Ten London councils, say keep your tickets to the 2012

Ten London councils, say keep your tickets to the 2012 Olympics ticket office offer

We have more urgent needs to spend the cash on?

2012 Olympics if it gets here? Organisers still have not
said how many tickets will be sold to the public for the most high-profile
events, and who really cares?

The English public have far better things to spend the hard
earned cash on, like paying the hi-cost of petrol and diesel getting to and
from work, paying household bills, rent mortgages ect,,,

Ten councils in London have decided not to accept an offer
to buy up to 100 Olympics tickets and save their council tax payers cash for
better things in their communities.

Barking, Dagenham, Barnet, Bromley, Camden, Kingston, Croydon, Harrow,
Havering, Redbridge and Westminster said they would not buy any tickets.

Merton plans to buy one ticket for its mayor to go to the
opening or closing ceremony while City of London will buy all 100, but use
private money.

London 2012 said any tickets not taken up would be offered
to the public.

The London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games and
Paralympic Games (Locog) said all London councils had been sent an indicative
allocation of what was on offer.

A spokeswoman said all 33 local authorities had to decide by
the end of March. Those tickets not taken up will join the 6.6 million on sale
to the public.

Councillor Ian Bond, Liberal Democrat deputy leader of
Redbridge Council, said the tickets ranged in price from £75 to £995 (for the
opening ceremony) (What a rip off). 

He said: "Had we taken up the offer it would have cost
the council tax payers over £30,000 in total, a total waste of public money.

"Some Londoners are already paying towards the Olympics
through council tax levy and we didn't think it's fair for them to pay for
councillors to go to the Games."

Camden Council said it would encourage schoolchildren to
apply for free tickets. 

Westminster and Barking and Dagenham said the
"financial climate" had deterred them from taking up the offer.

Hammersmith and Fulham Council said it "does
intend" to take up a number of tickets but is yet to decide on the number
or how they will be "dispensed".

Wandsworth Council will ask councillors to buy tickets
"with their own money" and Enfield Council said it could buy some
tickets on behalf of children in care.

Hillingdon Council said it would not buy any expensive
tickets for its mayor or councillors but was considering purchasing some to
pass on to schools.

All the other London authorities are yet to decide how to
respond but what they will all have to consider is that its council tax payers
cash which could be better spend on the tax payers communities rather than
going to the games which you can watch for free on TV?.