PCC Elections

The Police Crime Commissioner Elections on Thursday.  

Most complaints were about not knowing who the candidates were or anything about them. Here most people had had only one candidate leaflet through the door, that is the three others sent nothing out. There has been little in the media about the election and what it is for. Just think about general elections where we have Party Political broadcasts etc.

Overall it is a shame people don't vote when we have striven so hard over the last 100 years to maintain and develop our democracy. It would be a different story if people couldn't vote?

Osborne to scrap fuel duty rise?

Here we go again - Fuel Duty to rise? - lets face it we all know the oil is running out. We're killing the planet burning it but like any addict we can't stop.

Is the Government wrong  We say "it won't make any difference, I'll keep my car going and my bit won't matter." Well I suppose it does.

Now another thing - suppose we all switch to electric cars, what will the Government do then? All that duty lost. We're not buying any petrol or diesel.

WRONG - they'll make it up. Road tax on electric cars is going to rise, then they'll charge us by the mile to use the roads. Its a WIN WIN for the Government.

Just Grit your teeth and pay, or don't travel, live near your work. It used to be like that, I'm just old enough to remember.

Rubbish its a nightmare.

Rubbish! yes its not just thinking about recycling but we can't help what stuff is packaged in. So many different types - its confusing. There should be more standardisation and regulation so we'd easily know what is and isn't recyclable.

Every Council should have the same system, ours doesn't collect Glass, my son's does. If you put stuff in the wrong bin, or the wrong stuff in the BIN they fine you or refuse to collect. How are we supposed to know what bit of plastic IS recyclable which is NOT? There should be one system. The recycle logo printed on if it is, if its not on NO. Simple. All councils should collect waste in the same way then we know and there are no excuses.

Energy Prices UP - Interest rates for Savers DOWN

So what are we to do? they're all as bad. Energy companies all put their prices up - all Banks put their interest rates down.

Remember on Energy prices (Gas and Electricity, and home fuels) out Government takes 5% VAT and about 7% in the GREEN levy. Green - what they mean is give it to energy companies - as if they don't have enough of our money anyway - to build Wind Turbines which are Useless. If the Wind doesn't blow what do we do? shut off out TV and computers and go to bed?

Did you know 1 small gas fired power station is equivalent to 5000 Wind Turbines - YES 5000. So how many turbines would it take to power the country? I think we'd need one per person and then we have to have Gale Force winds to get the power (oh I forgot they don't generate in Gales either).

I wrote to my MP about the VAT on home fuel, he sent it on to the Minister who replied (after 2 months) with baloney about Duty on Petrol and Diesel. So it proves they haven't a clue what they're talking about.

I've said before - VAT on home fuel is the most unfair Tax hitting the poorest hardest. You can't avoid paying it, even if you try to economise usually you're on the most expensive tariff because they discount it the more you use, so the rich folk get fuel cheaper. Isn't this always the way? Millionaires don't pay 45% tax, they get accountants to come up with ways to avoid paying. 

Rehouse folk on Benefits to the "North"?

Local authorities say sky-high rental costs in the capital, combined with the incoming benefits cap has forced them to send people miles away from home.

So send folk Up North where housing is available and cheap?

What is wrong with this? There are different ways to look at it.

If you've no job, no chance of getting a job what is wrong with living anywhere, there is nothing tying you down. If you're homeless then a house in Newcastle surely is preferable to the street in London - it isn't really paved with gold! 

If the housing is available and no local folk are waiting then I see nothing wrong in this. In fact why not build more houses "up north", it'll boost the economy. Building houses then people on beneits have to ive. They buy food, clothes, kids go to school, use the buses, pubs, etc. etc. 

Now I'd much rather live in a cottage in the country to any city. Give me the Yorkshire Dales, Cotswolds, Norfolk, if some one gave me a house and paid me to live there - I'd be mad not to take it up. So what's wrong?

Look, for example there are 7000+ people on the housing list for East Lindsey and most of those live elsewhere now, Sheffield, Nottingham etc. They don't work either but they want to live in East Lindsey so they like the idea. Its just tere aren't enough houses and who is going to build them? Also there are plenty of local folk waiting for houses but do they get first choice? not always it depends on the rules. Now I don't think that's fair.

Those London Centric folk don't care what goes on North of the M25. So they'l send all their dross away up North to stop them spoiling their neighbourhood. This can't be right but then they had the Olympics in London. Not Manchester or Leeds, but LONDON! SO billions get spent in London - does this help Newcastle? You get my drift.

I LIVE IN THE NORTH! so what is wrong with moving these folk up North? IF, and it is IF they want to move, and IF the homes are available (that is no one local waiting).

More people up North means more investment necessary.

Scrap Child Benefit?

All this fuss over Child Benefit? Why should folk on over £50k get ANY benefits? Come to that surely only the poorest should get any benefits.  We  seem to have unlimited benefits in this country, why? Surely we shouldn't just keep paying out for unlimited children?
child Benefit
My answer? Limit child Benefit to the first 3 children. We do need children for society to develop. After all as we get older and retire who do you think works and generates the wealth to keep us in our old age?

Conversely why should people get used to living on handouts? If the Government is paying you to live then just like those who work to live - ALL INCOME SHOULD BE TAXED!

So if you're on a low income you pay less or no tax. The more you get the more you pay in TAX. Seems fair?
What makes me cross is where has the commitment to help married couples? If only one works then he/she should share their Tax allowances since its a JOINT income. One person not working allows someone else to have a job opportunity instead of everyone working putting kids in care.Better to have mum or dad looking after them?

Cataclysm on East Coast

I'm fed up with all this doom and gloom about floods on the East Coast, Lincolnshire.

East Lindsey council now want Caravan sites to be only occupied over the summer 6 months because of the risk of flooding in Winter.

They've just had an exhibition "celebrating"the 60th anniversary of the flood disaster in 

1953, (actually it is next year in January) they want to highlight (FRIGHTEN us about) the 
increased risk of flooding due to Global warming.
ELDC have also refused planning permission to Southview leisure to open their park for 
holiday makers for the full year and are limiting them to 10 months. New applications will 
only be 6 months as I said because of the winter risk.
Excuse me but what about the residents? Do they somehow remain immune from flooding over 
winter? Or will future planning rules restrict residents to 6months of the year. Where do 
we have to go in winter (into Caravans!!). Will new builds (if there ever are any more) be 
restricted to Summer only? This is all ridiculous

Actually look at the facts. The Sea defences are vastly improved since 1953.
The Environment agency spend £6m a year on them.
Since 1953 the population (houses) must have increased 10 fold since then - why impose these 
restrictions now - surely its already too late. They must PROTECT us.
What do they do in Holland etc. What about London - a surge will affect millions as well but 
we're only country bumpkins - not worth the bother here, there's nothing worth protecting? 
Actually what about the Theddlethorpe Gas terminal. If that goes under then the country has 
a BIG problem - no gas to heat your homes etc 

Why don't they go the Whole Hog and buy all us residents out so we can move to higher land. Of course those on benefits won't have to buy another house they can rent one FREE on their benefits - just move them. At £6m a year over 10 years they can buy up 400 of the average house at £150k. Of course many homes are worth less here as prices are lower so more can be bought. The Environment Agency have a 50 year plan anyway so that equals 2000 homes and they could put more money in and get it over with. Then don't bother defending the shoreline. Let the Caravanners come for summer and take a risk.