Early-retirement wannabe

gadgetmind

And as per other posting, a new thread with more info is definitely best.

gfplux

AlanP wrote: »

TBH I don't think this is an issue with your LA, it is country wide and will become more prevalent as cuts to LA budgets bite even harder, it is a problem for our society in general.

Central Gov funding, from general taxation, is being cut to the bone, and will be soon be down to about 20% of what it was a few years ago.

The alternative sources of income that Central Gov are "rewarding" are a bonus for all New Homes relative to agreed targets and retention of locally generated Business Rates (have been going in to a central pot and allocated out by Central Gov).

Consequence - LAs are desperate to build new houses and attract new businesses, whether they sell via online or direct makes no difference so long as they occupy a commercial property and pay Business Rates.

To attract new businesses they need an increased supply of housing for staff - so more housing.

Different tiers of LA are responsible for different things and some of your examples are not their responsibility so "blaming" them for everything seems a little harsh:

schools - County or Unitary if they are not Academies and directly funded by Central Gov, and an increasing number are. For those under LA control the funding is supplied by Central Gov on a £x per pupil basis. As more Academies come on stream the "Back office" costs for LA schools becomes an ever increasing proportion of the available funding hence why many LAs have cut back on things like musical instrument availability etc.

social services - County or Unitary, and by far the biggest "consumer" of revenue spending each year, and going up and up and up as the population ages and the NHS become better at "keeping us alive but needing help". I am not saying that is bad BTW, but the bottom line is dead people don't consume any service and so don't cost anything. The county I live in is predicting more than a 50% increase in residents 60+ by 2030.

emergency services - Not an LA responsibility, although some County / Unitary map directly to local Fire Authority.

adult education - Not an LA responsibility in the main, down to local colleges to 60come up with a marketable product. County / Unitary has some responsibility for making sure that those Adults with learning difficulties etc. have a local option for training and education up to about 25 I think it is. Funding comes from DfE, LA just "spend" it locally with specialist providers.

traffic control - Depends what you mean by this, LA does have a role in ensuring overall infrastructure meets local needs BUT very limited funds available.

parking - On or Off Road? Police enforce on road illegal parking, LA provide some public car parks and some on-road parking for residents and public. Private companies also provide car parking.

road maintenance - local roads not national roads e.g. Motorways and main Trunk Roads, that is Highways England or equivalent.

public transport - mixed responsibilities although most offer subsidies to local operators to try and encourage low use / rural services. For example in London it is TfL.

environmental protection - Mainly an Environment Agency responsibility although can be a bit of a murky distinction at times.


I'm sure you have seen what has been happening in Northamptonshire over the last few weeks? This type of situation will become more and more prevalent, there just isn't enough "money" in the system to keep all the wheels lubricated, particularly if it is an LA with a Social Services responsibility as that is where the big bucks go.

Optional "nice to have services" will go first and then essentials will be cut back to the bare, statutory minimums across the country is my prediction.

Thank you Alan for that analysis.
If nothing changes are we just to expect a long slow decline into chaos.
This needs a new thread.
What can be done? What will be done?

AlanP_2

gfplux wrote: »

Thank you Alan for that analysis.
If nothing changes are we just to expect a long slow decline into chaos.
This needs a new thread.
What can be done? What will be done?

Thanks. Analysis may be over egging it a bit, more like random thoughts.

What to do?

Essentially, we all PAY MORE in or we accept less services.

I know public sector van become more efficient, DB pensions can be removed etc. but at the end of the day that is tinkering in the margins.

Efficiency, as in less staff, is a fact of life in the LA where I work, whether we are more effective is a different question.

Cutting staff and reducing overall benefits package will continue I have no doubt as no main line politicians or parties are prepared to face facts and stand on a "We will put Income Tax up to 30% and 50% as public services need the funding" manifesto or a "We are going to cut Public Services to the absolute bone as we can't afford them" manifesto.


Never mind the NHS should have £350m a week more from March next year and the economy will grow at a phenomenal rate once we have dropped the EU shackles holding us back - MAYBE.

Anonymous101

AlanP wrote: »

Thanks. Analysis may be over egging it a bit, more like random thoughts.

What to do?

Essentially, we all PAY MORE in or we accept less services.

I know public sector van become more efficient, DB pensions can be removed etc. but at the end of the day that is tinkering in the margins.

Efficiency, as in less staff, is a fact of life in the LA where I work, whether we are more effective is a different question.

Cutting staff and reducing overall benefits package will continue I have no doubt as no main line politicians or parties are prepared to face facts and stand on a "We will put Income Tax up to 30% and 50% as public services need the funding" manifesto or a "We are going to cut Public Services to the absolute bone as we can't afford them" manifesto.


