“Another reason why there should be root and branch reorganisation of the tiers of Government. Happy to say that it is rumoured that this is being seriously considered by both the main parties as a way of saving money.

1. Increase the role of Parish Council ¿ true local accountability over building planning and civic amenities
2. We don't need SDC or any of the District Councils. Scrap them and move the functions to Parish and County Council
3. Maintain KCC
4. Scrap GOSE completely
5. Overhaul Westminster democratic process
6. Leave the EU

Then Council Tax will not need to go up. Easy”

“Mr Fleming - stop making the excuse that central government isn't paying enough and sort it out. Year after year it's the same excuse. Do something about it!

We all know this Labour government has been squeezing middle class areas of Britain for the last decade- it's about time people stood up to this farce. What are you going to actually do about it??!”

“If we didn't have to pay for millions of immigrants, benefit spongers, health tourists and single parent families promoted by this Labour government, we wouldn't have continuous above average council tax rises and might have a bit more to spend on local services for local people.”

“Mr Saxton not everyone in the Sevenoaks area has deep pockets and I, as a Council Tax payer, am appalled at the quality/inability of senior management in both SDC and KCC. The £50m invested in the Icelandic Bank is public money so why was it not used for the benefit of the public in Kent, in improving services as mentioned in comments below, or reducing the level of Council Tax payable by the Council Tax payers of Kent?”

“John - thanks for the long-winded explanation of the inner workings of local government but it's quite simple - demands for more money should be matched with better service whether in private or public services (whoever is delivering them). In the last 5 years, tax has gone up substantially in Sevenoaks with arguably a reduction in the service provision in real terms. Think Value for Money!”

“Forgot to say....If carrying out these functions, officers use/need a vehicle then it needs to be parked somewhere. Many use their own cars to save you, The Public, money. If they are required to perform the function then it is right that any cost in parking it should be covered by the function performers. Charging in staff car parks, including a council car park is a just thing. However, think about the increased admin costs in administering the expenses to pay for the staff car park. Daft as it sounds, a none charging staff car park actually saves money. Think Value for Money. Think Sevenoaks.”

“It appears many are ignorant of Local Authority functions and finances. Most of the money you pay goes to another Authority (KCC) and a bit stays with this one (SDC). Both have statutory functions (this means it has to do things that have to be done). The role of councillors here is perfunctory, the function has to be carried out and it has to be paid for. Money left over goes to other services, some because they are useful and will indirectly save money and others because they are needy and worthy (Stag for example). If you wants your toilets cleaned, your pot holes filled and your roads gritted then you needs to pay for it¿.yes you. The north gets more money from central government cos its deemed to be deprived, yet Rotherham and Doncaster are appallingly run, as is, more locally Medway (the worse Local Authority in Kent). Sevenoaks deemed rich gets less from the central pot. You really should be praising your tax collecting Local Authority SDC, it really is a lean mean machine, getting the most out of little and still performing. Politics is irrelevant, largely, locally. However, instead of moaning you could always stand, if you are good then you deserve to be elected (for that little minority who actually vote). If you want to know how many communications the call centre deals with each year why not exercise your legal right to request how many calls where made, how many web enquires where answered etc etc. Use The Freedom of Information Act. It's your money, surely you want the best for the least ????? Vote Sevenoaks.”

“I totally empahise with the residents, business and, more importantly, the electorate of Sevenoaks...you are not alone.

You ought to know about some of the crass stuff that Medway Council does.

I fairness, it does some things very, very well. But of the other hand, they fail miserably on the most simple and key items.

Of course, these failings get muddled up in glossy PR magazines just like the ones you have in Sevenoaks.

At least these magazines can be re-cycled...so I'm doing my bit for the planet.

Hurray...It's the weekend!”

“...the £500k spent on a call centre can definitely go. Make people go through the website for queries and have an emergency desk for urgent phone queries. Also put charges on the staff car park - everyone else has to pay to leave their cars at work/visit the town so why do council staff get let off with one of the largest public parking areas in the town? Also rent out the meeting rooms for private use when not used etc etc etc”

“The glossy mags should go definitely. Who reads them? Info can be provided on websites like this and through the local papers. Then more money would be available for really vital services such as CAB and the public loos.”