Do you remember the Future Shape Programme Manager from North East Lincolnshire Council? If you haven't heard about this non-job or would like reminding, take a look at this clip. Many councils around the country have been following suit. I constantly see vacancies for change managers, and have highlighted many of them.... Read more...
It’s party hats all round at TaxPayers’ Alliance HQ this week as we celebrate EU Week, kicking off yesterday with EU Day. To help us get in a suitably joyous mood, all but one of the Union Flags on Parliament Square have been replaced by the flags of our various... Read more...
We have today announced our verdict on the Coalition Government, exactly a year after it was established. We conclude that progress has been made, but in too many areas the rhetoric hasn’t been matched by the policy delivered.During the last General Election, we published a manifesto which set out our... Read more...
A study out today from Policy Exchange shows that public sector workers are better paid, and on average earn more for shorter hours. This study shows that the public sector 'premium' – the additional pay a typical public sector worker receives over a private sector worker – is now 35... Read more...
One rule for the council, one for ordinary taxpayers—or so it seems in Bath. Just under a year ago, without any public consultation, Bath & North East Somerset Council began work moving the central carriageway along Wellsway in preparation for installing bus lanes to and from the city centre. It... Read more...
“Dead bodies could start piling up, strip clubs could be set up on any street corner and vulnerable children could be left without care”. What does this chilling sequence of words describe? The strap-line of a bad action movie, perhaps? No. This is the scenario envisaged by Unison if the... Read more...
Council chiefs in Hammersmith and Fulham will charge people to operate a business in parks, as reported by the BBC, the Daily Mail and the Evening Standard. The new rules, introduced in April this year, state that anyone making money by being in a park should pay a fee. This... Read more...
We have long said Political Advisers are non-jobs. Now it seems one of them agrees with us. This is from someone's Twitter profile, giving details of their job description:Labour Political Adviser. It is an unnecessary role, proven by the fact that many councils operate perfectly well without them. To save... Read more...
Labour peer and star of television series The Apprentice, Baron Sugar of Clapton, told the Radio Times that the Civil Service has twice as many staff as it needs to do the job compared to what it would need it if employed private sector working practices. He also suggested the... Read more...
Confirmation that at least one West Country council’s green agenda is neither popular nor efficient comes from Exmouth in Devon. It was bad enough when their weekly refuse collection was changed to fortnightly, but then residents of the local area known as the Colony were all issued with the same... Read more...
There is no doubt that the growth figures this morning are, in a word, lame. Half a per cent up this quarter after a half a per cent down last quarter equals nothing much for six months. The question has to be: why isn't the economy growing much? This morning... Read more...
Redbridge Borough Council is looking for a Carbon Reduction Officer, paying between £15-£19.62 per hour. As we highlighted in our report last year, it is possible for councils to reduce their energy consumption without resorting to employing new staff. Perhaps this is something Redbridge council should be doing before spending... Read more...
The Daily Telegraph reports that the soon to be abolished Audit Commission spent £20,000 on luxury good and services on official Visa cards paid for by taxpayers. Executives enjoyed £600 dinners at L’Escargot and Coq d’Argent restaurants, spent £1,300 on flowers and splashed out on doughnuts, Thorntons chocolates and HMV... Read more...
A few weeks ago I looked at a claim on the False Economy website made by economist Duncan Weldon. He argued that the fiscal adjustment was only cutting public sector debt at the expense of dramatically increasing private debt. That claim was a cause of huge excitement for those opposing... Read more...
Corporation Tax is not fit for purpose. This new Briefing Note for the 2020 Tax Commission, written by Commissioner and Associate Professor of Economics at the ESCP Europe Business School Anthony J. Evans, measures the tax against four key criteria, and finds that it drives down wages; lowers returns for... Read more...
The public finances are in a mess, so you’d be forgiven for thinking all councils were looking at reducing their spending. And many are, no doubt. To help the process, you’d have thought other groups like unions would be helping to suggest areas of spending to cut back in order... Read more...
With the gold price hitting $1,500, new TaxPayers' Alliance research updates the staggering cost of the decision to sell 395 tonnes of gold at the absolute bottom of the market. As reported in the Express this morning, it cost taxpayers £8.2 billion. Matthew Sinclair, Director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, said:... Read more...
According to reports, the total bill for building a new divisional headquarters in Hull will be an eye-watering £60 million. The initial cost will come in at £29.5 million, but because Humberside Police will have to borrow a large amount of capital, the bill will rise to £60 million. The... Read more...
Police authorities across the UK are spending over £1 million on publications like glossy magazines and leaflets, according to new research by the TaxPayers' Alliance.Click here to read the report, including a full local breakdown This is just one example of non-frontline spending that could be cut. By law police... Read more...
Tourism is big business in the UK. With the weather set fair for the next week, those in the leisure and hospitality business will be looking forward to a profitable Easter weekend, and hoping for the same on the weekend of the Royal Wedding. Naturally, all places in the country... Read more...
The Confederation of British Industry (CBI) has said British competitiveness has slumped between 2000 and 2010. The big businesses club has said Corporation Tax should be slashed to 18 per cent to help stop Britain’s slide as upmarket chocolate mint maker Bendrick’s announced its Hampshire factory will close and production... Read more...
The TaxPayers' Alliance is proud to announce that we will be attending the Rally Against Debt in London on May 14th 2011Who: The TPA will join a range of other groups and individuals who are concerned about the national debt.What: A static protest rally, no particular party, organisation or person... Read more...
Last week’s report on mileage payments highlights a significant issue in local government spending decisions. The amounts paid out to staff are high, but are only part of the problem. Sandwell Council claim they could save £1 million a year if they reduced their mileage rate to the HMRC rate... Read more...