Never mind the NHS should have £350m a week more from March next year and the economy will grow at a phenomenal rate once we have dropped the EU shackles holding us back - MAYBE.

There's two ways to skin this as far as I see, cut costs through efficiencies or increase budgets.
To my mind what they have done so far is just reduce the budgets. There doesn't seem to have been any increase in efficiency through investment in smarter working or reduced bureaucracy.

There is also a point where cutting employee packages becomes pointless. There has to be a tipping point where public sector workers turn to private sector jobs. This can't happen everywhere but where they can they will if pay and benefits continue to be cut. This will be especially true for the best and brightest for which the rewards in the private sector, not just financial rewards but also stimulation from working environment etc, will be so much more.

To my mind its inevitable that unless the public sector finds a way of working more effectively then taxes will have to rise.

OldMusicGuy

Could we please get this thread back on topic? It's a very useful one for many people and it's got nothing to do with the future of public services.

Triumph13

OldMusicGuy wrote: »

Could we please get this thread back on topic? It's a very useful one for many people and it's got nothing to do with the future of public services.

Okay. The missus and I will be retiring 9 weeks today! Yippee!

DancingBadger

Triumph13 wrote: »

Okay. The missus and I will be retiring 9 weeks today! Yippee!

Congratulations! :beer:

Any specific plans for your new-found freedom?

Triumph13

DancingBadger wrote: »

Congratulations! :beer:

Any specific plans for your new-found freedom?

We can't go too crazy as we'll still have kids at home for another 6 years, so we'll be concentrating on:

• getting fit
• working through the 'we'll do that when we retire' list of jobs around the house and garden
• catching up on our huge reading backlog
• devoting a lot more time to cooking
• generally kicking back and having fun

I'll be consulting one day a week, term time only, for a few months to ease the handover at work, but that will probably end next summer when we take the kids away for 6 weeks (Brexit permitting!)

OldMusicGuy

Triumph13 wrote: »

We can't go to crazy as we'll still have kids at home for another 6 years, so we'll be concentrating on:

• getting fit
• working through the 'we'll do that when we retire' list of jobs around the house and garden
• catching up on our huge reading backlog
• devoting a lot more time to cooking
• generally kicking back and having fun

My report card so far after 6 months:
1. Healthier than I have been for the last 10 years. Weight down by 14-16 lbs compared to typical weight while working, blood pressure down. Many people remark on how well I am looking. Weight has been lifted from me both physically and metaphorically.
2. Done some but found the time just flies past.
3. Done some but time just flies past. I downloaded a pile of "must read" books onto my Kindle before retiring and I've managed one of them so far.
4. My wife devotes a lot of time to bread making and cooking fresh, healthy food. I am generally not allowed near the kitchen as I would bake too many cakes. The healthy eating has helped with the weight loss.
5. Done a lot of that!

Have fun, you will enjoy it. I have really found (like many people warned me) that I don't have time to do all the things I planned!

DairyQueen

OldMusicGuy wrote: »

Could we please get this thread back on topic? It's a very useful one for many people and it's got nothing to do with the future of public services.

Take your point and I also think this warrants a separate thread. However, (lack of) public services are very relevant to retirement planning. They affect where you choose to live, what type of home, and how much contingency fund you will need to bridge the gap between the services you may need and those (not) supplied by the state.

For example, ever considered what would happen if you take a fall when you are too immobile or frail to rise to your feet under your own steam and your carers would struggle to lift you? The LA community health team recommends calling an ambulance (wait of around 3 hours). The NHS is not best pleased at this recommendation, especially for those who suffer frequent falls. There is an awful lot of shoving of responsibility between different public sector budgets and the elderly victims fall down the cracks.

Btw, the answer is a lifting device (cost £3000). Chances of receiving such at public expense = zero so you had better be in a position to fund one yourself.

I have read many articles that suggest spending in later retirement significantly reduces and we should plan accordingly. Total BS. My (admittedly) anecdotal experience is that the opposite is true. Anyone with income/savings beyond subsistence level receives little/nowt from the state regardless of need. Family, community and neighbours are rarely able to meet the needs-gap abdicated by the public purse.

Having been up-close to the experiences of family, friends and community we have allocated more capital and pension income to later life needs in addition to care home fees. The worst case scenario is to outlive your funds when you are most vulnerable. This has been the outcome for many people we know. In each case it has been the elderly (age 85+) survivor of a couple, or a single person, who suffers this fate.

This is one of those subjects on which we all anticipate that we will be on the positive side of the bell curve . Reality check: chances are that if you live to 85+, and you are single at that age, this will be your fate unless you plan contingency before you retire.

Denial isn't too helpful.

Sorry to rain on your parade OMG but this is an important area of retirement planning.

Oh, and Triumph. congrats. Enjoy. Have fun. :beer: