Should we expect council tax rebates/refunds due to snow?
Should we expect council tax rebates/refunds due to snow?
Author
Discussion

james_tigerwoods

Original Poster:

16,347 posts

227 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
I'm not trolling or anything, but given that we've had a reduction in some council services - refuse collection for one (I've not had a bin collection in a couple of weeks) - should we expect that councils will refund on a pro rata basis for those services that have been affected?

It's just a train of thought that I'm following myself right now, but if my company didn't deliver a service for a time period, then we would incur service credits that we would have to pay the client - in the same way, we pay the council for services that they haven't delivered so it stands to reason that we can expect the same.

On the council website it says that any bin collections are subject to the weather, but that any excess will not be collected - which is lovely as any rubbish excess is going to build up. It also says that any "brown" waste (garden/green waste, etc) collections will not happen until the new year - also lovely.

Of course, logically, the councils will put it down to adverse conditions and, ultimately, tough st...

Taita

8,005 posts

233 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Oh get real mate seriously.

ETA: mong hands

Edited by Taita on Wednesday 8th December 13:11

james_tigerwoods

Original Poster:

16,347 posts

227 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Taita said:
Oh get real mate seriously.
Oh, I know we won't - but shouldn't we?

Prof Prolapse

16,163 posts

220 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Does it actually itemise what exact amount of your tax goes on each service?

Doesn't on mine.

IMO, it's not a specific service you're paying for. The money saved on the bin collection (which will be very little as they're still paying the salaries!) will probably go towards recouping the massive outgoing caused by the weather.

Which incidentally won't put up your council tax rates for thie month!



Scockers

217 posts

254 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
FFS think before you post.

Ambiwlans now this!

tinman0

18,231 posts

270 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
james_tigerwoods said:
Taita said:
Oh get real mate seriously.
Oh, I know we won't - but shouldn't we?
No, because they couldn't afford to do it properly in previous years, so why should this year trigger a refund?

I think we expect too much from public services and the amount of public spending this country has committed to proves that rather nicely.

When the ConLibs first got into power, the local news round Doncaster/Sheffield start interviewing people - one set of coffin dodgers had a social club. So they lived on the basic premise that the Government had to provide them entertainment??!!? Quite why they couldn't just go round each other's houses, I dunno. No one is denying that old people need to socialise, but why does the Govt have to pick up the bill?

We are living in a nation of cretins.

Chris Type R

8,952 posts

279 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
tinman0 said:
Quite why they couldn't just go round each other's houses, I dunno. No one is denying that old people need to socialise, but why does the Govt have to pick up the bill?
Because it keeps them off the streets and reduces the temptation of committing crime wink

imranali

5,299 posts

223 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all

JCB123

2,265 posts

226 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
No. I'm sure the amount allocated to this, per household, is tiny.

In fact, if you want a rebate for the way NLC has poorly kept the local roads, I'll post you the 32 pence myself.


jbi

12,700 posts

234 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
get a 4x4.... load your crap into it and take it to the tip... everyone here is struggling, the council included.

giw12

1,462 posts

293 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Of all the things your council tax contributes towards, how much do you think would be attributable to 1 bin collection? Less than the cost of calculating it and refunding you I'd guess?

Tsippy

15,078 posts

199 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
jbi said:
get a 4x4.... load your crap into it and take it to the tip... everyone here is struggling, the council included.
But then they'll fine you for doing so or refuse entrance due to the possibility of you being a business.

Fatman2

1,464 posts

199 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Agreed. It's a bit of give/take. We give..... wink

Seriously though I have to commend my local council for last years pothole clearup campaign and the speed at which they patched them all up. This was undoubtedly an unforseen cost so am not sure I agree with the OP.

Realistically though, I'm assuming bin men are salaried so it won't cost a great deal less to have missed a few collections as they will still get paid.

andyjo1982

5,207 posts

240 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
I think if you were to work out how much of your £1200 in council tax is spent on refuse collection, the rebate would be pretty small for no collection for 4 to 6 weeks. Probably £10 or so? Also, not every area has been effected, for example, our bins have been collected in East Anglia, also the South West of the country hasn't seen much disruption. Whilst it would nice to get a rebate, i think most of my local councils deserve some recognition for the good job they've done round our way of keeping the roads gritted. They seem a lot better than last year imo.

james_tigerwoods

Original Poster:

16,347 posts

227 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
JCB123 said:
No. I'm sure the amount allocated to this, per household, is tiny.

In fact, if you want a rebate for the way NLC has poorly kept the local roads, I'll post you the 32 pence myself.
You mean NLC looks after the local roads? Really??

jbi

12,700 posts

234 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Tsippy said:
jbi said:
get a 4x4.... load your crap into it and take it to the tip... everyone here is struggling, the council included.
But then they'll fine you for doing so or refuse entrance due to the possibility of you being a business.
only if you bring a trailer... and even then they let you in if you ring up beforehand and get permission

JCB123

2,265 posts

226 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
james_tigerwoods said:
JCB123 said:
No. I'm sure the amount allocated to this, per household, is tiny.

In fact, if you want a rebate for the way NLC has poorly kept the local roads, I'll post you the 32 pence myself.
You mean NLC looks after the local roads? Really??
No, I concured that they were (are) ste, but a rebate is still a daft idea. It isn't the money that's failing them, it's their management, health and safety and poor decision making.

The roads up at Burton and Normanby are still terrible, not the ice, but the frozen snow (if that makes any sense). We didn't need the roads gritting, but a snow plough after the major snow would've saved that 5" high frozen bit down the centre of the lanes which has knackered the u/s of my car!

StevieBee

15,403 posts

285 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
andyjo1982 said:
I think if you were to work out how much of your £1200 in council tax is spent on refuse collection, the rebate would be pretty small for no collection for 4 to 6 weeks.
Average UK cost per household for all waste and environmental services is around the £60 -£80 a year mark. That includes collection, fly-tipping collection, litter collections, etc...


wolves_wanderer

12,956 posts

267 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
Scockers said:
FFS think before you post.

Ambiwlans now this!
hehe

james_tigerwoods

Original Poster:

16,347 posts

227 months

Wednesday 8th December 2010
quotequote all
JCB123 said:
james_tigerwoods said:
JCB123 said:
No. I'm sure the amount allocated to this, per household, is tiny.

In fact, if you want a rebate for the way NLC has poorly kept the local roads, I'll post you the 32 pence myself.
You mean NLC looks after the local roads? Really??
No, I concured that they were (are) ste, but a rebate is still a daft idea. It isn't the money that's failing them, it's their management, health and safety and poor decision making.

The roads up at Burton and Normanby are still terrible, not the ice, but the frozen snow (if that makes any sense). We didn't need the roads gritting, but a snow plough after the major snow would've saved that 5" high frozen bit down the centre of the lanes which has knackered the u/s of my car!
Over my way, I've not seen a single council vehicle - the only way any of the snow has been cleared is due to the local farmer with a plough and the locals digging out the snow.

Ironically, the locals digging out their "space" has made things worse as the snow/ice is about 3-4 inches higher than the road which makes for a lot of entertaining driving.

I was supposed to have been up at West Halton on Tuesday - I didn't even attempt it.