue. Day in. Day out until you save us some money by jumping onto the table and scream, 'Im a Councillor. get me out of here'.

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bobby47 says...
1:05pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Oh!!! Sweet Loving Jesus. Just when I thought swallowing yet another diazepam was the high point of my day, my good friend Mizza, who I salute and honour has provided us all with the best Posting ever, namely the imaginary purloining of Catalytic Converters.
If you've no idea what Im going on about, examine another thread of news relating to Catalytic Converters.
Brilliant Mizza. Genius. You are King for the day.

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mizza21 says...
1:49pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Blimey, What an honour.
Thanks Bobby.
I don't know whether to be more excited about the crown or the idea of you geting my obscure reference.

When I pop down to Tescos to see if they've reduced the perishables coz of the impending snow tomorrow I shall be on such a massive high...

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TwoWheelsGood says...
2:02pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Cat convertors - has that posting been deleted??

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petemiles says...
3:05pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Stop spending money you aint got. ie Lending from other councils what for. To close Rockfield Rd store, To build yet another road to nowhere at taxpayers expence. Let the developer off the market site pay for it,if they want it. I trust the developer off the New build houses is going to make a nice profit ? well claw some back for this Rd. Lets see our council take a cut in pay for starters to help the budget, But I expect the forthcomeing 2pc rise in the council tax will just be used in keeping them in the lifestyle they have become used to at our expence gravy train

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grouseman says...
3:09pm Thu 17 Jan 13

will the council listen ? probably not. 12000 people signed a petition to stop esg. at a local business meeting with council & esg reps we were all told by a traffic expert,that town would be gridlocked from day one if new link road went ahead.(now theres a saving). Remember
"herefordians"we put this council in the seats of responsibility. you reap what you sow

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mizza21 says...
3:45pm Thu 17 Jan 13

I didn't vote far any of em.
I actively did not take part in what is a system designed around them not us.

If everyone took my approach we'd have no politicians and, like turning off the traffic light controls at the Belmont Rd roundabout (I refuse to call it the Asda roundabout), we would wake up to a County which just went about it's business more efficiently.

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bobby47 says...
3:48pm Thu 17 Jan 13

At the heart of our current predicament is the Councils mindset on where these cuts should be made.
They want to cut Services. What they will not do is address the real issue and one which they wish to avoid at all costs. Cutting the jobs that they've created during the glory years of New Labour madness.
Our money is now being used to keep jobs going. A noble cause I accept and fully understand but it ain't addressing the problem and this stinging nettle needs to be grasped.
All public services have the exact same problem. How to cull these pointless jobs that are of no benefit to us and our fragile economic state. They've all been at it during the last fifteen years and now they've gotta deal with this blunder and deal with it they must.
For the time being, they'll collect as many pointless business areas that they can grab onto and pretend to busy themselves but, in the end, after they've wasted millions more of our money, they'll end up trimming their job tree and bring us back to a point of reality.
In the meantime, they'll cut our services, destroy this, that and the other before they even consider the culling that is sadly needed to ensure some sort of sane future.

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Herefordian07 says...
3:55pm Thu 17 Jan 13

We could save an enormous amount of money annually if the council stopped bunging money at Hereford Futures, a private company subsidised by rate payers money, I am sure lots of Hereford companies could do with free cash!! We were also told that exising companies in town would not be allowed into the ESG site, yet low and behold they are talking to several town companies to do just that, you cannot trust this bunch at all.

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WYSIATI says...
4:06pm Thu 17 Jan 13

mizza21 wrote:
I didn't vote far any of em.
I actively did not take part in what is a system designed around them not us.

If everyone took my approach we'd have no politicians and, like turning off the traffic light controls at the Belmont Rd roundabout (I refuse to call it the Asda roundabout), we would wake up to a County which just went about it's business more efficiently.
The reason we have the councillors we do is that people do not vote - if you want something different you either vote or you stand

I am fully expecting king Bobby and his court to be standing at the next election with all the council gravy train jobs filled by all those who think the jobs are easy, overpaid and there for the taking

That should get the whole place whizzing along in a couple of days I should think

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bobby47 says...
5:11pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Wysiati, Good grief! No! Never! I'll be damned if I stand for election, win the terrible vote and be given the task of keeping you lot bloody happy.
I'll be damned if I let you lot aim and vent your ire on me simple because I chose to purchase an MFI flat pack chair and desk through expenses and thus be subjected to the inevitable bile, abuse and mindless rantings and ravings that would surely come my way.
Mind you, if I was seduced by this thought of unbridled power, wealth and celebrity Id get shot of you lot for a starters. I mean, you'd be a fool to ignore the Posters on this site. Wouldn't you Mr Jarvis?

