Renfrewshire’s budget prioritises
support for young and elderly
The first council in Scotland to set its 2010-2011 budget has prioritised
services for young and elderly people.
Extra spending on foster care and money to help elderly people move
from hospital into care homes are among the highlights of Renfrewshire
Council’s programme.
Renfrewshire’s £420million revenue budget and £123million three year
capital programme also features:
• the latest phase of a multi-million pound investment in education,
community and leisure facilities.
• measures to combat the impact of the economic downturn.
Beware the gold rush, says Which?
• progress on reducing class sizes ensuring that 30% of Primary 1 to 3
Companies that encourage people to sell their unwanted gold by post are
pupils will be in classes of less than 18.
offering consumers shockingly bad value and should be avoided, reveals
• free school meals service being rolled out to all P1 to P3 pupils at
a new Which? Money investigation.
schools in the most deprived areas.
The consumer champion sent three pieces of brand new gold jewellery to
• significant reductions in management costs starting with a £150,000
four gold buyers that advertise on TV, plus three independent jewellers
reduction in 2010-11 alone.
and three pawnbrokers. TV gold buyers consistently gave the worst
• a council tax freeze.
quotes.
• a freeze on community alarm charges.
On average, the TV gold buyers offered only around 6 per cent of the
retail price for gold, but high street retailers paid around 25 per cent –
Renfrewshire’s council tax has been frozen for the third year running,
more than four times what the TV gold buyers would pay.
leaving the Band D charge at £1,164.69.
Which? Money was also concerned
Renfrewshire Council Leader Derek Mackay said “The continued council
with the indiscreet labelling on
tax freeze will particularly help those on fixed incomes. Since our first
some of the envelopes used to
council tax freeze in 2007/08, each Band D-rated average household has
send the jewellery – one delivery
had a total saving of £228 over three years.”
address stated the company name,
“Although the financial environment in which we live has changed, our while another’s special delivery
ambitions for Renfrewshire have not.” envelope was emblazoned with the
“Like all other public organisations, this council has to deal with a very
word ‘gold’.
difficult financial situation which will present us with major challenges Which? chief executive, Peter
for years to come. However, we are still delivering unprecedented Vicary-Smith, says: “The poor
investment in Renfrewshire’s communities. And we have prioritised our value for money that these TV
spending to protect frontline services and services for young and elderly gold buyers are providing is simply
people.” shocking. The cash for gold market is unregulated, and this investigation
has raised some serious concerns about the fair treatment of consumers.
People should be wary of buyers’ adverts as they could almost certainly
get more money for their gold elsewhere.”
Advice & Help on-line
Business Debtline: www.bdl.org.uk/scotland.asp
Citizen’s Advice Scotland: www.cas.org.uk
Court Listings: www.scotcourts.gov.uk
Financial Services Authority: www.fsa.gov.uk
Government website for citizens: www.direct.gov.uk
Legal: www.legalbeagles.info or www.freebeagles.org
Money Advice Scotland: www.moneyadvicescotland.org.uk
Money Made Clear (FSA): www.moneymadeclear.fsa.gov.uk
National Debtline: www.nationaldebtline.co.uk
Office of Public Sector Information (OPSI): www.opsi.gov.uk
Scottish Enterprise: www.scottish-enterprise.com
FEBRUARY 2010 | send your ARTICLES & PHOTOS to info@advertizer.co.uk www.advertizer.co.uk| 01505 874385 | www.theadvertizer.co.uk 33
185_FEB10_30-33 TRAVEL-HISTORY-MONEY.ind.indd 33 22/01/2010 10:01:47
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