Not sure if this is balanced journalism or an Advert/Public Relations Exercise on behalf of the SNP(propped up by the Labour Party) Administration !!

2 lines dedicated to the opposition -

'The opposition warned of increasingly tough times ahead for local authorities and proposed an alternative budget.'


Published The Extra On Line -

Dawn Renton
Published: 14:38 Thursday 27 February 2020

Government funds expected to reduce East Renfrewshire Council’s £18m budget shortfall


East Renfrewshire Council has today (Thursday, February 27) set a budget for 2020/21 that will continue to deliver for residents.

Despite challenging financial circumstances the council has set a balanced budget for the year ahead and also announced details of significant investment worth a total of £209m in a range of ambitious infrastructure projects.

These include delivering six new nurseries across the area, which from August will offer places for 740 children; building more new council houses in the coming year as part of our plans to create 240 homes for rent; and the opening of vastly-improved facilities at Bonnyton House care home for some of our most vulnerable residents.

A budget shortfall of £18m, which is expected to be reduced when the settlement from the Scottish Government is finalised, will be met in the year ahead through savings, the use of £3.5m reserves and Council Tax.

Some particularly difficult savings include reduced funding for East Renfrewshire Culture and Leisure Trust, savings from devolved school management budgets and reducing extra support for some pupils had been proposed but these will be reviewed in the light of yesterday’s agreement on the Scottish Government’s budget.

In setting the budget, councillors approved an increase to Council Tax of 4.84 per cent, which will generate an additional £2.7m and help close the budget shortfall – ensuring the services which matter most to residents are protected.

Council Leader Tony Buchanan said: “In setting the 2020/21 budget it has once again been extremely challenging.

Until yesterday, the cash funding we receive to spend on vital day-to-day services was to be reduced by about 1% on a like-for-like basis.

But now we understand our funding will be closer to a flat cash settlement.

Whilst this is a welcome improvement, tough decisions still have to be made in order to balance our books, whilst also ensuring we can still support young people, the elderly and the most vulnerable people in our communities.

“The decision to increase Council Tax has not been taken lightly, as we know it will put an extra burden on residents.

“But, without generating this additional income, there would have to be further reductions in funding to our schools, public infrastructure such as roads, our parks and recycling services.

Having balanced the books, we will continue to work harder than ever to deliver services which meet our residents’ needs now and in the future.”

The council also confirmed no compulsory redundancies would be required in the coming financial year.

Prior to yesterday’s announcement of additional funding from the Scottish Government, the Council also planned to identify further savings of £1.3million during the year ahead.

However, following the announcement, these further savings will no longer need to be identified and some of the most difficult savings will be reviewed in the months ahead.

Exciting plans to spend £209m over the next 10 years on a range of ambitious capital projects were also outlined.

These include

∙ £24.9m spent on six new nurseries nearing completion across East Renfrewshire.

∙ £30m for a new leisure and learning campus in Neilston, with work due to start next year.

∙ £26m for improved new leisure facilities in Eastwood Park.

∙ £1m being invested in telecare systems to allow older and vulnerable people to live in their own homes.

∙ £580,000 being spent on transforming Bonnyton House into an integrated centre of excellence for older people in East Renfrewshire.

∙ 30 roads resurfaced in first year of a £15m programme of investment in maintaining and improving roads and pavements.

Councillor Buchanan added: “Despite our very challenging savings target and the tough financial climate, we remain absolutely committed to delivering a wide range of ambitious projects to improve the lives of residents.

We can already see many of these coming to fruition, with six new nurseries to open in August, new homes opened for our tenants, the award-winning Maidenhill Primary already a thriving school community, the Greenlaw Business Centre set to welcome its first tenants soon, and with plans progressing to invest £30m to improve education and leisure facilities in Neilston.

The great progress we have made in such a short space of time to deliver these projects highlights some of the real achievements that have been made by East Renfrewshire Council.

We are a Council that delivers.”

The opposition warned of increasingly tough times ahead for local authorities and proposed an alternative budget.

Following a vote, the Administration budget was approved and will now be taken forward by the council.

Near same identical article to that appearing in The Extra.

Again -

Not sure if this is balanced journalism or an Advert/Public Relations Exercise on behalf of the SNP(propped up by the Labour Party) Administration !!

