I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 15/03/18 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

Ah. scan it and then play around with the gamma.

These days its very cool to be an incompetemt, but right thinking Lefty...


--
All political activity makes complete sense once the proposition that
all government is basically a self-legalising protection racket, is
fully understood.

On 15/03/2018 14:28, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 15/03/18 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a
glossy booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

Ah. scan it and then play around with the gamma.

These days its very cool to be an incompetemt, but right thinking Lefty...

You mean a left thinking righty.

A right thinking Lefty would have inclusivity first and foremost in
their mind.

On 16/03/2018 09:30, Fredxx wrote:
On 15/03/2018 14:28, The Natural Philosopher wrote:
On 15/03/18 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a
glossy booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small
light blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why
do they believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

Ah. scan it and then play around with the gamma.

These days its very cool to be an incompetemt, but right thinking
Lefty...

You mean a left thinking righty.

A right thinking Lefty would have inclusivity first and foremost in
their mind.



The design was outsourced to the lowest bidder, who didn't care that much.

I strongly agree. Our local theatre is exactly the same. Its like hey, look
at the range of colours I can have, I'll use all of them!
I guess you could get them on accessible versions of their service
information under equality duty.
Brian

--
----- -
This newsgroup posting comes to you directly from...
The Sofa of Brian Gaff...

Blind user, so no pictures please!
"alan_m" wrote in message
...

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

--
mailto : news {at} admac {dot} myzen {dot} co {dot} uk

On 15/03/2018 15:46, Brian Gaff wrote:
I strongly agree. Our local theatre is exactly the same. Its like hey, look
at the range of colours I can have, I'll use all of them!
I guess you could get them on accessible versions of their service
information under equality duty.

I agree. I gave up subscribing to New Scientist partly because it persisted in printing some pages in black on a dark blue background, or white on yellow, or something equally daft and illegible. Also because most of their articles were written by "science writers" who hadn't much of a clue, instead of by real scientists as used to be the case.



--
Clive Page

In article ,
Clive Page wrote:
On 15/03/2018 15:46, Brian Gaff wrote:
I strongly agree. Our local theatre is exactly the same. Its like hey,
look at the range of colours I can have, I'll use all of them! I guess
you could get them on accessible versions of their service information
under equality duty.

I agree. I gave up subscribing to New Scientist partly because it
persisted in printing some pages in black on a dark blue background, or
white on yellow, or something equally daft and illegible. Also because
most of their articles were written by "science writers" who hadn't much
of a clue, instead of by real scientists as used to be the case.

Likewise Car magazine many years ago. When I still had young eyes. They
insisted on printing text across photographs. Ruining the pic and often
making some of the text impossible to read.

--
*I used to have an open mind but my brains kept falling out *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

because they've never seen it printed out. It looks fine on the screen.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England

On 15/03/2018 17:27, charles wrote:
In article ,
alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

because they've never seen it printed out. It looks fine on the screen.


And they probably haven't a clue how to set up their computer
to match the available printer colours.

On 15/03/2018 19:06, Andrew wrote:
On 15/03/2018 17:27, charles wrote:
In article ,
Â*Â*Â* alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

because they've never seen it printed out. It looks fine on the screen.


And they probably haven't a clue how to set up their computer
to match the available printer colours.

As they used to say when DTP first appeared

"DTP lets any fool make artwork. And they do."

On 15/03/2018 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

Have you contacted whatever group or department had that printed and
pointed out that the law requires them to use easily read, contrasting
colours on the information they send out? They may (unlikely) listen to you.

At the same time you could point out that the information could be
conveyed just as well in black and white on fairly low quality paper,
instead of wasting money.

SteveW

On 15/03/2018 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

At last, my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill (so
no fat envelope with one A4 of council tax bil then wedges of glossy
marketing brochures). The council tax bill came as a pdf attachment on
the e-mail, which is fine ..... but no encryption, no pdf password, not
locked (so very easily editable) .... hmmmm.... they got an e-mail
pointing out a few things they might want to look into for next year.

