Max, the same priorities exist in all boroughs nothing changes. So for me and I’d argue for most people they are and in no particular order.Max B Gold wrote: ↑Sat May 04, 2019 5:28 pmDo you think there are any differences between these Boroughs and your leafy paradise in terms of what the priorities are for spending?Thor wrote: ↑Sat May 04, 2019 4:52 pmWaltham Forest
Hackney
Newham
How about those three? All useless, all crap and full of socialist nonsense. I’m a Walthamstow boy and I’m ashamed of what it has become, with each passing year it just gets worse there. Hackney, is where I started life and where my grandparents were until their deaths and again it’s a dump and just gets worse with each passing year. Newham, well the only solution there is nuclear. Need I go on?
Now compare it to where I live now, we have the best schools in London, we have the most open and green spaces, we have the best recycling rates, our streets are swept weekly, we have the lowest crime rate, employment is the highest in London. I could go on and on, but it’s all under a conservative council. The difference between Labour and Conservative is like night and day. This is national politics it’s local and I’ve found that the Torres work best for the people.
Schools
Public Transport
Housing
Law and Order
Frontline Services, rubbish, recycling etc.
Accessible Public spaces, libraries, parks etc.
Now I’m not sure why one borough can provide a good level of education and another can’t? Still within my own borough we have bad schools as well as excellent ones, it’s the overall standard that needs to improve across the whole country. Schools unlock the future potential of our children and it’s vitally important that the kids get a good education, now unfortunately there are parents who don’t care what happens and that’s a wider society issue that has never been resolved and without taking responsibility for your own children I’m not sure how it will change. Public transport is vital to getting around, and it’s important to reduce the effect of cars on the road, but it should not price people out of it and I fear that’s where we are heading as we have the most expensive public transport in Europe I believe.
Housing, now Tuffets bleated on about my property price going down and making it more affordable. I was not complaining just stating a fact, an asset is only realised when you sell it and right now it’s value is lower than a year ago. Where I live my property is higher than a year ago. I got off my arse and went to work after having an ok education, it could have been better. I have never stood with my hand out, I got my head down worked hard and worked my way up the organisations I worked in. No one gave me anything and I never asked either. Too many people think the world owes them a living it doesn’t, people need to aspire to be better, to try to improve themselves and do the best they can. I do believe that social housing should be at the heart of the community and maybe it’s now returning after government gave the green light to councils to build once more. But let’s be real here, I would never have been allowed to be given a council place as I worked for a living, wasn’t a women or girl who got themselves deliberately pregnant to get a flat, we all know people who’ve done it. That’s where it’s wrong, just as an example there are plenty of others.
Law and order is important in the local communities and goes hand in hand with schooling as a lot of the people who don’t care or failed seem to end up facing the law. It is this what needs to stop and again if we can get the schooling right, give the kids opportunities to succeed then the future suddenly looks brighter for them.
Frontline services, I personally don’t think they should be outsourced, and should be in house, but it is what it is. Too many people on the take for my liking, but there you are. My streets are clean like I said so I’m not sure why other boroughs can do the same. That's just an example.
So Max, all boroughs face the same issues, yet some can handle them better than others, maybe the workforce isn’t as skilled in one council to another? If that’s the case get rid of them and get better people in. Yes I’m aware central government grants are reducing and I’m not sure that’s right either, but it’s the same for everyone. Maybe the council in one borough doesn’t spend the pound as well as another? No one ever seems to question it, I know I don’t, but are we getting value for money? I don’t know that’s for sure.