Council Tax

[smokynuk]

I know my names not John, but i hope you dont mind me helping you out with part of the answer.

Basically around 20% (dont know the exact percentage) of the total spending of the council comes from Council Tax. The other 80% comes from central government.

[Sweltered]

Well done for COMPLETELY missing my point.

I WAS NOT COMPLAINING.

Can you reply to my point now that YOU have taken the thread off discussion. IGNORE my lack of street lights, it was an aside to my point. Sorry if it CONFUSED you . I obviously credited you with at least some intelligence, my bad..

There was a whole paragraph before my mentioning my lack of street lights, is your attention span so short, that all that registered was the last sentence of my post. I'm surprised you didn't reply to the magic beans quote at the bottom, since thats the last thing on the post....

people like you scare me.

Haha, you are just too funny, your accusing me of "COMPLETELY" missing your point? Excuse me but I did comment on your point made about General not getting a particular service although NOT choosing not to have access to it. You just chose NOT to comment on what i wrote, then go about accusing me of not replying to it.

*sigh* but if it makes you happy and stops you from having your little hissy fit (and/or running to your brother for support), i will expand on my comment. Just try to follow along as i may use some big words here. (gold star to you if you pick up on ALL my points made instead if cherry picking comments, taking them out of context then basing an argument on it)

Council Tax is a local tax levied to defray the general expenses of providing local services. These services may include providing services such as policing, educational needs or in this case general street lighting. In generals case his lack of streetlighting had cause for comment regarding him possibly claiming rebate for said lack of service.
My point put across was emphasizing that fact that the council provides a great many services that not everyone uses. Point incase was the library. You advised that he chose not to use the library but did not chose not to have streetlighting (presumably by his house). The fact of the matter remains that although General did not chose to use the library, the service was available for all within the area to use. Just because he chose not to use it does not discern from the fact that the service was available.

BUT THAT'S CONTRADICTING WHAT YOU POSTED! "I dont use the library, can I get a rebate? Ohh i havent ever called the polis or the fire department either so can i get a discount there too? On top of that i dont have kids that go to school, so can i get money off for that too? "
Alternatively, not everyone was bothered by Generals lack of streetlighting as most of the people who pay council tax would not be anywhere near his house thus negating any need for the use of said streetlighting. You dont see people commenting that some road in the middle of nowhere is being lit with no immediate beificiary of said streetlight.
Alternatively , or more accurately, to use the library argument, there may be a book he may like to read which the library does not have in stock. In such cases it is normal to request for the books to be included in the library in future so that he may read it once the library has it in stock. Using this same argument you can conclude that although he did not have any streetlighting for a period of time, the council sought to remedy the situation. Thus him commenting (im careful NOT to use the word complain least i get lynched) on the lack of streetlighting is (in this arguments case) akin to him not having a book in stock in the library.

What Dafdog said was true though

We can sit here and pick faults with it all bloody night and someone will feel hard done by, by some part of the system, so its a matter of trying to get it changed if you dont like it or just get on with it...

So going back to my original comment (if your still with me) the council provide services for one and all. The LACK or NON USAGE of any one service doesnt entitle anyone to a rebate or refund. This is the council, these are PUBLIC SERVICES. YES we are paying for them and YES they might not be avaliable when you what them. But the fact that these are PUBLIC SERVICES differs it from a private company i.e. vodaphone (when the network goes down)

Thats as far as i can go with that argument. I really dont want to be explaining the difference between public and private services if you want to continue with this. But if you have any constructive comments and/or questions feel free. No doubt you will

Errr, I WAS replying to you. It was YOU that mentioned not using the Library, not the General. Also, your logic is false re the book being out of stock. The library is still operating, other books are available. There was no alternate streetlight. And as for most of the people not being near his street light, most people have their own street lights to light their streets, which if the were not functioning, I'm sure complaints would be made. And of course, if people used the road in the middle of nowhere and there were enough houses to warrant it, street lighting would be installed.