2 lines dedicated to the opposition -

'Opposition councillors warned of increasingly tough times ahead for local authorities and proposed an alternative budget.'

Published Barrhead News On Line -

27/2/2020
News
7 mins ago
East Renfrewshire Council tax bills to surge by 5 per cent

PLANS to increase council tax bills for East Renfrewshire residents by almost five per cent have been rubber-stamped.

The move was agreed by East Renfrewshire Council today as it set its budget for 2020/21.

The 4.84% hike in council tax – the maximum allowed by the Scottish Government – will raise almost £3m as council chiefs try to plug a massive financial black hole.

Council bosses insist that, despite "challenging" financial circumstances, the local authority has set a "balanced" budget for the year ahead, "ensuring the services which matter most to residents are protected."

A budget shortfall of £18m, which is expected to be reduced when the settlement from the Scottish Government is finalised, will be met in the year ahead through savings, additional revenue from council tax and £3.5m from the council's reserves.

The council had proposed to cut funding for culture and leisure services, make savings from devolved school management budgets and reduce the extra support available to some pupils but these will now be reviewed in light of yesterday’s agreement on the Scottish Government’s budget.

Councillor Tony Buchanan, leader of East Renfrewshire Council, said: “In setting the 2020/21 budget, it has once again been extremely challenging.

"Until yesterday, the cash funding we receive to spend on vital day-to-day services was to be reduced by about one per cent on a like-for-like basis but now we understand our funding will be closer to a flat cash settlement.

"Whilst this is a welcome improvement, tough decisions still have to be made in order to balance our books, whilst also ensuring we can still support young people, the elderly and the most vulnerable people in our communities.

"The decision to increase council tax has not been taken lightly, as we know it will put an extra burden on residents, but without generating this additional income, there would have to be further reductions in funding to our schools, public infrastructure such as roads, our parks and recycling services.

"Having balanced the books, we will continue to work harder than ever to deliver services which meet our residents’ needs now and in the future.”

The council also confirmed no compulsory redundancies would be required in the coming financial year.

Prior to yesterday’s announcement of additional funding from the Scottish Government, the council also planned to identify further savings of £1.3m during the year ahead.

However, following the announcement, these further savings will no longer need to be identified and some of the "most difficult" savings will be reviewed in the months ahead.

Plans to spend £209m over the next 10 years on a range of ambitious capital projects were also outlined.

These include £25m on six new nurseries nearing completion across East Renfrewshire;

£30m for a new leisure and learning campus in Neilston, with work due to start next year;

£26m for improved new leisure facilities in Eastwood Park; £1m for telecare systems to allow older and vulnerable people to live in their own homes;

£580,000 to transform Bonnyton House, in Busby, into an integrated centre of excellence for older people in East Renfrewshire;

and resurfacing 30 roads in the first year of a £15m programme of investment in maintaining and improving carriageways and pavements.

A commitment has also been made to build more new council houses for rent.

Councillor Buchanan added: “Despite our very challenging savings target and the tough financial climate, we remain absolutely committed to delivering a wide range of ambitious projects to improve the lives of residents.

"We can already see many of these coming to fruition, with six new nurseries to open in August, new homes opened for our tenants, the award-winning Maidenhill Primary already a thriving school community, the Greenlaw Business Centre set to welcome its first tenants soon and with plans progressing to invest £30million to improve education and leisure facilities in Neilston.

"The great progress we have made in such a short space of time to deliver these projects highlights some of the real achievements that have been made by East Renfrewshire Council. We are a council that delivers.”

Opposition councillors warned of increasingly tough times ahead for local authorities and proposed an alternative budget.

However, following a vote, the administration's budget was approved and will now be taken forward by the council.

Cllr David MacDonald has posted on his facebook page -

27/2/2020
Cllr David Macdonald - An Independent voice for people is at East Renfrewshire Council.
1 hr · Giffnock ·

This morning the SNP/Labour administration voted to approve the budget which will increase council tax by 4.84%. The Conservative amendment was not much better proposing a 3% increase and a number of points I could not agree with.

I would have proposed an amendment calling for a much more realistic revenue generation package to include a better strategy for parking in East Renfrewshire. However nobody in attendance would have seconded it as they are all whipped by their parties to vote for what their groups agree on.

