Don’t Call Me Dave is now a resident of Chigwell, served by Essex County Council, Epping Forest District Council and Chigwell Parish Council. Time will tell whether it is a case of being over-governed.
According to the council tax demand he received, the County
Council, District Council and Fire Authority have maintained their charge at
the same level as last year. The Police & Crime Commissioner has increased
his charge by 3.5%, whilst the Parish Council has increased its charge by an
inflation thumping 27.7%.
Needless to say, DCMD considers this increase worthy of
investigation. However, any resident following the 'Financial matters and accounts'
link on the Parish Council’s website will be met with a blank page containing
no information whatsoever. Undeterred, DCMD hunted through the District Council’s
website and found the following table:
The Parish Council has increased the amount spent on recreation by a
modest £2,000. Environmental health expenditure has increased by £8,000 but the largest increase, in
monetary terms, is a rise of £52,000 on ‘other
services’. This is completely meaningless information – as useful as the
proverbial chocolate teapot. The council’s highest category of expenditure has
all been lumped together in a way which makes it impossible for residents to
know how their money is being spent.
It may well be that the increase of £52,000 is reasonable and
desirable, but without an itemised breakdown of expenditure, how can residents reach an informed opinion as to whether this represents value for money?
Chigwell is part of the Epping Forest parliamentary
constituency. The neighbouring seat of Brentwood & Ongar is held by the Rt.
Hon. Eric Pickles, Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government. Known
as ‘Uncle Eric’ to his supporters, Mr Pickles has made it clear that he strongly
believes in open and transparent government and, in particular, scrutiny of all
public expenditure. He takes a very dim view of local authorities which do not open
up their books to taxpayers, as does DCMD.
