TDC to offload social housing burden

In a effort to reduce costs and take less responsibility for things Thanet District Council are offloading their council housing burden to an independent organization.

It's not just Thanet but also Canterbury, Dover and Shepway councils who have put forward plans to set up what they are calling an arm’s length management organisation to manage the joint housing stock. Apparently this will save all four councils about £1.5million over a two to three year period. read the story here.

I make that roughly £100,000 for each council each year. You could sack a few over paid consultants and make the same saving. Or you could get away with four less employees for the same yearly saving.

I'd bet the cost of disruption is bigger than the very small saving.

Just how much did we use up in one year buying the M&S building? (I believe it was £2million over value).

Rather than trying to save peanuts on untested new ideas how about TDC get their house in order first and save a vast fortune by not buying pointless property? Cutting costs by printing a bit less or by wasting less time on inefficient operations or expanding into yet another building would save the same money (or more).

Tradition has it that the party in power at TDC is the exact opposite of the one in national government. So what will the outcome be this time round?

Currently I'm set to win £5 for my £1 bet that Labour will take it. Not, might I add (Simon), because I am cheering for Labour but because it seems the most probable outcome.

Why?

Well, let's be honest the Conservative Group have right royally cheesed off just about everyone around here at the local level and the coalition have managed to do some downright unpopular things. All of which will register in a strong protest vote.

I'd suggest no-one bet on the Lib-Dem council candidates doing very well but what do I know?

Conservatives are all set to win the next local election says the smart money.

According to bet's placed on BetAble.com it is the conservatives that are set to win the 2011 Thanet District Council elections. £11 of the £15 pot says that the conservatives (that's the party that gave us Sandy Ezekiel) will be winning next year.

Of course it's early days yet and if you know something the others do not then you could scoop a a few rounds worth of pocket money. Click here to see the current pot size.

Who would you bet on in the Thanet District Council elections?

So you think you know Thanet politics do you? Care to bet on that?

They say that money talks and so now is a chance to for it to speak up on local matters.

Next year we face local elections (5th May 2011). The contest is mostly between Labour and Conservative with Lib Dems nipping at the heals of the current Tory overlords. Who will be in power after is, in my opinion, anyone's guess.

But don't let that you stop you.

New social media "big splash" betable.com allows you to set up bets with your mates. I took a look and set up the chance for some lucky blogger to make a small fortune by understanding Thanet better than anyone else.

The question is who will win control of TDC after the local elections? And you can wager £1 or your life savings (please don't do that). You have 10 months to figure out where to put your pound.

As the bets pile up so the pot grows. Those that bet on the winning party get to take a share of the pot. It's that simple.

Options include Tory (probable), Labour (possible), Lib Dem (unlikely) or a hung Council (you wish).

Forcing older workers to retire cost the UK last year an estimated £3.5 billion in lost economic output‚ new figures by Age UK reveal ahead of tomorrow night’s TV showdown among party leaders on the economy.

With an estimated 120‚000 older workers forced to retire in 2009‚ new research by the leading older people’s charity now shows the policy is draining billions of pounds from the economy every year. Forcing over a hundred thousand employees out of the job market has opened up an estimated £3.5 billion gap in lost economic output‚ says the Charity. This includes £2 billion in lost earnings for the workers themselves.

The Turner Commission revealed as far back as 2004 that approximately 15% of workers aged 65-69 stop working each year suggesting 100‚000 of those forced to retire would have otherwise remained in work. Likewise a TNS/BMRB survey for Age UK showed that 4% of people aged 65-70‚ an estimated 118‚000 people‚ said they were forced to retire in the last year.

All three of the main political parties have all committed to change the Default Retirement Age‚ but neither the Conservatives nor Labour have guaranteed a complete end to forced retirement. Age UK is now calling on all parties to pledge to scrap the law outright.

Michelle Mitchell‚ Age UK Charity Director‚ said: While party leaders are gearing up to lock horns over the state of the economy‚ they should remember that scrapping the Default Retirement Age is a simple step to boost public finances.

It is estimated that the total amount of lost contribution for the 100‚000 or so employees aged 60+ is approximately £3.5 billion per annum so Mr Mitchell might have a point.

The Default Retirement is not only an unfair‚ outdated piece of legislation‚ it also causes real harm to our economy and public finances by depriving the labour market of experienced‚ skilled workers who would otherwise be paying taxes. said Michelle Mitchell. Nine in ten older workers oppose forced retirement. It’s now time for the parties to go beyond warm words and give mature workers a simple‚ radical pledge to scrap forced retirement.

Age UK is the new force combining Age Concern and Help the Aged. The Age UK family includes Age Scotland‚ Age Cymru and Age NI.

In a new shock move Thanet District Council and Dr Simon Moores have teamed up to get to grips with rubbish and to make people take pride in their bins.

A spokes person denied any suggestion of shameless self promotion.



What can you do with this? Another Thanet Star caption competition.

It's another caption contest for you.

Thanet Bloggers are demanding actual answers as KCC attempt to blame the law as to the nature of around £600,000 in bonus for people who quit.



Quite what aspect of the law it was that managed to trip up KCC is unclear as they are basically refusing to say. Local opinion appears to be that HR cocked up and that perhaps an investigation needs to be carried out.

In short people are calling for blood with a local desire to see head roll - that is a bunch P45s handed to the top bods who let this happen.

It's another caption contest - so see what you can do with it.

What do you know someone wants Sandy Ezekiel after all. Wonders will never end!

Not so much a caption contest (although it is) as a chance to take a last few parting shots at a political figure who has "slap me" written on his soul.