tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post2569753007307203916..comments2023-10-09T11:27:46.098+01:00Comments on Shepherd's Bush: African gangs target Shepherd's Bush as Council cut PoliceChris Underwoodhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03026438313352911527noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-70164175434113221882011-03-31T16:19:04.961+01:002011-03-31T16:19:04.961+01:00One thing that's been left out of this is that...One thing that's been left out of this is that H&F council is cutting more than even the government thinks is necessary. Eric Pickles slashed 11.3% from the H&F budget and the council added on a further third, bringing it up to a 15% cut. So the problems facing our local policing, Sure Start and the rest are partly due to this avoidable decision by local Conservative councillors, not the national economy.HFConwatchhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/04174122023355304634noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-63945089509139880102011-03-31T10:38:58.583+01:002011-03-31T10:38:58.583+01:00You're right - you always do say that cuts hav...You're right - you always do say that cuts have to be made somewhere - apologies.<br /><br />I think Miliband and Balls' inability to spell out where they would make their cuts is pathetic and dishonest but that's beside the point.<br /><br />It's interesting you are against flats above Shepherds Bush Market. There are definitely very valid aesthetic arguments against building there but economically I think it makes sense.<br /><br />More private (even 'luxury') flats in the area would mean more council tax being paid. In addition, it would mean more people in the area spending money with local business with all the knock-on effects that come with such economic activity (more taxes being raised, more money being spent by the owners of those businesses etc).<br /><br />On a larger scale, the more such economic growth that can be encouraged in the area, the better. But appreciate not everyone sees it that way...Tnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-32691831634748347962011-03-31T09:54:53.793+01:002011-03-31T09:54:53.793+01:00Thanks "T" - you make a number of very v...Thanks "T" - you make a number of very valid points and in my defence I do say, as I have done every time I've reported on cuts, that they do have to be made somewhere<br /><br />In fact I'd go further than you in criticising Ed Miliband who has singularly failed to outline where any of his cuts would fall, with the exception of yesterday when he said he would have cut 12% from the police instead of 20% which this Government is doing.<br /><br />But a local debate about where cuts might fall is unlikely to be welcomed by our own Council who seem to have very clear ideas themselves about what they want to cut and prioritise - so flats above Shepherd's Bush Market and Free Schools are very much "in", while other voluntary sector services and Sure Start centres are very much "out".Chris Underwoodhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03026438313352911527noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1131658095945044290.post-18875299249209299532011-03-31T09:34:45.387+01:002011-03-31T09:34:45.387+01:00There's always a lot of well-meaning advice on...There's always a lot of well-meaning advice on the internet, and on this blog, about what shouldn't be cut. And clearly there are very strong cases for not cutting things like police numbers in an area with rising crime.<br /><br />However, it is fairly unarguable that cuts need to be made. Even Ed Miliband admitted on this morning's Today Programme that Labour would also have made multi-billion pound cuts were they in government.<br /><br />The most recent budget small print showed that in 2014/15 the UK will be paying £62.4bn annually in debt interest payments. That's more than either the entire department for education budget (£57.3bn) or Justice, Home Office, Transport and Defence combined (£61.6bn). Do we really want to be paying more on interest payments than all those things? Really? <br /><br />So, where should these savings come from?<br /><br />You might have guessed I personally approve of the cuts but I'd be really interested to hear anyone's thoughts about where in H&F we can actually make savings...Tnoreply@blogger.com