What would you do? Come on arthers people!

airwave · 10. Jun 2010, 04:53

You've seen it in the press, TV, news reports etc. The budget deficit that the last government built up trying to be a socialist provider is huge and public spending needs to be cut and will not return to present levels again.

Bearing in mind our own concerns as part of 'arthers crowd' and mostly failing bodies or parts thereof, what do you want to happen?

Trying to be pragmatic, I do find it hard to believe that the country can afford to give me a new car every three years, why not every five years or six (a cars a car at the end of the day) or no car at all? Should it be only for a certain group rather than as it is or for more?

Arthers mob used to cope before the welfare state, how far can we reasonably cut before people suffer beyond reason?

8) Its a grin, honest!

valval · 10. Jun 2010, 05:50

i have never under stood how it can be cheeper to get privet company in than pay min wage to staff does not make sence back to basics get rid of managers who job it is to make work for others keep money for what needs doing not paying some one to send some one to decide if needs doing then some one else to see if it done lol

silverbreak · 10. Jun 2010, 06:15

increase VAT to at least 20%(still below EU average) increase CGT
(am tempted after waiting for 15 minutes to speak to HMRC this morning only to be cut off, to suggest public sector wage cut 5%)
End Public sector pension scheme for new entrants and increase contributions for existing members. Cancel Trident review cost of our participation In the Stan and bring more into line at level of contribution to Nato of say Belgium.

sorry am very sore today

airwave · 10. Jun 2010, 06:15

I like to think I did work for 30 odd years, I have produced two wonderful offspring who contribute to the country so my cuts would be aimed with this in mind.

Cut benefits for those who haven't, don't or refuse to give something back to the country.

Stop economic migrants to our country(those who want to stay illegally and work in the black market economy), we can no more afford them than we can our own populations slackers, I feel this would include most asylum seekers as well, since they target us for our lax benefit laws, I find it hard to believe that freedom is any different in any one of 25 european countries.

As Delboy says, quangos, managers of nothing, including the regional development agencies that were never elected and are just another layer of unwanted meddling with no legal standing.

8) Its a grin, honest!

speedalong · 10. Jun 2010, 06:19

Hi Airwave,

have you thought about running for parliament???!!!

They need a few members with a brain.

Speedy

dreamdaisy · 10. Jun 2010, 07:31

Using your DLA for a car is your choice, isn't it? I use mine to pay for my cleaner, my massage therapist, my PPC and fuel, all things connected to my arthritis and the effect it has had on my life. If they want to reduce it, so be it. I am very fortunate to receive it in the first place, I don't take it for granted, and I realise it is not my right. I am grateful that such a system exists.

There are going to be swingeing cuts, there has to be, the bloated system cannot continue for much longer, but choosing where to make them? That's a toughie. Quangos, layers of un-productive middle management, especially in the health service, pay freezes, especially in the public sector are all unpopular options, but the axe has to start to fall somewhere. People today seem to have unrealistic expectations when it comes to their jobs and pay levels. The BA thing at the moment is a good example of that: to be a trolley dolly you certainly need good communication skills, good people skills and the ability to pass someone a drink without spilling it all over them. At what rate of pay would you grade it? BT workers are also considering strike action now, claiming that they are undervalued. These people do not seem to realise that now is perhaps not the best time to start moaning - they are working, many are not and want to be.

State benefits have to be reined in, and harshly so. It is a system designed to support in hard times, not a source of income for life. Some families claim in excess of 40 or 50 grand a year - how are they allowed to do so? Where are the controls?

We are all going to feel it. Oscar Wilde said that are two certainties in life, taxes and death. Now we have a third, thanks to Gordon. A great reduction in expendidture, together with stealth tax rises, (gas, electric, fuel are the obvious targets) and overt tax rises (income and council tax). It's going to hurt. Luckily, we're used to pain! DD

airwave · 10. Jun 2010, 07:34

Hi,
Yes I had thought of running for parliament, well, just cut out the running bit, just a very gentle stroll these days!

I would love to get more involved with politics but I decided to do something more enjoyable and meaning, to me, I do get involved on a few levels with voluntary work both for charities and the ***, so I do lead a fulfilled if slightly erratic life at times.

I would love to bring back a sense of civil duty and common sense leaving the politics out of decisions. I can't believe how bad the last few years have been for GB.

But on with the question, what would you cut?
8) Its a grin, honest!

carola · 10. Jun 2010, 07:55

Until I had to give up work I ran a recruitment consultancy and although it wasn't in healthcare the principles were the same - to make the company money.

Why do the NHS rely so heavily upon temporary recruitment agencies? NHS could set up a division as an 'internal agency' therefore bypassing the hourly profit the agencies make therefore reducing costs.

Simple

bailey27 · 10. Jun 2010, 08:05

Limit child benefit.

People who live in council houses shouldn't be allowed to live in them if circumstances change. Single parents fair enough, but when they grow up and move out they should pay the average rental rate for that area especially when they are then able to go back to work.

Stop giving start up grants to foreigners... last i heard (not sure if true) is that the immigrats get thousands of pounds to set up home here and then they get benefits.

