Douglas Sh@hole!

[ellanvannin2010]

23 hours ago, AlanShimmin said:

Nah fella, we live on a tiny island barely bigger than a medium sized town. The rates system is a joke. 

Whether you choose to use the services or not is up to you, it's your personal choice. 

The services are there regardless, so we should all be chipping in to fund them. 

Glad to see that your happy to help fund the heritage transport out of your taxes even if you do not use them. 

Edited September 18, 2021 by ellanvannin2010

[2112]

24 minutes ago, CallMeCurious said:

Quite simple ~ Lump into 5 districts N,E,S, W & Central.

So North pays for Northern Pool, Ramsey library, Northern amenity site, Mooragh Park etc. to encourage local business and travel, West pays for Western Pool and so on.

If it is an 'all island facility' then government probably already owns and runs it. i.e. NSC, Villa Gaeity etc.

Then we would have a clear cost benefit for our rates based on similar facilities and expose profligate spending.

Amalgamating bin collection, road sweeping, admin and the like would reduce head count and the overall costs. Just need to ensure that everyone gets the same level of service, i.e every household gets 240L waste bin emptied once a week or once a fortnight. 

Leave town halls to run social housing etc. that relate only to the town itself and give each parish one or two members on an elected, voluntary board to oversee budget and performance.

 

 

 

If a Housing Association model was set up here to manage all local authority and government owned housing it would mean less outgoings for the taxpayers/ratepayers. A Housing Association would be free to approach banks for finance to fund refurbishment works and also build houses such as FTB, SO and SE ( First Time Buyer, Shared Ownership and Shared Equity). Many Housing Associations are leading developers and competing against For Profit Developers. 

[2112]

6 minutes ago, 2112 said:

If a Housing Association model was set up here to manage all local authority and government owned housing it would mean less outgoings for the taxpayers/ratepayers. A Housing Association would be free to approach banks for finance to fund refurbishment works and also build houses such as FTB, SO and SE ( First Time Buyer, Shared Ownership and Shared Equity). Many Housing Associations are leading developers and competing against For Profit Developers. 

Perhaps a leading not for profit housing group - example Great Places Housing Group - would be ideal to redevelop the derelict Park Road Site into FTB, SE and SO or even Market Rent properties. Or are the Manx Development Corporation keeping these sites for their friends or other vested interest groups? 
 

 

Edited September 18, 2021 by 2112

[Max Power]

18 minutes ago, 2112 said:

Perhaps a leading not for profit housing group - example Great Places Housing Group - would be ideal to redevelop the derelict Park Road Site into FTB, SE and SO or even Market Rent properties. Or are the Manx Development Corporation keeping these sites for their friends or other vested interest groups? 
 

 

Massive care homes by Dandara?

[Roger Mexico]

1 hour ago, 2112 said:

If a Housing Association model was set up here to manage all local authority and government owned housing it would mean less outgoings for the taxpayers/ratepayers. A Housing Association would be free to approach banks for finance to fund refurbishment works and also build houses such as FTB, SO and SE ( First Time Buyer, Shared Ownership and Shared Equity). Many Housing Associations are leading developers and competing against For Profit Developers. 

I'm not really sure that's true.  In my experience Housing Associations in the UK were usually seen as more expensive in terms of running costs per unit than equivalent council housing.    There were often good reasons for this - they were providing better or more specialised services for example - but they weren't a cheaper option.  Similarly it's a cliche that no one can get cheaper finance than a government.

That's not to say that HAs shouldn't be encouraged, just that they're not a magic solution.  If public housing is being built, managed or financed inefficiently, the solution is to make it more efficient.

[Andy Onchan]

7 minutes ago, Roger Mexico said:

I'm not really sure that's true.  In my experience Housing Associations in the UK were usually seen as more expensive in terms of running costs per unit than equivalent council housing. 

Depends where in the country the HA is based and what type of properties they have in their portfolio.

[2112]

4 hours ago, Andy Onchan said:

Depends where in the country the HA is based and what type of properties they have in their portfolio.

The HA that I quoted before is a Northwest of England based organisation. However there a few large ones based in Merseyside which may have an affinity with the island. With a large organisation, you would have economies of scales, especially with buying power. 

[pongo]

22 hours ago, AlanShimmin said:

Work out the actual cost of providing services and then divide it by properties on the island. 

Why should I pay anything towards the cost of services in places I seldom visit?

You might as well demand that I pay towards the cost of services in London or New York.

[pongo]

@Roxanne - I am very happy to contribute towards the cost of national local services. Actually let's all pay more and fund a better health service.

That's quite different from expecting people to fund unnecessary street lighting or collecting the bins far more than is necessary. In some place they don't live.

Actually - let's turn off the street lights and enjoy the night skies.

Edited September 18, 2021 by pongo

[The Voice of Reason]

10 minutes ago, Roxanne said:

Why shouldn't you? 

You've paid tax toward places you seldom visit haven't you? Lots of it I would imagine. 

This would be just the same. 

You're not one of those that goes out for a meal with a large group and calculates their own bill are you? That might explain it.

 

Probably charges his friends “petrol money” to give them a lift of a few miles.

Even though it’s on his way home

Edited September 18, 2021 by The Voice of Reason
Extra last sentence

[ellanvannin2010]

10 minutes ago, Roxanne said:

Why shouldn't you? 

You've paid tax toward places you seldom visit haven't you? Lots of it I would imagine. 

This would be just the same. 

You're not one of those that goes out for a meal with a large group and calculates their own bill are you? That might explain it.

 

It would be taxation without representation 

[Bombay Bad Boy]

On 9/18/2021 at 1:13 PM, ellanvannin2010 said:

Glad to see that your happy to help fund the heritage transport out of your taxes even if you do not use them. 

When the petrol's gone, will the horse trams be extended island-wide?

[James Blonde]

On 9/18/2021 at 9:22 PM, Roxanne said:

Why shouldn't you? 

You've paid tax toward places you seldom visit haven't you? Lots of it I would imagine. 

This would be just the same. 

You're not one of those that goes out for a meal with a large group and calculates their own bill are you? That might explain it.

 

You could be on to something. He sounds tighter than a duck's arse

[Kopek]

If you consider that Douglas is the distribution center for the whole Island then even if you don't visit Dlas you are still reliant on goods that have come though it.

Amazon and Hermes? Where do they arrive on the Island!

[finlo]

14 minutes ago, Kopek said:

If you consider that Douglas is the distribution center for the whole Island then even if you don't visit Dlas you are still reliant on goods that have come though it.

Amazon and Hermes? Where do they arrive on the Island!

Mezeron and the airport! You're not getting us to fund your dereliction!