I could not vote in good conscience for either the administration motion or the Conservative amendment.

Their respective strategies are to continue to demand more money from people and simultaneously cut vital services. Nobody is talking about progressive generation of revenue.

We have every council car park in ward 4, including the health centre, clogged with motorists from outwith East Renfrewshire parking all day for nothing and this is having a detrimental effect on the business district of Clarkston.

I have proposed in the past that each resident of East Ren be issued with a parking permit to display in their car allowing them to park in East Ren car parks for free and everybody else would have to pay and display. I also proposed that all residential areas within a 1/2 mile distance of a train station be permitted parking only for those displaying a permit. All others would need to display a guest permit issued to residents for guests to visit. Any others would have to pay and display in these areas.

We need a better revenue strategy in East Renfrewshire and fair chargeable parking is a comprehensive part of that.

This culture of demanding the public pay huge increases in council tax in exchange for further cuts is not the answer. The public are not there to be fleeced by a local authority that cannot properly tackle financial shortfalls.

This budget motion and the amendment both lacked progressive and ambitious vision.

As a side note, no proposals were made in either the motion or the amendment to reduce any salaries of the very highest paid officers at the council. These areas are absolutely bulletproof.

Posted East Renfrewshire Council facebook page -

East Renfrewshire Council
27 February at 06:17 ·

We have set our budget today for 2020/21 which includes capital investment of £209m over the next 10 years and will continue to deliver for residents. Read full details here:

orlo.uk/zf3sh

Comments/posts -

- The area around Blackbyres/ Glasgow road roundabout is an eyesore.
The feature wall has been knocked down and just left. The landscaping has been left in complete and no longer maintained.
Great welcome to barrhead.…See more

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East Renfrewshire Council Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi Thomas, I have reported this to our Roads team for this to be inspected. Thanks for getting in touch.
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- "In setting the budget, councillors approved an increase to Council Tax of 4.84%" now if only pay and benefits increased as much, nothing like making people worse off!

- East Renfrewshire Council no doubt your road will be gritted!
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council Unfortunately we don't have the required resources to grit every road in East Ren, so we have to prioritise key routes. Thanks.
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- wish I was sbartvenough to have a debt with them, than struggle monthly to pay eqilivant of a a decent car oayment monthly....grrr
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- the emergency services don't seem to matter now a days. I stay in Bellfield Cres & emergency services can't get up Fereneze Ave due to parked cars & it's been reported & still nothing done. So if you have a fire the firemen have to run up the road with fire extinguisher's or if you need an ambulance you need to get wheeled down the road to get to the ambulance.
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- bet you don't get a reduction in the amount of council tax.
What if emergency services need to gain access.
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- my side of Busby doesn’t require to be gritted according to the council
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- East Renfrewshire Council but we're all paying the same tax, so I'm bring discriminated against.
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- Why should it depend on where you live we all pay council tax
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council We are awaiting confirmation but we understand our funding will be closer to a flat cash settlement. Thanks.
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Author
East Renfrewshire Council That would be dependent on where you lived - check here if you are on a priority route:
www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/winter-maintenance
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- a complete con
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- no it’s a decrease despite increased funding from uk government
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- East Renfrewshire Council I thought councils were getting an increase in real terms from Edinburgh
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- East Renfrewshire Council will I get my street gritted?
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- East Renfrewshire Council no roads that get used for school runs in the list netherplace road castle road seems that the village part of the mearns forgotten again
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Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi - here is some info on the investment from the past year:
www.eastrenfrewshire.gov.uk/road-maintenance
The works programme for the coming year will be announced in the coming weeks. Thanks.
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- East Renfrewshire Council can you advise exactly where funding has been spent wisely on the roads network as I haven't seen improvements just constant road works where roads have been destroyed by utility contractors or housing development companies ie the new housing development at aurs rd Barrhead
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- totally agree it’s shocking we are left to pick up the short fall. Easy way out for them
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- I have seen this as well.
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- East Renfrewshire Council sorry but the roads are disgraceful. Why write off a large amount of debt from people who fail to pay. Think what this money could have been used for.
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- East ren probably has the highest council tax rates in Scotland as its one of the richest areas, yet the roads are some of the worst in the country. Maybe a we dose of coronavirus to sort out the wasters at East ren Council wouldn't be such a bad thing!
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- Council has put up the council tax for everyone but they wiped off an amazing amount of debt a few weeks ago for people who had failed to pay over previous year's. Make these people pay their debt and stop loading tax increases onto to others who do pay
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- I understand all that but what do we have to do to get the straight forward sensible things done. Streets cleaned. Streets gritted. When bins get emptied they don't drop all the stuff on the road and not pick it up. Litter picked up. Stop pavement parking. All small things that matter to us paying our council tax. The next later of issues can be addressed when the small things get done. Work up!!!
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- shambles
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Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi , without increasing council tax there would have to have been further reductions in funding to our schools, public infrastructure such as roads, our parks and
recycling services. Other areas could also have been impacted. Thanks
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- East Renfrewshire Council what are the front line services?
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- East Renfrewshire Council Council tax is a fraud
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi , councillors made it clear this was not a decision taken lightly, but by putting the council tax up by this amount it will help to protect frontline services. If it had not been increased then there would have been even more challenging decisions required. Thanks
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- I was out walking my dog last night and saw a gritter on my road. Guess what! It didn't grit the road. Just driving down the road. (full of grit) it's still not been done!
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- That's a shambles council tax up and you can't even repair a road ... How about the Ive hardly seen a gritter in the road so tell me what are we actually paying for bin service has dropped council should hang its head in shame
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- East Ren a shocking authority that does not believe in recycling
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi , we continue to have the highest recycling rates of all local authorities in Scotland, so it is something we very much believe in. Thanks.
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- East Renfrewshire Council
Where are all the recycling points. Taking them all away does not encourage recycling
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Further comments/posts from East Renfrewshire Council facebook page -