What points did I miss

[Sweltered]

my street lights haven't been working for weeks, can i claim a rebate?

I dont use the library, can I get a rebate? Ohh i havent ever called the polis or the fire department either so can i get a discount there too? On top of that i dont have kids that go to school, so can i get money off for that too?

There will always be folk that as questions like that, valid as they may seem, its impossible to come up with a COMPLETELY fair way to collect local tax, or if you have an idea why not share it with us and the rest of the world? at the same time you can email it to Alex Salmond and Gordon Brown.

if anyone thinks they are getting value for money let the rest of us know

Well if thats the case why not move to somewhere else where you think you get value for money. Or else let your councillor know, what you would rather the council budget be spent on. I mean the guy is elected to do such a thing and as they are supposed to represent the people (and getting paid for it) why not complain to them if you feel that strongly about it.

COMPLETELY

[general jack o'niell]

hey!!!! my streetlights aren't working, who do i see about getting a rebate on my council tax?

i just wish i could be bothered enough to put my tuppence worth into this diatribe that followed what was in the first instance me just stating that my streetlights haven't been working for weeks and in the second a joking question about a rebate.

i don't want a rebate, i don't expect a rebate, i just want the lights to work, theres always something wrong with them, usually it's the reverse and the lights are on in the cutting 24hrs a day. not at present i might add, come to think about it, i'm not even sure they are working at all just now, i'll make a point of looking tonight, seeing as you are all so concerned about me tripping over in the dark. something that could quite easily happen, but i won't go into that, just like i didn't go into the fact that while my electric was off a neighbour had a generator to supply their house, this was for medical reasons and vital at the time, but the genny had been there, running all day and the power wasn't cut till 3.15pm, plenty of time i would have thought for everyone to have been notified.

back to the thread, sorry, it was indirectly linked as the loss of one coincided with the advent of the loss of the other.

as for moving somewhere that gives better value for money council taxwise mate, i was born here, i will die here, councils have come and gone during my lifetime, they will continue to do so after i'm gone, so moving is not an option, where exactly did you have in mind? some place that gets better value for money from the council? mmmmmmm let me think, couldn't be lochgilphead by any chance? oban? dunoon? helensburgh? anywhere except campbeltown.

i happen to think that at present we have the best council representation that we have had in my lifetime and given time, they'll prove it, we have always had a small voice on the council and it takes a bit of wheeling and dealing to get our fair share with regards to council spending, so i'm prepared to go without streetlights for the present as i believe or rather i hope that by the end of their first term in office as a group, our lot will have dragged the town up the ladder to a position where we get whats rightly ours with regard to services and amenities.

i've already told them i'm putting my trust in them and they better not let me down, i hope everybody else has done likewise?

oh and i don't use the library, not since they moved it, my own personal boycott, i was against it being moved, i loved a browse round the old library, a wee look into the museum,so i haven't made use of the new library and i won't, i've only been in the building once as it was my daughters birthday and i was forced into it, but i won't be repeating it. i think we were short changed with the whole project, i will however continue to make use of the funds intended for the old library by using the flume the money bought for the dunoon pool whenever, i visit my brother.

oh and i don't know why howling had to mention when he joined the forum, unless he is one of those multiple identity posters who use another name when they want to stir things up a bit. if he's not, then his point was lost on me as it had no relevence to anything i have posted as i haven't directed any comments in his direction.

[howlsatthemoon]

oh and i don't know why howling had to mention when he joined the forum, unless he is one of those multiple identity posters who use another name when they want to stir things up a bit. if he's not, then his point was lost on me as it had no relevence to anything i have posted as i haven't directed any comments in his direction.

Wrong topic jake , I have not commented on this topic because personally I don't give a monkeys feck about the lights outside jake's house or the reasons why he won't use the services available

[general jack o'niell]

theres tha much sh!te on here its hard to remember whoots whoot and whoots naw whoot

[abbey craig]

exactly

[Pete Reek]

theres tha much sh!te on here its hard to remember whoots whoot and whoots naw whoot

Copyright Breach- Copyright Breach

Ok General, you owe me two hanfu's o Wine Gums an half a Mars Bar.

