Torbay Council budget branded 'disastrous'

“Will there be any reduction to the amount of OUR money spent on tourism? see”

“The Tories and Lib Dems are having to clear up Labour's mess and if Labour was in power they would also be making massive cuts. Ed Balls shouldn't be allowed near a ministerial job ever again and has no right to preach about what Britain should be doing after the monumental economic mismanagement he helped to orchestrate.

However, the pineapple palm tree fiasco shows the level of competency of the leadership in Torbay and Elizabeth Raikes must be creased up with laughter at the ungodly mess she escaped from with over £1m of salary after 7 pointless years at Torbay. Don't worry though the bypass is apparently bringing in £1 billion of new investment to Torbay. Er, right.”

“I've already bought a pedalo to take advantage of the direct cycle route from Torquay to Brixham. If memory serves me right the reworking of Fleet Street is to cost £3 millions over the next three years and is surely another Rock Walk in the making?”

“Ah Dangerman, you totally win my vote for the funniest joke of the day. However, if you would care to pull your head out of the sand for just an hour or so and look at the news, you'll see most of the developed countries in the Western world are adopting cuts and austerity. Not all these countries can be doing this just to implement Britain's 'ideological view', as you put it, surely!? No, in fact what you see the British government doing right now is damage limitation and mopping up the splurge left behind by Gordon Brown after going on a crazy spending spree and squandering our money. Mr. Gordon Brown and Mr. Jack Daniels do not mix well together, especially when sitting down for a long night together and planning ways to keep a sinking boat from sinking altogether.”

“NickPaignton, The untold ruling in a right wing capitalist free market system means that the more someone is paid, then they have the brains to sort financial problems out, hence the rich constantly getting income tax cuts at every budget.

What the British people need is for their taxes to come back from central government and adaquately fund all our vital services, but we wont get this all the time the British electorate keep electing right wing Government's. This is the bottom line. ie the crux of the matter.”

“START BY CUTTING HIGHLY PAID COUNCIL STAFF SALARIES BY 30% !!!! or is this unimaginable ???”

“Start by cutting high earning Council salaries by 30% !!!!! or is that unthinkable ??????”

“Why are we having these cuts ?. Because the Tories are using the cover of reducing the deficit to remove the welfare State, and everything to do with care in the community which needs income tax payers money.

We have been losing the vital role of what the State should provide via tax payers money since the Thatcher era, and now David Cameron is finished what Margaret Thatcher started, over 30 years ago.

These cuts from the top down, are ideologically driven, they are nothing to do with a saving, or of cutting the deficit.

The Tories want a small State, and the British want low income tax. And this is precisely what we have.”

“Spindleshanks - have you seen the reworking plans for Union Street and Fleet Street which are part of the reports pack just published for the meeting of the Transport Working Party next week? Idea is to build a dedicated cycleway which will run from somewhere up near the hospital right down to the harbour (and the terminal for the proposed new fast ferry service). I'm all in favour of promoting cycling in the area, but simply can't see how cyclists speeding down hill along Union Street and Fleet Street are going to mix safely with pedestrians and the buses? Perhaps the Torquay Forum should ask to have some input now at the design stage?”

“How much is just about to be spent over the next three years reworking the street scene in Fleet Street in advance of a Neighbourhood Plan that is likely to recommend the street is pedestrianised?”