Author
East Renfrewshire Council We understand this is frustrating for you and will pass on your comments to the team. Thanks.
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- East Renfrewshire Council we pay the same Council Tax as the people on the opposite side of the road but just because we live up a lane and your lorries cannot get in we have to drive to Greenhaggs!!
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- East Renfrewshire Council what do you do if you do not have transport
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi - you would have to take those items to one of our recycling centres at Greenhags or Barrhead. Thanks.
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- East Renfrewshire Council we are pensioners who live in a flat where we do not have recycling bins - so what are we supposed to do with our glass and cardboard?
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- East Renfrewshire Council you having a laugh they were over used. As for collections we live in a flat and do not have 4 bins. Every Monday a pick up comes to collect the black bin bags that you supply. Where do we put bottles and cardboard
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council The public recycling points were removed towards the end of last year. The decision was taken following the successful introduction of our 4 bin kerbside collections - we found the use of these public sites continued to drop. Any additional waste that doesn't fit in your own bins can be taken to one of our recycling centres in Barrhead or Greenhags. Thanks.
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- Thanks for the sending the gritter out to my street ..was a wee bit icy !!
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-Have the councillors had a pay increase or will they receive a pay increase over the next 12 months?
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi - Councillors’ pay is determined by the Scottish Government and we have had no notification of any increase for the next 12 months. Thanks.
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- What annoys me is all the houses which have had extensions built and there houses are now bigger than mine still pay a lower council tax than me because I got upstairs extension done before the assessed the houses in the
1980 ‘s . When I phoned to com…See more
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- Just tongue and cheek pal. But yeah they pick and choose who they reply to
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- you see ERen never commented on my post. You would be a grass too if you were in my position
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- no body likes a grass
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- This is a repair! On my road
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- Council tax goes up rent goes up but out wages stay the same this is a joke every single year things rise, but yet our wages don’t!
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- It’s only a tenner a month more for Band E- I don’t think most will notice that. Couldn’t stay frozen forever ?
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- Yes. I’m sorry I made that comment now. I think the cost of everything is so high - mortgage / childcare/food that CT doesn’t seem as bad. But yes the struggle is real. Hard for everyone but especially single parents or those suffering ill health.
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- So the council tax goes up by a tenner, then the rent goes up by a tenner, then the gas and electric go up, then wages stay the same, anyone see the problem?
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- ok maybe just 1 per street
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- there is rats everywhere! you made that sound like the pied piper ran through shawlands an now the whole streets where awash with dead rats!
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- mmm that is not good..
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- They are putting the council tax up fine but they are still cutting services. If they didn't waste so much money they would have money.
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- it might only be £10 -£15 a month however above band D got re assessed a couple of years ago. The extra we have paid since they lifted the tax freeze has been excessive to say the least. This just adds to the blow.
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- that's fine if you and your partner can afford it. What about those on low incomes. Some council tax is like a second mortgage. With one wage coming in these increases are frustrating. My kids have left school but when they were there all they did was cut services. In my bit we no longer get grit or our overgrown greenery cut back by the council. We do it ourselves. Last week I damaged my car on a huge crater in the road and a wee while ago the bin men refused to uplift my bin because there was a wrong item in it.... so don't get me started on this shambles of a council. Funny how they never forget to reward themselves with big bonuses.
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- they don’t have enough money? That’s why the cost has to go up..
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- A tenner is a tenner but I don’t grudge it for the services we get in East Ren/ the parks, the nurseries, the schools and the overall environment. There were dead rats in the streets of Shawlands where we were before!
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- I don't mind a tenner if they were increasing services or fixing the roads that are in a disgraceful state, but they are cutting services not increasing them. Not every family has a spare tenner every month
4d · Edited