[smokynuk]

[BUT THAT'S CONTRADICTING WHAT YOU POSTED! "I dont use the library, can I get a rebate? "

Umm theres something you have totally missed here (which isnt surprising), but i will point it out for you so your wee brain can comprehend and we can set you on the right track here. I was replying to Generals post

my street lights haven't been working for weeks, can i claim a rebate?"

Strangely enough i could detect Generals hint of sarcasm and jocular nature related to this quote which he confirmed in a later post as a "joking question"
I in turn, replied in the same vein with comments emphisising the non useage of other public services SIMPLY FOR ARGUMENTS SAKE. I assumed you would know that the reply was intended not as an actual statement.

I obviously credited you with at least some intelligence, my bad..

With regard to my logic being false, I dont want to argue the semantics of wanting to borrow an actual book, but since thats the way you want to go, fine, i'll humour you seeing as you find it so difficult to understand.
Although other books may be avaliable, the requested book was not in stock thus rendering the fact that the whole place is full of books pointless. Let me use another analogy when you go into a shop to buy the latest football top of your football team and its not avaliable doesnt mean you will definately buy a top from another team even though the sports shop is full of footie tops does it?
Also, just because other people have streetlighting is irrelevant to the argument. I wasnt refering to other peoples streetlighting as the subject of discussion, the subject of discussion was Generals streetlighting, thus the fact remains just because his is off, it doesnt affect most other people.

Also with regard to the streetlighting in the middle of nowhere - well to be honest you came out with a comment that had nothing to do with mine and im getting tired of holding your hand through these discussions and drawing you pretty little pictures so you will understand.

Im also getting fed up about talking bout library books and streetlighting and having to explain myself in detail to someone who pretends to know what hes talking about. Truth is, if you knew what you were on about you would have shut up by now, instead of asking me what points you missed.

Then on top of that, making statements that have nothing to do with the original points i was making. Ohh and by the way if you dont know what im talking about now (and what points i am refering to) you will never know.

No point trying to teach a dog to talk when all it can do is bark.

But fine, answer back, keep talking about streetlighting and library books if you want, but i feel like im trying to talk to a 1yr old who doesnt understand what im saying and frankly im bored of explaining myself and giving you pointers on what you missed. In a mature discussion YOU are meant to provide the argument, not ask me what it is.

Im already fed up of going round in circles here, but i guess kids like yourself like roundabouts.

Oh and by the way, you missed my WHOLE PARAGRAPH about public services seeing as you asked.

[smokynuk]

DISCLAIMER - regarding my previous post, with the mention of 1yr olds, dogs roundabouts and paiinting pretty little pictures. They were all ANALOGIES, just incase you decide to throw your bottle away and stamp on the floor (another analogy by the way)

PS - feel free to use analogies in your posts if it makes you feel any better

[Sweltered]

Im sure it makes wonderful sense, I might even read it some day

[smokynuk]

well you know what they say, either put up or shut up, glad to see you did the latter cos you couldnt do the former

Gee yoursel a pat on the back

[ionnsaigh]

[Sweltered]

well you know what they say, either put up or shut up, glad to see you did the latter cos you couldnt do the former

Gee yoursel a pat on the back

Or can't be bothered, I really can't believe your arguments would difficult to dissect, going by you original nonsensical Library book hypotheses (oooh look a big word, I bet your moving your lips as you read this).

Not a case of couldn't, just not rising to the bait Unlike yourself, who has the most wonderful salmonoid qualities seen on here in many's a day


Glad to see Ionns was amused by you, I think that says far more about you, than it does about me

[smokynuk]

Not a case of couldn't, just not rising to the bait

Well arent i the lucky one, after 6 posts on the subject im glad you didnt, i was shaking in my boots if you hadnt even got started yet

PS if you're going to use big words at least use them properly. I think you should go back to the safety of your one syllable words