(19 Sep 2024, 6:55 pm)Adrian wrote Ah, but you've opened up by making a political point!
No comment there.
(19 Sep 2024, 6:55 pm)Adrian wrote It's no secret that I'm not a fan of the current Mayor or the leader of Gateshead Council, but let's not pretend that the Tories or Lib Dems have done anything for the region either. Both were the architects of austerity, then the 9 years of Tory Government that followed has really delivered bugger all, other than the Northumberland Line.
No disagreements there, personally I'd love someone independent then party politics doesn't come into it. Obviously never going to happen though mind.
(19 Sep 2024, 6:55 pm)Adrian wrote I tend to agree, in an ideal world, but we don't live in one.
Councils simply haven't got the budgets. Sunderland, for example, are operating on a budget with a real-terms reduction of around 30% since 2009, and it's a similar story at other councils. Council tax only covers about 13% of their income. Close to 2/3 of income is from UK Government.
We've also just entered a devolution deal, with an elected Mayor that has control over transport for the region. What would be the point of still issuing grants to individual councils, as oppose to having one joined-up plan to deliver improvements regionwide?
As I say, in an ideal world, Councils would have the budget to carry out these works routinely. They don't, so the option is either try and bid for the funding in the mechanisms available (e.g. through consultation and by delivering an LTP), or ignore the problems completely.
Aye it's a complete mess the budgets whatever you want to put it.
See I'm on the fence there for things like traffic light and bridge repairs and I want to say I'd rather see each council areas getting a pot of money and letting them do what they want to do with it. The regional transport plan should be for regional matters, not local ones imo. Obviously in an ideal world you wouldn't have to do that, but like you said we don't live in one.
It's just creating another level of bureaucracy otherwise for the councils for things which arguably shouldn't be anywhere near a transport plan as they're just essential things. Having to beg the mayor for some money to fix some traffic lights or maintain a bridge, to me, is just wrong. The fact we've actually got to this stage just sums up how broken Britain is right now thanks to the last lot in charge.
Obviously things like a mass replacement scheme across multiple council areas or the Metro signal replacement program are a different ball game as it impacts multiple areas but these aren't that.