Only In Northern Ireland Thread

dmxdave

...would the case of a woman "accused" of shoplifting a box of prawns (£6.99) end up in the Crown Court complete with 2 translators brought in from England and a police officer who did not keep the box of prawns (they would go off) the till receipt (the prawns were not on it) or a copy of the CCTV (nothing to be seen)...........etc.etc.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-13001304

Old_Git

as this has now turned into the rates thread what I would like to know is ,why is council tax so high compared to rates we pay .Surely if we can keep our rates at £800 (average ) why cant England do the same .

steveymp

Old_Git wrote: »

as this has now turned into the rates thread what I would like to know is ,why is council tax so high compared to rates we pay .Surely if we can keep our rates at £800 (average ) why cant England do the same .

Councils in England control Health and Social Services too, our Health service is funded directly from the idiots on the hill. Council Tax in England is VERY high and then they have Water charges too on top of that:o

dazb75

wdyw wrote: »

Sounds like Maggie's poll tax from the late 80's. I though it was great idea, but it didn't go too well with those on low wages!

On the mainland, our Council Tax is now around £1700 - remember we had labour in power for 13 years and all those labour councils raised the tax as much as they could.

Water bills - currently just under £200 a year for my house. The better half who also has a house pays about £300 even though we only use the house a couple of days a month - just because she doesn't have a meter and pays a flat rate.

UK - 25% relief on council tax if there is only 1 of you in the house - N.I. no relief at all! Until this year the house had to be gutted of all furniture to be exempt from rates, from Sep I beleive from the literature that came with my £800 bill, vacant properties will be the full amount.

Overall - swings and roundabouts, and it needs changing - re-invent the poll tax!!

They should ask everyone in NI if they would like a water meter.

Those who don't reply or say no, should have a compulsory meter installed. You can be sure that they're the ones who know that they use more than the average "consumer".

smokiewater

dazb75 wrote: »

They should ask everyone in NI if they would like a water meter.

Those who don't reply or say no, should have a compulsory meter installed. You can be sure that they're the ones who know that they use more than the average "consumer".

Friend in England has a water meter - she is manic about it - turn tap off when brushing teeth - never has a bath - if its yellow let it mellow etc - drives me nuts!!!!!

drew2k9

smokiewater wrote: »

Friend in England has a water meter - she is manic about it - turn tap off when brushing teeth - never has a bath - if its yellow let it mellow etc - drives me nuts!!!!!

but it is very moneysaving though...


back to the original thread...

Only in Northern Ireland do you have to vote for a party you don't like so that a party you like even less gets into power...

gawa75

drew2k9 wrote: »

but it is very moneysaving though...


back to the original thread...

Only in Northern Ireland do you have to vote for a party you don't like so that a party you like even less gets into power...

Not true. I'm sure plenty of LibDem folk in England have voted Lab/Con so the others don't get in?

Old_Git

drew2k9 wrote: »

but it is very moneysaving though...


back to the original thread...

Only in Northern Ireland do you have to vote for a party you don't like so that a party you like even less gets into power...

tactical voting, yip very Northern Ireland

suited-aces

dazb75 wrote: »

They should ask everyone in NI if they would like a water meter.

Those who don't reply or say no, should have a compulsory meter installed. You can be sure that they're the ones who know that they use more than the average "consumer".

Google "marginal cost of water" and get back to me

Snoozle

Only in NI could we be arguing over the cost of water.

I know that to process the water to make it safe for human consumption has a cost attached to it, and to distribute it to every house in the country has a cost attached to it, and I'm fine with the idea that we have to pay for that, be it through taxation or through an individual charge specifically for water.

But I find it hard to understand all the 'water is a precious resource, we need to conserve it'. Precious resource it certainly is, but every time I look out my window (except for yesterday obviously!) it's raining! For months at a time, I can not use my washing line, because in the ten minutes that it takes me to peg a load of washing on it, the weather has changed and its started bucketing down, and I get soaked having to bring it all in again. We have too much water, not too little! I know that on a worldwide basis, water is in short supply in many areas, but people in NI being pressured into e.g. not washing their cars, in order to save water, isn't going to suddenly magic up a safe water supply for parts of the world where there is drought.

PS I don't own a power hose, and I do turn the tap off when brushing my teeth, and I do put the plug in the sink when I wash my hands. But I honestly don't see what difference it makes!