2.25% of a hefty salary is a pay rise worth having

John Clark writes…

First published: July 2008 – Gazette & Herald

MPs have given themselves a less than inflation pay rise (2.25%); in their case, a mere £1,350 per year. Meanwhile, local government workers have received a ‘final offer’ of 2.45%. A council worker on £15,000 will receive an increase of £368. The MP has a cut in luxuries while the council worker has a cut in basics. Energy cost increases, at over £500 per household in 2008, obliterate the pay increase. Continue reading Ryeview – July 2008 →

Analysis is key in burning issue of biofuels

John Clark writes…

First published: June 2008 – Gazette & Herald

There is no gain without pain. Neither climate change nor reducing fossil fuel use will be solved by a gimmick or some gutless government gesture. Fossil fuel reduction will not be achieved by chip fat in the petrol tank. Planting a tree may make a flight feel better but it doesn’t solve the problem or even help towards it. Continue reading Ryeview – June 2008 →

Moneymen prosper while world’s poor starve

John Clark writes…

First published: May 2008 – Gazette & Herald

25,000 people are dying very day through starvation. Another 100 million are lining up behind them in a state of hunger. The problem is so obvious that Gordon Brown has said “food shortages represent a crisis on a par with the global turmoil in the financial markets”. What he is not saying is who is to blame for these price hikes, shortages and deaths. Who is guilty? Continue reading Ryeview – May 2008 →

Why Mps don’t campaign against injustice

John Clark writes…

First published: April 2008

Twenty five years ago the Chief Executives of Britain’s biggest companies were paid 17 times the average wage of the workforce. This is described as ‘motivational’, ‘what the market dictates’, ‘reflects their responsibility’ etc. Now they are paid 75 times the workforce wage.

Twenty five years ago the state pension was linked to earnings. Now it has fallen way behind.

Twenty five years ago students had a grant and a university education was ‘free’. Now students leave university with a massive debt. Continue reading Ryeview – April 2008 →

Do we really want to spend more on extra officers?

John Clark writes…

First published: March 2008 – Gazette & Herald

Ryedale District Council is short of money; Ryedale District Council has to make savings of £3/4 million over the next three years; Council Tax will go up by more than inflation. All these have been broadcast as ‘facts’ over recent months. Four weeks ago I predicted that although Council Tax didn’t need to it would rise above the rate of inflation. Continue reading Ryeview – March 2008 →

Tax increase debate ignores ‘eat or heat’ question

John Clark writes…

First published: February 2008 – Gazette & Herald

A teacher asked a little boy “What is 2 plus 2?” The boy thinks and then asks “Are you buying or selling?” I believe the same logic is involved when it comes to setting the Council Tax. How much above inflation can we get away with? How much will the government allow us to increase without capping it? Questions like: What are the sums? What can people afford? are not asked. Continue reading Ryeview – February 2008 →

This obsession with buying things has got to stop

John Clark writes…

First published: January 2008 – Gazette & Herald

There are 331 shopping days to Christmas. I used to think this was a rough guide as to how much time was left in which to buy the Christmas presents. All part of the build up to the winter solstice celebration. This is no longer the case. It would now appear that the whole of our western civilization, way of life and economy all depend on how much we buy. Not what we use, waste, can afford, cannot afford and certainly not what we need. It is the ‘buying’ that is most important. It is the buying that drives the British economy. Gift vouchers are bought so that the receiver doesn’t get an ‘unwanted’ present. Even this doesn’t work. A quarter of all gift vouchers are not redeemed. The spending public makes a massive donation of hundreds of thousands of pounds to the large retailers every year – a massive Christmas present. Continue reading Ryeview – January 2008 →

Keep it local and listen to views of local people

John Clark writes…

First published: December 2007 – Gazette & Herald

Why do tourists visit Ryedale? Why do people want to live in Ryedale? Why do people want to retire to Ryedale? We all have different answers but there are common themes – the countryside, the views, peace and quiet and many others. In which case, why are we allowing the destruction of Ryedale? Continue reading Ryeview – December 2007 →

Democracy must deliver the right solution

John Clark writes…

First published: November 2007 – Gazette & Herald

Appleton-le-Moors has voted against wind turbines on Appleton Common. Reasons given are ‘ugly’, ‘will spoil the scenery’, ‘will make a noise’. That is one of the joys of democracy; it often doesn’t give the result that one wants. Appleton opponents have suggested alternatives including a reduction of coal fired power stations in China to wind turbines in the North Sea. Continue reading Ryeview – November 2007 →

Stop the stampede to cut inheritance tax

John Clark writes…

First published: October 2007 – Gazette & Herald

Taxation is wonderful. It enables people to live together in a civilised way. I don’t understand why we want a society with low taxation. Taxation gives us; education; police; the bins emptied; street lights; defence; youth clubs; cheap food; the NHS; care for the elderly; roads; housing; fire services and so on. Why would we want to reduce these vital strands of society? Continue reading Ryeview – October 2007 →