ericgibbs

hi Hank,
Its all to do with cost cutting.

Most of our public utilities and services are overloaded and over budget.

We have a 'league table' mentality governing our country.
The paper work figures are being manipulated on order to appear to meet targets.

If the financial budget appears to balance, 'every thing is OK'.

I hate to say this, but I believe our country is in terminal decline.
I hope that time proves me wrong as I am still a patriotic Brit, despite these comments.

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Hero999

I've signed it.

They only closed our village school for children with severe learning difficulties last year so I know how you feel.

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Hank Fletcher

Oh, we take that one step further in Canada! Seems like every federal or provincial budget has resulted in a surplus the following year, supposedly meaning that all funding targets have been met, and yet the tax rate never seems to go down? The best was earlier this (fiscal) year when the Canadian dollar was growing stronger comparatively to the U.S. dollar, the federal finance minister was imploring private businesses in Canada to reduce their prices (the argument being that the stronger dollar ought to be able to buy more). I wonder if he'll carry the same attitude coming up to tax time this year? Should I expect a rebate to the tune of 20% or so (I don't know the exact figure, but it's high) over last year's taxes, minister? I'm not going to hold my breath on that one!

Since you've taken the "pro" on that one, I'll try to balance it with the con: It's not all bad, either there or over here. For one, you're able to communicate instantaneously with people on the other side of the planet, for next to nothing (if you use the library - at home, etc is extra luxury). Your media options are greater than they've ever been. Your choice of consumer goods are greater, and their cost is lower.

Those advances are all private-sector related, but they spill over into the public sector, too (e.g. availability of a wider range of medical care or education products). What I believe both our countries are currently experiencing is the market and political effects of an aging population, particularly one that has a significantly expanded, 50+ demographic as the babyboomers hit retirement, kick the kids out, and figure out what to do with their top-end salaries, investments and/or pensions. As such, whereas the clout of that generation 30-40 years ago was represented politically (voting, demonstrations), now the same generation is making a bigger impact on markets. That's because now they have more money than they do a willingness to picket (pardon me, I have to go put on some Wilson Pickett...). The perogatives of politicians tends to reflect that change from protester to investor. Now they're not just influenced directly by Big Business, but also indirectly in that the majority of people supporting a winning candidate or party also stand to gain individually as shareholders in the various Big Business companies. Of course, that's going to influence the relative interest of government funded education or health care on a variety of levels.

Voters aren't going to want to elect a politician who'll compromise their individual investments for the sake of an education system their own family's children no longer use. They're not going to want to pay higher taxes if it means that money could have otherwise been spent on investments, either. People have always been able to recognize the individual importance of either the market or goverment initiatives, but their awareness, understanding, and involvement in both is a very new thing now compared to 25, 50, or 100 years ago.

It's a work in progress, and I think it's best for the populace to consider the importance not just of being an informed voter, but also an informed investor, if only to ensure the two are working harmoniously and are not at odds.

ericgibbs

Nigel,
Look here:

http://www.islandpulse.co.uk/b2/isle...hool-closures/

If I heard the local TV news correctly this evening, the closures are going ahead.. I'll recheck

EDIT:
They are closing the 'middle' schools on the IOW

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Marks256

Wow. I have never noticed the number of U.K. residents here!

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Nigel Goodwin

They 'claim' that the birth rate is falling, which it was, but it's now been going back up again for the last couple of years - a point my daughter bought up at the public meeting last Monday, even producing the government figures as evidence. As with everything else, they were totally unable to respond to yet another lie they had been caught out in.

The plan is to build a new school at another village, closing their old school as well - the new school will have space for 850 kids - the existing school already has in the high 700's, and they expect to send 200-250 kids from Deincourt there as well. The LA seem a bit dumb on simple maths, they don't see a problem with 1000 kids in a school for 850, because the birth rate will have continued falling by then (the ones that their own figures show is rising!).

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quixotron

Aye, laddie. Rest assured, Lord Beef Wellington will hear about this!

peter5355

Went on web site and done the deed hope it will help

Hero999

It doesn't matter whether the birth rate is rising or falling. The number of children in this country will continiue to rise due to immigration.

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Pommie

Well, due to emigration, myself, wife and 3 children left.

Mike.

Hero999

True, but you've probably go no idea of how many people have come to this country from eastern Europe in the last five or so years. There are some areas where most people have English as their second language and even the childeren who were born here have a foreign accent.

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Pommie

I hate to say it but I believe you are right. I left 5 years ago and can't envisage going back. Life here is so much better. (still no sad smilie!!)

Mike.

Pommie

I'll add,

Your right, I have no idea what it is like now. When we lived there we were in Manchester and our children went to a private school in Oldham. Riots broke out in Oldham between the Bangladeshis and Pakistanis and it became a no go area. Our house got robbed, my car got broken into 5 times in 3 years.

I now live in a rural area and most people don't lock their houses. You walk down the street and people say "Hi, how ya goin?" instead of staring at their shoes. My kids ride horses, play football (actually rugby league) and all sorts of things they would never have done in the UK. Incase you haven't guessed, I love it here.

Mike.

Nigel Goodwin

I'm glad you love it out there Mike, but going from Manchester to a rural area in the UK would have done much the same thing - apart from the sunshine!

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hex_rat

Done and dusted name added
Hope it helps Nigel