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WYSIATI says...
5:25pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Bobby - go on - stand


We'll start a petition and you'll have to - the will of the people and all

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bobby47 says...
6:34pm Thu 17 Jan 13

Wysiati, Good God! No! Never! I'll stay with the screaming mob, gathered at the gates of the City demanding a head on a pike thirsting for a pointless sacrifice thank you very much my good friend.
My warmest regards to you.

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megilleland says...
10:13pm Thu 17 Jan 13

mizza21 says...
3:45pm Thu 17 Jan 13

I didn't vote far any of em.
I actively did not take part in what is a system designed around them not us.

Same applies to our present politicians. However Nigel Farage is on Question Time tonight BBC1 at 10.35pm - should be interesting.

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probono says...
10:41pm Thu 17 Jan 13

People who abstain from voting really do not have the right to criticise at a later date. Courage of convictions is what is needed. Turn out and spoil the ballot paper with your views is better than sitting at home sayin I don't vote, won't vote.

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Herefordian07 says...
9:00am Fri 18 Jan 13

I tip my hat to king Bobby, what an inspired posting about grasping the nettle of job cuts within the hallowed sanctum. Well done sire you speak for many!

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probono says...
9:25am Fri 18 Jan 13

Councillors expenses and allowances must be reduced, some of them take more money home than coal face workers at the Council. I wonder which people will go in the coming redundancies; the people in front line services not the managers. And certainly not the fat cats at the top.
Herefordshire wanted indepence from Worcestershire, and knew there would be a cost, but should we not cut our cloth according to our means ? Small and simple, a Council that showed it cared would bring more self help and volunteers out in communities and will that all be wrapped in so much red tape it becomes impossible ?

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dippyhippy says...
10:11am Fri 18 Jan 13

Probably - the voluntary sector are feeling the down turn as much as the rest of us. By the way,anybody see the news report that was on last night? Going off track a bit here but, Worcester lost a vote of no confidence in Bill Longmore, but at least they had the balls to motion it,more than our weedy lot!!

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dippyhippy says...
10:16am Fri 18 Jan 13

Just want to add, that as a simple soul, I do not have the answers to the predicament we are in. Just a few suggestions as to how the council could stop wasting money,as we have all described on this forum in glorious technicolour detail many,many times.However, I do know good from bad, and right from wrong - Jarvis is bad,and what he is doing is wrong, therefore he should go. Simple.

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Herefordian07 says...
10:29am Fri 18 Jan 13

Spot on comment dippyhippy but how do we topple him from office, the damned bloke is fireproof in his exalted position, he can throw as many thunderbolts at us as he seems fit and of course his cronies will form a circle to save their gravy train jobs too.

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littlewhitebull says...
10:35am Fri 18 Jan 13

Herefordian07 wrote:
I tip my hat to king Bobby, what an inspired posting about grasping the nettle of job cuts within the hallowed sanctum. Well done sire you speak for many!
And I agree with Herefordian07. Our great king Bobby still manages to speak from the heart despite the immense pressure on his nervous system. No doubt Booby is snuggled up with his harem and preparing his next missive for this thread. Keep warm Bobby and come back soon and let us know your thoughts.

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mizza21 says...
10:56am Fri 18 Jan 13

Spoiling my ballot paper would be taking part.
NO. I ACTIVELY abstain from the process thus reducing it's validity.
I still have the right to comment because I disagree with the system as a whole, including the flawed electoral process.
I do have an alternative. Communism.
I would welcome being governed by a fatherly dictator such as King Bobby. I would require nothing more than the odd pat on the head and fatherly words of wisdom once in a while.

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dippyhippy says...
11:06am Fri 18 Jan 13

Oh littlewhitebull, how could you?? " BOOBY Is snuggled up" !! The King will have your head for that!!

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littlewhitebull says...
11:51am Fri 18 Jan 13

Dippyhippy, it was a genuine mistake - a slip of the keyboard. Will he believe me after my redacting/alteration past? God help me! I can see my head on a pike in Hightown alongside Bobby's nemesis. I can merely plea for his majesty's forgiveness.

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dippyhippy says...
1:11pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Littlewhitebull, let us hope the King is in merciful mood,and believes this to be a genuine mistake. If not, I would head for the hills - Hay Bluff must look glorious with all this snow!!

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WYSIATI says...
1:29pm Fri 18 Jan 13

littlewhitebull - sorry but we all know King Bobby likes heads of stakes and no one on here tolerates mistakes big or small.......

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littlewhitebull says...
1:53pm Fri 18 Jan 13

I am dug in with the SAS. However, they tell me that if king Bobby wants my head, surrender is the best option!