- a tenner a month may be nothing to some but to others it's a tenner in the gas/electric meter or having to reduce monthly shop by a tenner
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- Will you eventually take down Thornliebanks Xmas lights? It’s almost Easter
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- East Renfrewshire Council fair play
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- Just like parkheads disco lights Gordon McLean
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council Hi , the Christmas lights have been removed, these are additional lights which will remain throughout the winter months. They have been installed in areas across East Ren as part of the Town Centre Regeneration project. Thanks.
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- Dear ERC,
please can you advise an approximate completion date for the Hurlet roadworks?
I’d be grateful if you could also provide a timetable for A736 resurfacing works.
I’ve yet to receive a reply to any of my emails.
Many thanks.
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- 8th April it was reported a few weeks ago for hurlet
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- East Ren must be raking in a fortune in Council tax from the rampant house building all over the council area with lots more to come . Soon there will be no boundaries between towns and villages as they allow building on every bit of our countryside.
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- And going by your picture you plan to continue to fill potholes with soft tar that breaks up within days.
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- there are proper ways to fix potholes, just putting that tar in and hammering it down isn't it, if only they had watched the YouTube videos on how to do it properly!
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- When wages don’t increase by the same % regardless of how ERC or any other council try to justify the increase we’re all just worse off!
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- Can we get the pot holes fixed now? Already cost me 2 tyre's
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- report all potholes, get a dashcam, then claim for any damage caused by the potholes!
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East Renfrewshire Council
Author
East Renfrewshire Council An additional £3mil is being invested in our transport network over the coming year - details of the works will be confirmed in the coming weeks. Thanks.
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Further comments/posts from East Renfrewshire Council facebook page -

- I obviously get that everything goes up in price but Why does it need to increase when the Scottish government has more money than before to help councils
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- I don’t get a wage rise to cover this extra council tax and council the rent rise
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- Over 2.5 times the rate of inflation!!!
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- Thank
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- Let me guess, raise the CT for the “posh” bits without spending anything in them (3 years to get a bulb replaced in a streetlight on a dangerous corner and roads like an assault course) and throw money at Barrhead?
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- I note that you've quoted me using a phrase I didn't use and conveniently left the end off one of your own quotes. "if one is paying twice as much in CT as someone in Barrhead shouldn’t there be an expectation of receiving a level of service equal to that paid by them?" That's not what you have quoted back to me. I really think you need to read your comments back before hitting send. Those last three words change the meaning of that sentence entirely.

To recap, you posted something that was kinda nasty, used misogynistic insults and use quotation marks inaccurately. I'm not sure which is the bigger crime but it's safe to say, for me, the tone of your initial post can't be undone no matter how much you've tried to reword what you've said (but somehow kept saying the same thing).

I hope that clears it up for you. Try not to be jealous of all the money being thrown at Barrhead. You could always move if you think ERC provides such superior services compared to where you live.
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- It is possible, yes, on the whole no, over all Barrhead contributes far less than other parts of the area.

Okay, could you quote me the part where I said “I pay twice as much therefore I expect twice as much back”?

