anon .If anyone in conservative,labour,lib told me it was raining outside i would look out the window and check.Its all the same promises and lies,and has been for years.They never change and never will.

Dave you said "running scared for the elections". Do you not believe them about the council tax freeze?
Carlisle Council froze council tax last year and froze it this year. On top of that, for the entire of the 21st century Carlisle City Council has not raised council tax above inflation.

In that context why do you disbelieve plans to freeze it again?

I just looked out of my window and seen a pig flying.Do you believe me?Why believe them.
Running scared for elections.Dont make any plans your out.

Wow! Facts instead of fiction? THERE'S a first! the only thing I disagree with is blaming Labour for the loan... it was 'New' Labour. Old labour would never have made that mistake.
Perhaps this is the start of more honest political debate in the run up to the elections?

the torys have ruined the country,promised the world in past elections,and gave us nowt. so this time around thell be nee tory vote fram me.

just had the best laugh i,ve had in ages..."At last some common sense from politicians, these politicians seem to be different from the others" wakey,wakey its election speak, anyone above the age of 5 knows that all politicians of all parties will promise the world to grasp at power,you only have to look at the promises the lib dems made in the last general election to see that, Then once they get in all is forgotten, so come the end of may which ever way you vote & regardless of which party is in power..... prepare to drop your pants & assume the position !

If anyone wants a full breakdown of that loan that the last council took out, here it is:

In 1995 the Labour Council borrowed £15 million. The bulk of it was spent on Raffles, their attempt to clean the houses up by carpeting, new boilers, new double glazing. The paths and roads throughout many areas of the estate were also upgraded using the money. The houses however remained empty causing more of the area to depopulate and were subsequently knocked down.

If the council had put the pile of money in the middle of the city centre and set light to it it would have brought more value.

The problem was it didnt fix the issue. The loan was taken out over twenty five years at a fixed interest rate of 8.8%, with heinous payback penalties and to top it all off, the payback rate is *interest only*. A quick calculation of the cost of the loan:

The initial loan £15,000,000. The monthly repayments £110,000 (annual £1,320,000) for 25 years. £1,320,000 x 25 = £33,000,000. Yes. Thirty three million pounds to borrow fifteen million pounds to spend on houses that eventually got demolished.

The ultimate crescendo to all this of course is that in 2020 when the loan finishes, not one single penny of the capital would have been paid.

If the council paid the money via a one year council tax increase it would represent a 250% increase in council tax for every single household in the Carlisle district.

At last some common sense from politicians, these politicians seem to be different from the others and actually are still in touch with the public and are looking after them rather than ignoring them and even worse robbing them with expense claims that are not needed.

Well done the Tories