Douglas Borough Council

[On The Bus]

3 hours ago, woolley said:

OK. But not public sector. Make it a third sector body as in the UK. 

Fair point.  I'd completely agree with that. It will likely need government  funding to keep rents affordable so possibly on a 5 year funding plan?

[On The Bus]

3 hours ago, woolley said:

I don't use any services or infrastructure provided by Douglas Corpy. If I venture into Douglas I might patronise businesses there, thus contributing to the abilities of those traders to pay the town's inflated rates. In no way is Douglas subsidising me. 

The point is Braddan subsidise their domestic rate through the amount of Business rates they collect from the Business Park and businesses escaping the clutches of Douglas rates. 

It's bollocks having 22 different rates. We all essentially use the same services but it's geographically divided in a completely nonsensical way. 

And yes the bloody horse trams were dumped by Douglas Borough Council (the alleged £650k cost was never passed back to ratepayers) and picked up by the idiots in DOI. They have since cost the taxpayers over £7m in terms of a new shed, new stables, new trams and new tracks. 

That would be a strong argument against centralising services from LAs, but should any part of the public sector really be running bloody horse trams?

[Wilson]

The main problem with the Douglas Borough Council ( and the others ) is that they exist in the first place. But nothing will change , as you were and trebles all round.

[Derek Flint]

10 hours ago, woolley said:

Be expensive. Why penalise everyone because Douglas has a bureaucracy which is too costly?  Give the functions of the LAs to the civil service if you really want to see the cost - and the pension deficit- soar. 

Ramsey is no better. Spaff on a ridiculous scale. No sense of perspective 

[Derek Flint]

8 hours ago, TheTeapot said:

They've got a golf course. 

Golf courses in public ownership really needs to be reassessed after this crisis. They are expensive to operate

6 hours ago, On The Bus said:

The point is Braddan subsidise their domestic rate through the amount of Business rates they collect from the Business Park and businesses escaping the clutches of Douglas rates. 

It's bollocks having 22 different rates. We all essentially use the same services but it's geographically divided in a completely nonsensical way. 

And yes the bloody horse trams were dumped by Douglas Borough Council (the alleged £650k cost was never passed back to ratepayers) and picked up by the idiots in DOI. They have since cost the taxpayers over £7m in terms of a new shed, new stables, new trams and new tracks. 

That would be a strong argument against centralising services from LAs, but should any part of the public sector really be running bloody horse trams?

Douglas Borough Council made the most sensible decision I have seen a LA make in closing the horse trams. The scandal was the running costs weren’t then deducted from the books and the saving returned to the ratepayers.

People are concerned about the competence of government to run centralized services. It has to be a viable option alongside persisting with 22 fiefdoms. And a lot of the services could be privatized, removing pension liabilities from the public purse amongst other benefits. Waste disposal would be a start. 

whatever happens, there needs to be a transparent demonstration that the whole thing is looked at, along with another assessment of the scope and scale of government. 

[Annoymouse]

9 hours ago, finlo said:

They provide no more facilities for the rest of the island than any other local authority.

Well everyday is a school day as they say, you’re absolutely right. It appears at lot of what I thought fell under D.B.C is actually D.O.I in which case we all pay for it anyway.

It does still raise the question of why rates in Douglas are so expensive compared to the rest of the island.

[woolley]

9 hours ago, slinkydevil said:

Aren't the horse trams not part of their remit anymore, since going to the DOI, or do the ratepayers still contribute to that?

No. They dumped them onto Longworth. Nothing at all to do with the Council. 

[TheTeapot]

2 minutes ago, woolley said:

No. They dumped them onto Longworth. Nothing at all to do with the Council. 

Did they? I know they were whinging about the costs but wasn't it a 'hostile takeover'? Like the Villa?

[woolley]

8 hours ago, On The Bus said:

The point is Braddan subsidise their domestic rate through the amount of Business rates they collect from the Business Park and businesses escaping the clutches of Douglas rates. 

It's bollocks having 22 different rates. We all essentially use the same services but it's geographically divided in a completely nonsensical way. 

And yes the bloody horse trams were dumped by Douglas Borough Council (the alleged £650k cost was never passed back to ratepayers) and picked up by the idiots in DOI. They have since cost the taxpayers over £7m in terms of a new shed, new stables, new trams and new tracks. 

That would be a strong argument against centralising services from LAs, but should any part of the public sector really be running bloody horse trams?

The experience with the horse trams should be sufficient warning of the cost of handing all of the services and undertakings of the LAs over to the civil service to cure those so minded for ever. It is a ludicrous idea. 

[woolley]

1 hour ago, Derek Flint said:

Golf courses in public ownership really needs to be reassessed after this crisis. They are expensive to operate

Douglas Borough Council made the most sensible decision I have seen a LA make in closing the horse trams. The scandal was the running costs weren’t then deducted from the books and the saving returned to the ratepayers.

People are concerned about the competence of government to run centralized services. It has to be a viable option alongside persisting with 22 fiefdoms. And a lot of the services could be privatized, removing pension liabilities from the public purse amongst other benefits. Waste disposal would be a start. 

whatever happens, there needs to be a transparent demonstration that the whole thing is looked at, along with another assessment of the scope and scale of government. 

You're on another planet if you think private enterprise is going to take on THOSE pension liabilities. As for government being a viable option. Are we talking about the same government? Waste disposal around the Island is largely contracted to private operators and is lean and efficient. Some authorities run their own of course. No prizes for guessing what central government would do. Bin Vannin with a new fleet of Mercedes shit wagons costing megabucks each and a shiny new office with a new division of DOI to run it. As the costs run out of control they will then start to look for other work they can use taxpayers'  money to undercut the businesses of other taxpayers. Just don't encourage this in any way. 

[woolley]

24 minutes ago, TheTeapot said:

Did they? I know they were whinging about the costs but wasn't it a 'hostile takeover'? Like the Villa?

No. Council announced in Jan (2017 I think) out of the blue  that they would not support the service anymore and that it would nit run that year. There was an emergency debate in Tynwald over what to do and the upshot was the government takeover. 

[On The Bus]

43 minutes ago, woolley said:

The experience with the horse trams should be sufficient warning of the cost of handing all of the services and undertakings of the LAs over to the civil service to cure those so minded for ever. It is a ludicrous idea. 

You're missing the point. Playtime is over for the likes of Longworth and Co. 

The island will do well to scrape through the Covid-19 crisis without going bankrupt. When we eventually emerge on the other side there is no other choice than a leaner, fitter government. 

They always get away with kicking the can down the road but this time they've turned into a dead end. 

 

[woolley]

53 minutes ago, On The Bus said:

They always get away with kicking the can down the road but this time they've turned into a dead end. 

 

And how many times have we heard this? There is no chance of the Island going bankrupt. 

[Mr. Sausages]

12 hours ago, finlo said:

So has every other town.

Not paid for / subsidised by the ratepayers though.

[TheTeapot]

MR SAUSAGES!!