I think you’ll find what I actually said was “if one is paying twice as much as someone in Barrhead shouldn’t there be an expectation to receive the same level of service”

Not asking for twice the service, asking for THE SAME level.

Once again, I’m not asking for twice the service for twice the money, I’m asking for the same level of service that you receive for half the price.

I hope that finally clears it up for you.
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- it is possible that someone in Barrhead is paying twice as much as someone in, say, Newton Mearns and feels that their roads are also full of potholes, that their child's school is in need of an upgrade whilst new ones are being built elsewhere etc etc. I don't particularly agree with how council tax is applied but in this age of austerity and tax avoidance, I can see my way to pay up and not accuse the residents of less affluent areas of having "money thrown" at their area. I doubt you'll find a resident anywhere in ERC who doesn't have something in need of fixing or upgrading no matter where you think all the money is being spent. You made a point, poorly. You have continued to express yourself in a way that suggests you believe that contributing a higher amount (but not necessarily a higher percentage of income) to a communal pot entitles you to a higher share of the spending. I find that a bit depressing.
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- No, I didn’t imply *only* the “posh” bits would be seeing a rise in CT, it may surprise you to know that I understand that the same rates are applied across the entire council area. I have already explained, in detail, what I meant, you are simply choosing to ignore that and put your own interpretation on my words.

I’ll say one thing though, I agree with you regarding the council funds, although I already know they are pooled, however my whole point, which you have completely ignored, is that they are not shared out fairly, Barrhead would appear to receive a far greater share of the pot than other areas, and the other part of my point, which appeared to enrage you so much, is that if one is paying twice as much in CT as someone in Barrhead shouldn’t there be an expectation of receiving a level of service equal to that paid by them?

I’m not saying we should get more, or that the rates table for CT is different in, say Newton Mearns, just that the level of service provided should be on a level playing field and not skewed towards providing more for one area than another.

I hope that clears things up for you.

To recap.

More paid in CT, less received by way of benefit.
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- no, , my point is that you seem to imply that only the “posh bits” will be incurring a rise. Perhaps you expressed yourself poorly in your initial post (and perhaps in your follow up when you used pathetic insults which I’m fairly sure you wouldn’t have directed at a male. And perhaps in your further comment when you “assumed” things about me, but hey- ho, that’s what happens when people dare to disagree with the people acting as if they’re victimised by ERC because they live in an area with less social deprivation) As far as I’m concerned, Council Tax is to be pooled and spent where it is required. I have no objection to my council tax resurfacing “your” roads. I have no objections to it being spent on “your” leisure facilities. I do, however, object to the implication that Barrhead residents pay different rates of council tax it would magically be exempt from the rise. Band E is band E. The rise is across the authority, not, as you implied only to the “posh bit”.
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- You may take it that I implied that, I didn’t, however I also suspect you adopt the victim position at every opportunity.

My point, and I’ll try and put it as simply as possible for you, is that we pay more CT, by dint of the property values, yet receive far less in the way of services.

If you paid twice as much as someone else for half the service I’m
sure you would be the first person up in arms about it.

Or is your “inverse snobbery” that you should get more than everyone else for the same money, just because of where you live?
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- “raise the CT for the “posh bits” without spending it in them”? Isn’t that what you said? Throw money at Barrhead? You are at best a snob, at worst a misogynistic one (raving harpy, because a female calls you out). Your statement implies that my council tax won’t go up, whereas yours will because I don’t live in a “posh bit”. If you think your point was about where the money is spent, you might want to reread your own comment and reflect on your actual words rather than what you think you meant.
4d · Edited

- I didn’t say it wasn’t.

Had you actually read my comment properly before going off on one you would have realised my point is regarding where the money is spent, I did not make one mention of the amount of CT paid.

Do yourself a favour get down off your high horse and try reading the whole comment before making yourself look like a raving harpy
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- aren’t you a delight. Council tax is the same amount in Barrhead as it is in any other part of East Renfrewshire. Your ignorance is outstanding if you think that council tax rates within the same band are different across the same local authority. Unless you can tell me that the money I’ve paying to ERC goes to a different bank account than yours does, I suggest you think a bit more logically about how local tax works.
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- Disgusting rise in council tax. I see no improvements in ER but councillors still fill their fat bellies with grub and booze
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- where is coronavirus when we need it? Lol
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