due to the floods our water rates are to go up to pay for the damage & to pay for restructuring of the water systems..
what i want to know is why are an overwhelming majority of people going to pay for those that "choose" to live near rivers..(and they happen to be mostly the rich).
its not the fault of tewkesbury etc.as these were freak conditions & the flood plains have to be more protected in the future
however the water companies are going to charge more for droughts and water shortage as well !!
whats going on?
arent we meant to pay for the services we use.a local "tax"?as opposed to a national one?
and isnt it the responsibility of governments/councils to bear the repsonsibility, not the tax payer as they have the say where houses are built.
governments make decisions on our taxes...didnt we ought to have more say in government expenditure?like defence?
we are a small country with big problems trying to act like a large rich country that can afford to pay for big problems
2007-07-28 00:45:36 · 13 answers · asked by tim 5 in Politics & Government ➔ Other - Politics & Government
Well, from what I know the UK water is "owned" by company's in the Netherlands and France. They have generally neglected their responsibility providing the service the UK public is paying for... I think the media coverage during this flood, have put focus on the many flaws this have caused over the years. I think the UK people should look into how much money these company's have saved on not keeping your water supplies, pipelines etc in tip top shape, and demand the public doesn't get stuck with the entire bill.
2007-07-28 00:55:32 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The sooner the Government re-nationalize the utilities in the UK the better, the majority of the shares are owned by foreigners, who are bleeding the poor of the U.K of every penny it can. I can remember in the fifties and sixty's when we paid our rates. this included (what we now call council tax,
water and service charges) even with inflation, it was only a fraction of what we pay now. Look at the profits these private companies make, it is obscene, but unfortunately this government have'nt got the guts to re-nationalize transport
water, gas, electric, It costs the country more now to run the public transport than it did when the government owned it.
2007-07-28 01:20:37 · answer #2 · answered by alf w 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
Just think how much money could of been invested in infrastructure if Blair and New Labour hadn't of embarked on an unnecessary Choose & Book NHS Computer system which was originally going to cost the UK Tax payer £6.2 Billion but will now cost us more like £31bn.
Also Blair's idea to buy his way out of political difficulty by initiating the Bloody Sunday inquiry has been going for 10 years, has still to report and will cost the UK taxpayers around £400,000,000.
There are vast amounts of money slopping around the system but sadly, there is also a vast amount of UK Government incompetence. These are just a couple of examples of Government waste...there are many more.
2007-07-28 01:34:13 · answer #3 · answered by A True Gentleman 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I live in the South West and already pay phenomenal water rates so that people from "up country" can enjoy clean beaches when they come here for their holidays.
Logic suggests we should pay a fairly standard level of water rates across the country, for what amounts to a common service, but the thanks to privatisation - Thank you M Thatcher and the Conservative Party - means that we now have to pay not just for water services, but for the Water companies shareholders dividends as well.
A True Gentleman - your determination to attack the present administration is misplaced. The Water Companies are profit making organisations - thanks to the party you support.
2007-07-28 10:43:33 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Go to Cornwall and ask the people there. I have relatives there and their rates are over twice mine because they have had to pay to clean all bathing water on beaches and Cornwall is surrounded by water.
No one ever helped them and the regulator always sided with the water company. Now its your turn so it seems like Shut Up & Pay Up. Is'nt privatisation wonderful?
2007-07-28 03:30:18 · answer #5 · answered by Tallboy 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yup! The water Companies are doing a lot of work but they must be rubbing theiir hands with glee 'cos if you think they make big profitsd now watch this space ,
2007-07-28 10:02:35 · answer #6 · answered by Scouse 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
thats the way life is. when u vote it means u give the party tt comes into power to handle matters as they think fit.
the buck passes on. where to find $$ for such things. pass it to the consumer - the last in the pecking order. continue to work hard and pay the bills that is ever-increasing...!!
2007-07-28 00:53:05 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
To pay for new pipelines and filtration systems and replace old deteriorating pipes that need to be replaced. Also to pay all the bureaucrats that will study and delegate the work to be done.
2007-07-28 00:50:21 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
The tossers are just out to fleece us. They make a profit every year. I think that is wrong. I'm not a communist but water is essential to human life, we have plenty and it should not be restricted to anybody for any reason, especially not for profit.
2007-07-28 11:20:24 · answer #9 · answered by the boss 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
agrees with the doc above me why are we still paying for water? my god its the 21 century to move forward in mankind somethings must be changed
2007-07-28 00:56:05 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