Filled with dread about City Deal
The Government's City Deals programme plans to give local authorities more power. The prospect fills me with dread.
Giving more powers to Sir Peter Soulsby and his cronies is like giving children sweets crammed with E numbers. They will simply go to their heads.
Aiding them in causing maximum environmental damage with the least public resistance is the unelected and unaccountable Leicester and Leicestershire Enterprise Partnership. That's all right, then.
What irritates me about giving more powers to these bodies is that they already pay no more than lip service to public opinion, be it Sir Peter's vanity project for a Jubilee Square, joint proposals to impose bus lanes on the A426 or the county's empty park-and-ride car parks.
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Despite overwhelming public concern about such plans, they are nodded through and the repercussions are felt by residents.
What the county council and Sir Peter need to remember is that with extra powers come extra responsibilities to demonstrate that they are really listening to the public.
R Tench, Enderby.
I refer to the article about the decision of Centrebus to axe its 302 service ("Anger as 'lifeline' bus service is axed", Leicester Mercury, February 21).
The service was described as a "lifeline" for residents of Beaumont Leys, Braunstone and New Parks. More than 400 people signed a petition to save it.
Centrebus, saying the service is no longer commercially viable, unsuccessfully approached several third parties for funding.
But no mention was made of asking the bus users to fund their service.
I'm sure the 400 petitioners (who I assume are also regular users) would be more than happy to pay a slightly higher fare in order to keep their vital service.
Tom Close, Theddingworth.
4 Comments
by NickDiPerna1
Thursday, February 28 2013, 10:12PM
“Just sent to mailbox:
I am extremely disappointed to hear that Leicester City Council has rejected a Government incentive to freeze council tax. It was also recently exposed that the city has one of the highest numbers of town hall staff in the UK earning more than £50,000.
This news comes against a backdrop of local cuts to the vulnerable, a reduction in council tax benefit for the poor and controversial city centre investment plans. Cash was also found to give all council workers a minimum wage guarantee of £7.45 per hour which may not sound like a lot, but is more than what 1000's of struggling Leicester people are expected to work for now, especially when combined with all the existing perks and pension schemes.
In my view, this growing disparity between local government and the pay of the rest of the local population, is an indicator that years of social policy have completely failed. The very same people who were employed to combat the inequity of the free market have themselves become a new breed of 'fat cat'. It would appear that the so-called "cuts" have so far not extended to the layers of bureaucrats who produce nothing and provide very little in the context of social justice.”
by reubedube
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 3:07PM
“Whether or not "this leicester labour party have lost touch with most of the citys public", I do not know.
I do not know either, whether the current Coalition Government have lost touch with most of the electorate throughout the country, but I strongly suspect they have lost touch with probably as much as three-quarters of it.
This government's idea of 'giving local authorities more power' , is their way of avoiding blame when something doesn't quite work out. " It wern't my fault boss" !
I'm wondering whether we will ever reach a time when they stop blaming the previous Labour government for everything that is happening even now.
I say let's just keep blaming Margaret Thatcher for everything.”
by aristoc
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 2:55PM
“Can anyone put their hands in the air,apart from the Chuckle Brothers and their nodding Muppets,say they want this Council to have freedom to blow more money without anyone,apart from them,saying what to spend it on ?”
by maxmax16
Wednesday, February 27 2013, 8:16AM
“more power to pete. looks like he will give himself another pay rise. i am sure we will need more deputy mayors also on more pay of course. this leicester labour party have lost touch with most of the citys public.”