The birthrate is at a level which almost guarantees civilisational collapse in the coming generations. Do we really want to make having a third or fourth child that little bit higher by charging family cars more?
In Islington, a full nine per cent of children aged 4-10 have autism, up from one per cent in 2015-16.
Of the ten councils who spend the most on their local elections, all but one elects by thirds, with only Croydon, the tenth most expensive, electing in wholes.
Ultimately councils need to remember that it is they who serve local residents and taxpayers, not the other way around.
If a council wants to cut its staffing hours by 20 per cent, it should be assumed that its staffing budget will be cut by 20 per cent, with government grants adjusted to account for the reduced cost of running that council.
Their proper role is to represent their residents. The second a councillor becomes integrated into the municipal payroll that distinction fades.
The most obvious nonsense is the tens of millions of pounds pumped into renewable energy and net zero funds, despite this sector’s profitability based largely on vast taxpayer subsidies which will one day run out.
In Taunton, the parish council precept increased by 173 per cent from £110 to £299. That is more in both percentage and nominal terms than the increase levied by the unitary authority which they sit under.
How long will it be until even genuinely well-run councils start to topple, given the pressures being imposed?
Or will they be brave and recognise the answer is beautiful new housing?
It is difficult to escape the conclusion that far too many of these town hall bosses are simply not delivering.
Last year, Epping Forest added £86 million to their reserves, Milton Keynes £79 million, and North Yorkshire and Leicestershire £61 million a piece. Remarkably, Trafford saw one of the largest increases in usable reserves in the country, despite recently being granted a 7.5 per cent council tax increase.
Ideally an audit would be conducted on the safeguarding team, looking at all the current cases and historic cases with negative outcomes to identify whether the procedures are being followed and whether they are rigorous enough.
Too often, councils have got into financial trouble safe in the knowledge they can get an exemption from this rule.
It’s by no means the norm: New Zealand, Norway, Portugal, and Sweden are just a few countries with no or limited death duties.