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bobby47 says...
2:22pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Forgiven Littlewhitebull! Yes, giving me another bloody vowel was distressing and I will admit that sleep was difficult knowing that I had acquired another vowel when I had no wish, need or desire to be gifted another vowel.
I eventually drifted off consoling myself with the knowledge that it could have been worse. A consonant for example would have been worse to sleep on.
No! forgiven. The vowel has gone and that's good enough for me.
As for the question, that nobody asked, namely, what's going on in the Kings mind?
Other than kissing numerous women, baiting hand reared ferrets and this bloody snow that has been delivered because of Mr Jarvis, very little other than a desire to hear that our Council Leadership have tethered themselves together and jumped into the Lugg.

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littlewhitebull says...
4:32pm Fri 18 Jan 13

What a relief! The king has forgiven me again. I don't deserve such magnanimity from this finest of men. I shall check my spelling in future. Long live the king!

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megilleland says...
6:25pm Fri 18 Jan 13

I suggested that a lot could be done by creating an estate task-force using specially converted cargo bikes to remove litter, keep paths and roads clean, unblock drains and report vandalism and other maintenance issues.

So often you see Amey operatives sitting in their vehicles, sometimes in pairs. You could save a fortune on the fleet cost, insurance and fuel plus the operatives would get a lot fitter and healthier.

I did bring this suggestion up at the "Your community - your say" meeting at Belmont before Christmas, but it hasn't been included in the locality report issued after and the council never gave me a reason why it would not be feasible. So why bother?

See the sort of bike I refer to here:
http://www.solarnavi
gator.net/images/ele
ctric_trike_trailer_
rickshaw.jpg

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WYSIATI says...
7:03pm Fri 18 Jan 13

you know the bikes (megilleland) - that's not a bad idea.

We could do with people going back to something closer to what they used to have with people looking after bits of road - clearing ditches that sort of thing.

And as for getting the workforce fitter - who could complain.

Trouble is that all takes initiative and hard work to implement and I bet they are tied up in red tape - but if you could get in there and make it work.....

To be honest we're probably going to have to get off our collective backsides and pick up the litter ourselves - for sure we could complain and wonder why the council doesn't do it - or call them up and make them - and pick up the bill - or we could pick up what we see and chuck it in the bin - hell might have to get the spade out and clear a ditch or two too

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megilleland says...
7:25pm Fri 18 Jan 13

To be honest we're probably going to have to get off our collective backsides and pick up the litter ourselves - for sure we could complain and wonder why the council doesn't do it - or call them up and make them - and pick up the bill - or we could pick up what we see and chuck it in the bin - hell might have to get the spade out and clear a ditch or two too


Being doing that every Sunday morning for an hour or two for years. Plenty of comment from passers-by, usually "why are you doing that"? Answer because I don't like living amongst other peoples' detritus.

However the problem is much bigger and there is no commitment because there are too many interests involved on our estates and all that happens is that highly paid managers of the council, housing associations and contractors end up telling you it isn't their responsibility. That's why I suggested a task force for several estates to keep them tidy. Lets keep the local environment clean to lift our spirits.

How many times do you have to walk past a shopping trolley or other fly tipped material before someone does something about it?

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littlewhitebull says...
7:58pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Megilleland - you have some very good ideas that are most certainly worth considering. I have spent some time (not as much as you) clearing rubbish from the streets near my home. Comments such as "You should ring the council, mate" are common. I have tried this with little success.

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CJM1957 says...
9:05pm Fri 18 Jan 13

The time for talking is over. Herefordshire Council has failed to listen to residents, even when it has claimed to consult; it just ignores us. It is time for action, the removal of Cllr Jarvis and the overpaid executives. It is time to reclaim Herefordshire. We may have to wait until the next election, but we must find suitable candidates to stand against the Tories.

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bobby47 says...
9:15pm Fri 18 Jan 13

CJM1957, Welcome to our group kiddo. Goodness, you've got straight to the point haven't you. I suspect your gum shields in and your ready to battle Jarvis untill he leaves us be.
Well done. Im glad you've posted your views. They are ones we all share.
That said, this chap Jarvis aint a quitter and it'll take more than you, me and others to rid us of this turbulent Councillor.
Be patient kiddo. He will leave but it aint going to be as soon as you wish.
My warmest regards to you.

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megilleland says...
9:56pm Fri 18 Jan 13

http://www.bbc.co.uk
/news/uk-england-210
32276
Just before Christmas, the Communities Secretary Eric Pickles told the Commons that councils had "a moral duty" to maintain the freeze next year as well, in order not go back to what he called the "years of hurt" when council tax bills had doubled under Labour.

But the signs are his blandishments may be less effective this time. In the West Midlands region 10 local authorities are considering a council tax increase in 2013-14: Birmingham (Labour), Cannock Chase (Labour), Coventry (Labour), Dudley (Labour), Herefordshire (Conservative), Lichfield (Conservative), Malvern Hills (Conservative), Tamworth (Conservative) and Telford & Wrekin (Labour)


There is going to be a great deal of gnashing of teeth when the council tax demands start landing on peoples' doormats at the end of March.

