As part of our recent survey we asked if people were for, against or undecided about unitary. 12,500 surveys have been devlieverd across the City in the last 3 weeks. Although I don't have the finite results, I'd thought I'd share today's post bag with you. The comments about unitary are often more thoughtful than anything us politicans come up with.
"Are you in favour of City Hall taking more power as a Unitary Council" - voting intention in brackets
No - If anything the districts should be abolished and Norfolk County Council shound run all the services (LibDem)
Don't know - but then I don't know what the word unitary means (Con)
Yes - Well, services can't get any worse (Con)
No - Labour have always dreamed of this (Con)
No - It'll cost a lot more in the long run (Con)
Don't Know - but no if Labour continue to waste money like they have done (Con)
No - for unitary, read 'expensive' (LibDem or Green, undecided)
Yes - but I rarely visit City Hall (Lab)
Yes - I feel that the county uses Norwich (Con)
Yes - It'll save money by not having to have that bloody awful magazine (Lab)
No - I don't consider City Hall competent enough to spend my money wisely (LibDem)
No - I just don't think City Hall could cope with any MORE powers!!! (Con)
Yes - Anything to get power away from central govt. (Con)
No - Typical waste of time and money (LibDem)
Yes - subject to the council being able to organise itself (LibDem)
No - Smacks of Big Brother. Expensive (Won't Say)
Yes - It will mean a return to proper Tory opposition in Norwich (Con)
No - Until we have decent leadership (Lab)
No - £2m overspend. Have YOU people forgotten??? (LibDem)
No - Bonkers. Bonkers. Bonkers. And that's just the politicans (Green)
Yes - Brings services closer to people (Won't Vote)
I will have fuller figures available soon as to the breakdown. My two absolute favourites from today are the man in Eaton Rise who attacked the £2m overspend ... and then said he'd vote LibDem and also the one who said 'yes' ... but I rarely visit City Hall.
Ah, the electorate! More survey responses later in the week.
4 comments:
For me Unitary = Power Grab = Expensive + Pitching Others Areas.
Surely one council instead of many will save money?!
Interesting mix of comments
No, Unitary will cost more. Currently, for example, we have one education service for the whole of Norfolk with the cost spread between the councils. This costs less than Norwich trying to run their own education department.
With Education, think of the shear chaos of change for teachers with the established support contacts and rapport they have built up with the County, their pay/benefits/ training arrangement and the new office arrangements. All for what? Just a different Landlord. Will they have access to wider Norfolk support and experience after a Unitary change. I suppect many teachers prefer order and the same, rather than chaos and change, especially when it comes to training and the salary statement.
Post a Comment