It’s a good question. But the answer might indeed be in your question. Blackpool is indeed a deprived area as you say.
Therefore the Council Tax receipts will be perhaps less per capita as there will be a greater percentage that qualify for council tax reliefs/discounts than in more affluent areas.
There will be a greater number not paying on time and in arrears. Yet there will be a greater amount of residents with social issues. More broken homes, more needing the shelters and and child protection and free school meals and adoption/fostering and so on and so on.
We are living longer on average than in previous generations. So you could argue that free and universally applied council funded benefits at an arbitrary age of 60, are no longer necessary or appropriate. Especially not at 60, when 60 is say the new 70.
It’s a difficult one cos on one hand I’d want the elderly who can’t drive and don’t have much money, to be able to still get out and about in their advancing years. But as someone mentioned, not all pensioners are short of cash and they could pay their bus fares quite comfortably.
I think the right approach is a means tested one for those who are of pension age, whatever that may be. Of course this highlights the issues with devolution of powers to local authorities. It shows the inconsistencies across boroughs and for us laypeople it makes no sense and can seem unfair.
If it’s any consolation, one of the big differences is that Blackpool folk die maybe 10 or more years earlier than southerners. So that’s ten years less of having to pay bus fares. See there’s always an upside to everything.