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CJM1957 says...
10:42pm Fri 18 Jan 13

bobby47 wrote:
CJM1957, Welcome to our group kiddo. Goodness, you've got straight to the point haven't you. I suspect your gum shields in and your ready to battle Jarvis untill he leaves us be.
Well done. Im glad you've posted your views. They are ones we all share.
That said, this chap Jarvis aint a quitter and it'll take more than you, me and others to rid us of this turbulent Councillor.
Be patient kiddo. He will leave but it aint going to be as soon as you wish.
My warmest regards to you.
Thanks bobby47: In a previous battle with the council over school buses, a group of us turned up at open meetings all over the place and kept asking questions of the councillor for childrens services. He didn't stand at the next election - he'd never had to work so hard for his overblown expenses. Persistence pays off. We need to start a petition with a vote of no confidence in Jarvis and keep telling him to go - eventually he'll get the message!

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megilleland says...
11:14pm Fri 18 Jan 13

http://www.guardian.
co.uk/business/2013/
jan/18/stansted-sold
-manchester-airports
-group
Labour run Manchester Council has millions in reserves, is hiking Council Tax and blaming it on the conservatives deficit cuts, they then go and buy an airport for £1.5billion.

"“MAG is a key driver of jobs and growth in the north of England and the acquisition of Stansted will help us deliver maximum value for Manchester City Council and the other local authority shareholders,” Sir Richard Leese, Leader of Manchester City Council, said."


I imagine this puts the ESG in a different league.

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megilleland says...
11:16pm Fri 18 Jan 13

Labour run Manchester Council has millions in reserves, is hiking Council Tax and blaming it on the conservatives deficit cuts, they then go and buy an airport for £1.5billion.

How is this being funded and will the council tax payers be getting a dividend or a demand?

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bobby47 says...
11:40pm Fri 18 Jan 13

CJM1957, Let me tell you this kiddo, if you've got boundless energy, enthusiasm and the belly for the battle then get stuck in and dont worry about any of us. Nobody will resent you or anyone else taking the lead and getting stuck in.
Other than I'm King, theres no pecking order here so get stuck in. For the likes of us 'older' Posters we appreciate some new blood and new ideas.
As you can see from people like Megilleland, the Posters on here are knowledgeable, bright and motivated so give it your best and be polite when you disagree with one of us.
My best regards to you kiddo.

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AylestoneVoice says...
8:33am Sat 19 Jan 13

Some of you do miss the point - Jarvis as a political leader costs little and would just be replaced by another one. Of course he is being untrue when he says everything is on the table because it clearly is not. All the services are being sacrificed for Adult Social Care who cannot control their spending. Now that can be understood given the age of the local population but the spending is like a runaway train. Although the Council Tax is to be increased by 1.9% all of this increase is being reserved for adult care. So the choices are stark. Do you want the range of care services, do you want the roads fixed, do you want the schools maintained? Dont worry about the big projects such as the bypass as they can be funded on the cheap with the low interest rates available.
The big point is that the politicians have run out of ideas. The Directors do not help them as none of them has the courage to suggest how to fix it. So we are well and truly in the mire and who will pay for it. Us the residents but also those hard working front line staff who do their best when spending and staff numbers are severly cut back because nobody can come up with a plan to reduce the adult care budget

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bobby47 says...
12:22pm Sat 19 Jan 13

Aylestone Voice, Good to see you back.
As for Jarvis, ye'p I know he only costs us around forty odd thousand a year but for my part, it's a painful wage packet to fill.
This good man is the leader and its his leadership that has a great deal to do with the madness that has so overwhelmed our County. He sort this Office out. He wanted it. He got it and now he's enjoying the downside of what happens when all around him goes tits up. Sadly for him, he's taking a kicking and long may it continue until he resigns and leaves us all to pick up the pieces of his tenure as Leader of the Council.
Again, the best cost saving would be for Mr Jarvis to go and in doing so, the entire dynamic that exists within the Leadership Cabinet would be changed for the better of all of us.
My very best wishes to you

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WYSIATI says...
10:32pm Sun 20 Jan 13

AylestoneVoice - if everything's being thrown under the bus of adult social care any ideas on how to control the spend?

Is it increasing numbers of people needing the services? Hereford has an older than average population - with more living longer and coming here to retire - so it more people, getting more?

Costs for providing care will inevitably rise - it's expensive to provide people to people care - health, teaching that sort of thing - it will keep getting more expensive and the more we demand and the longer we live the worse it's going to get - the politicians can pretend that the costs can simply be controlled but they can't be completely. You can outsource and lower wages till everyone providing the service is pushed to the limit, needing tax credits to live and providing the bare minimum of service - but is that what we want for our parents, grandparents, ourselves?

As a society we have to decide what we want in terms of services and then work out how they will be paid for.

Again we need some facts on the table

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