Use prisoners on front line war duties .... especially rapists and murderers.

Foregners should speak english.. Many schools especially near where i live need to employ translaters for the children to understand. One particular school has 2 translaters in the class, one speaking somali and the other polish. - how much does this cost?

I went to spain a few years back and went to a local dr. There was abig sign on the wall, which read '' if you do not speak spanish then get an interpretor!'' which you would need t pay for yourself.

If they come to this country get your own interpretor or learn the language!!

dreamdaisy · 10. Jun 2010, 08:08

Radical! I can see where you're coming from but the 'ooman rites' wishywashies will be up in arms! DD

cthornley · 10. Jun 2010, 08:22

Hmm it’s a toughie ...whatever you do someones not going to like it
Trident
Child benefit income level cut off (I never understood why I get it ...we don’t really need it, it automatically goes into my sons savings account)
Reassess who gets child tax credits/nursery support....do middle class mums & dads really need them, they should be there to allow parents to be able to go back to work and contribute to the economy who wouldn’t be able to otherwise
RDA’s should be able to demonstrate proper benefits or be cut ....I’m only saying this because our RDA one north east has been a rare success story and is the only part of ‘government’ providing action and a voice for the region (a situation which if you take past history into account will only get worse under the conservatives)
Stop paying private companies to do a job, work out how they do it more efficiently and apply the same ethos....got to save money as you don’t need the profit element
Hideously expensive IT systems – get rid of the unnecessary ones and the ones they keep if they are going to do them make sure there is a fine for the companies they procure them from which comes into force following delay or if they don’t work!!
Review and re-evaluate all benefits – we need to work out who really needs them as its obviously not working as it is. There must be a way of testing people with dignity and respect whilst weeding out the con artists with regards to health related benefits
Jobseeking benefits .... if you are on this for more than a minimal amount of time you should be made to give back to the community, with time allocated for jobseeking if you can demonstrate this is what you are actually doing
Get rid of local government odd jobs....by this I mean some of the more job creationist type schemes which really have little or no impact on anybody...like
walking co-ordinator, corporate carbon manager, Parking Administration Assistant, Head of Streetpride (same job as the already catered for highways/environmental health), Reading manager, Healthy Lifestyles tutor, waste inspector, weekend explainer ...there are loads of them being currently advertised...surely these kind of jobs should only exist if we have money to spare ...we don’t so....
I’m sure there are many more ways to save money but I don’t have the time or the energy to go into them here

bailey27 · 10. Jun 2010, 08:26

Also, I think if you are on jobseekers allowance for a certain amount of time then in order to continue to get paid then people should be made to work for the council, such as maintaining parks i.e. some gardedning / cutting back trees and bushes or even office work for local governments.

The money they would then save could maybe pay for the anti-tnf treatment many of us need .

frogmorton · 10. Jun 2010, 08:51

Child benefit will go I am sure....

Never thought you should get it for huge numbers of kids anyway

but I liked the fact that it was one of the few benefits which has almost 100% take up.

VAT HAS to go up - if you go into the houses of 'proper' benefit scroungers I can assure you they willl have better TVs than you better laptops better everything material.

If you put up income tax then 'they' still dont pay any more.

What do you all think about EMAs??? they money paid to KIDS 16-19 who are in ful time education? I think paid to keep them off the dole figures....in 2013 they HAVE to stay on at school so why pay it??

This is paid to the kids - not Parents and is means teted rates are £10 £20 AND £30 DEPENDING ON PARENTAL INCOME...(sorry caps lock)

Thisnk i am turning nasty

tONI XX

frogmorton · 10. Jun 2010, 09:19

babycham wrote:

frogmorton wrote:

Child benefit will go I am sure....

Never thought you should get it for huge numbers of kids anyway but I liked the fact that it was one of the few benefits which has almost 100% take up.

VAT HAS to go up - if you go into the houses of 'proper' benefit scroungers I can assure you they willl have better TVs than you better laptops better everything material.

If you put up income tax then 'they' still dont pay any more.

What do you all think about EMAs??? they money paid to KIDS 16-19 who are in ful time education? I think paid to keep them off the dole figures....in 2013 they HAVE to stay on at school so why pay it??

This is paid to the kids - not Parents and is means teted rates are £10 £20 AND £30 DEPENDING ON PARENTAL INCOME...(sorry caps lock)

Thisnk i am turning nasty You could never be nasty justy cleaned my keyboard with tissue and surgical spirit Stopped letters getting stuckxBabycham

tONI XX

he he!!

maybe NASTY-ER???!!!

Toni x

airwave · 10. Jun 2010, 15:50

WOW you lot, right on! Keep them coming in, then we can send them to No.10 and tell them, what we think.

8) Its a grin, honest!

P.S. Try and clean yer keyboards first, T and keys don't mix, which is why I have a non-mac one! (£5 rather than £oads a dosh to replace....), I had a clear base to mine and you could see the T swilling around.

PPS. I noticed that everyone stopped posting, ......errrr I didn't mean I was gonna send all yer details to No.10, I was just gonna copy down the speech send it to young David. Oh well, must be time for ....T???

What would you do? Come on arthers people!

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