Now that candidates are gearing up to contest the coming local elections on 11 October, it’s time to ask them serious questions before you vote. The cost of local government has been rising steeply; ratepayers are being treated like milch cows. What are the candidates prepared to do to control costs? In particular, are they prepared to run a slide rule over staff numbers at the council they are standing for? Are they sure that they couldn’t make the council work with fewer employees who, collectively, are the greatest cost every council has to carry? If they aren’t prepared to do that, then threaten not to vote for them.
