Speaking at the New Local Government Network annual conference on the 26th January, the Minister warned that those who use their new-found independence to raise council tax in a time of austerity would be doing their communities a disservice.
“You all know that hardworking families have enough to contend with,” he said. “Those who don’t [freeze the tax] are pouring on the stress and pressure at a time when people could really do without it. They are giving their residents an almighty kick in the teeth”.
Let’s hope Lichfield MPs come to the council’s defence and makes (public) representations to the Minister.

Governments have over the years promised us cradle to grave care and we have taken them to their word. I expect that after many years of paying my taxes, national insurance, VAT, rates (business and domestic)along with all the other stealth taxes along the way, they stick to their word, ditch the party line rhetoric which we can all see through and just get on with sorting out a mess that has the potential affect everyone.

His messianic qualities are so profound that surely the County Council must re-date its calendar.Nothing before he arrived in his Cabinet post in June 2009 worked in social care and health – even though the same excellent managers are there.
He even implied that Health Scrutiny hadn’t worked before that important date when he gave evidence to the Mid Staffs Inquiry (even though he had had very little to do with it). He likes to forget that he and his Tory and Lib Dem colleagues (they certainly don’t scrutinise any more at SCC so they must be colleagues) voted against the necessary changes to Social Care and Health services – and also, let’s not forget, he voted against the £19.1 million Labour invested in the service for our older people and disabled people. He’s not reopened a single care home and in fact he even closed one more recently! Respite charges for some service users has doubled as has the cost for meals on wheels, and social care services and they now charge for travel to day centres and so on. Joined up work with the Health Service and other bodies like the Fire Service were started under the Labour Administration and this has continued under the Coalition government. Governments need to grasp the nettle of the real cost of care for the elderly that gives them independence, dignity and security. All political parties must work for a consensus on this.

1st Burntwood Girls’ Brigade – £250

2nd Burntwood Boys’ Brigade – £270