Digging through spreadsheets is something of a TPA speciality. Buried in all that data are often the things the bureaucrats don’t want you to know. Our latest audit of government grants has certainly turned up some weird and not-so wonderful projects getting state handouts.
The grants issued in 2022/23 for various projects include £180,000 for ‘A Comparative Study of Iranian Queer Refugees Living in Turkey, the UK and Canada’, £50,000 for ‘Exploring the nature, creation, impact and regulation of gendered alcohol brand and nightlife marketing in the age of contemporary feminism’, £104,000 for ‘Designing Mixed Reality Heritage Performances to Support Decolonisation of Heritage Sites’, and over £200,000 for ‘Remediating Stevenson: Decolonising Robert Louis Stevenson's Pacific Fiction through Graphic Adaptation, Arts Education and Community Engagement’.
Yes, you read that right, even the author of Treasure Island isn’t safe from the madness. Taxpayers expect Dr Jekyll from the government. Too often they end up with Mr Hyde.
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Our investigations manager, Joanna Marchong, captured the mood when she told the Sun: “The civil service has been splurging cash on right-on rubbish and pointless projects. Bureaucrats who insist on funding this nonsense should be told to walk the plank.”
All joking aside, this is your cash that’s being doled out. With Jeremy Hunt announcing a crackdown on waste in his budget, this might be a good place for him to start.
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Following our revelation that the number of woke non-jobs in councils exploded to 717 in 2022/23, our team paid a visit to Bath, which has seen a 200 per cent increase in the number of equality, diversity, and inclusion roles since 2020/21.
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As our fundraising, operations, and events manager, Clare Rusbridge, explained in a video from the ground: “This isn’t only a problem for ratepayers in Bath. TPA research has revealed that EDI roles cost council taxpayers £22.8 million in the last financial year.”
It’s high time precious resources were focussed on the front line. If you agree with us, sign our petition to ditch the diversity demagogues here!
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TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
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A problem for both parties
As council bills land across the country and households brace for hiked charges, TPA researcher, Callum McGoldrick made his TV debut on GB News. With the Labour Party blaming the Tories for higher bills, Callum rightly made clear that they’re both at fault.
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As Callum explained to viewers across the country: “It’s a problem for both sides really… When they need to find money, they will never look inwards for savings, they will always go outwards for higher taxes.”
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£19 million for translators for the Old Bill
We were shocked to learn this week that the cost of interpreters and translators for police forces has now hit £19 million a year, with forces spending £450,000 on average.
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Callum gave the latest figures both barrels when he told the Telegraph: “Taxpayers will be lost for words at the cost of these translators. The cost of interpreters in police forces across the UK continues to rise, while crime threatens to spiral out of control.”
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Hold the front page: how efficiently does local government communicate?
In this week’s blog, Shimeon Lee, the TPA’s newest researcher, has taken a look into how councils communicate with residents and whether local taxpayers are getting value for money.
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Millions of pounds are spent each year publishing statutory notices in newspapers by local authorities. Whilst this is a legal requirement, as Shimeon observes: “According to a 2021 Ofcom report, less than a third of UK adults use print newspapers as a source of news… With the decline of print media, councils should have the flexibility to respond to the needs of their local area instead of being tied to potentially inefficient and costly methods of communication.” Have a read of Shimeon’s blog in full here!
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The TPA team would like to wish you all a very happy and restful Easter!
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Benjamin Elks
Grassroots Development Manager
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