Lost money

As of the 29th January 2009 the council had borrowings of £17.75 million and investments of £19.83 million

In February 2008 I warned the cabinet at the time not the increase borrowing and investments. The council then increased borrowing and invested £3 million into an Icelandic bank in 3 lumps. That money and the interest may be lost. I have repeated my warning the current cabinet as we still have money at risk in Irish banks.

At this weeks full council meeting I again questioned the council.  In my view the council is risking more money that it needs to.

Country Council cuts mileage at last

Warwickshire County Council has just passed its budget for next year. Some of the cuts seem very silly such as reducing spending on winter roads. One good change is they have started to cut the mileage allowance for staff and councillors. They were getting around 56p a mile for the majority of cars with only the greener cars getting a lower rate. Now they said they would pay everyone 40 pence per mile. This still will cost too much as they drive 9,1 million miles per year.

link to cuts at WCC

Stop Nuneaton train rip-off

I am shocked at the cost of an off peak return to Birmingham which is just 10p less that a peak ticket. Looking at fares from other towns in the Midlands to Birmingham shows we are getting ripped off big time.

I have started a facebook page to get something done. It seems the richer parts of Warwickshire pay less to use trains than we do in Nuneaton. Please join the facebook page to show your support.

The rip off to Telford is even bigger with a off-peak return costing £16 compared to £10.40 from Bedworth or Coventry. In fact the cheapest legal way to telford seems to be to get a return to bedworth and then one from Bedworth to Telford (that is valid either via Nuneaton or Birmingham).

(I have also put this on the Nuneaton rail user group page

Stop crosscountry trains rip-off - Facebook page