Allan wrote:
On 15/03/2018 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

At last, my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill (so
no fat envelope with one A4 of council tax bil then wedges of glossy
marketing brochures). The council tax bill came as a pdf attachment on
the e-mail, which is fine ..... but no encryption, no pdf password, not
locked (so very easily editable) .... hmmmm.... they got an e-mail
pointing out a few things they might want to look into for next year.

So why would it actually matter if someone else can see your council
tax bill? I suppose they could pay it for you! :-)

--
Chris Green
·

Chris Green wrote:

So why would it actually matter if someone else can see your council
tax bill?

Councils publish the amount per band, per parish. The valuation office
publish the band per property, That only leaves discounts or reductions...

Andy Burns wrote:
Chris Green wrote:

So why would it actually matter if someone else can see your council
tax bill?

Councils publish the amount per band, per parish. The valuation office
publish the band per property, That only leaves discounts or reductions...

Ay? I still don't see why it matters.

--
Chris Green
·

Chris Green wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:
Chris Green wrote:

So why would it actually matter if someone else can see your council
tax bill?

Councils publish the amount per band, per parish. The valuation office
publish the band per property, That only leaves discounts or reductions...

Ay? I still don't see why it matters.

One might not wish to publish the fact that one lives alone (at least
with no other normal adults). Or the converse.

--

Roger Hayter

Chris Green wrote:

Andy Burns wrote:

Councils publish the amount per band, per parish. The valuation office
publish the band per property, That only leaves discounts or reductions...

Ay?

I was pretty much agreeing with you, that most of the information on a
council tax bill is public knowledge.

In article ,
Chris Green wrote:
Allan wrote:
On 15/03/2018 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea
Borough Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also
included a glossy booklet in the package advertising local
exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small
light blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why
do they believe that white text on a light blue background is
readable?

At last, my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill
(so no fat envelope with one A4 of council tax bil then wedges of
glossy marketing brochures). The council tax bill came as a pdf
attachment on the e-mail, which is fine ..... but no encryption, no
pdf password, not locked (so very easily editable) .... hmmmm....
they got an e-mail pointing out a few things they might want to look
into for next year.

So why would it actually matter if someone else can see your council tax
bill? I suppose they could pay it for you! :-)

Suppose if the PDF is editable, someone could alter the name etc and use
as proof of identity?

--
*The most common name in the world is Mohammed *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote:

So why would it actually matter if someone else can see your council tax
bill? I suppose they could pay it for you! :-)

Suppose if the PDF is editable, someone could alter the name etc and use
as proof of identity?

It's surely trivial to do anyway, take any old bank statement, council
bill or whatever and modify the address to match what you want. The
use of utility bills etc. as proof of address is so full of holes that
it's ludicrous. Unless of course the organisation asking for the proof
actually *checks* with the originator of the bill but I suspect that's
very unlikely.

--
Chris Green
·

On Friday, 16 March 2018 13:31:21 UTC, Dave Plowman (News) wrote:
In article ,
Chris Green wrote:
Allan wrote:
On 15/03/2018 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea
Borough Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also
included a glossy booklet in the package advertising local
exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small
light blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why
do they believe that white text on a light blue background is
readable?

At last, my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill
(so no fat envelope with one A4 of council tax bil then wedges of
glossy marketing brochures). The council tax bill came as a pdf
attachment on the e-mail, which is fine ..... but no encryption, no
pdf password, not locked (so very easily editable) .... hmmmm....
they got an e-mail pointing out a few things they might want to look
into for next year.

So why would it actually matter if someone else can see your council tax
bill? I suppose they could pay it for you! :-)

Suppose if the PDF is editable, someone could alter the name etc and use
as proof of identity?

Doesnt even have to be editable just scan in, and cut and paste using scissors and glue re-scan or photograph job done.


--
*The most common name in the world is Mohammed *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

In article ,
whisky-dave wrote:
Suppose if the PDF is editable, someone could alter the name etc and
use as proof of identity?

Doesnt even have to be editable just scan in, and cut and paste using
scissors and glue re-scan or photograph job done.

You can't tell the difference on a printout between text which is
photographed and printed direct?

--
*Does fuzzy logic tickle? *

Dave Plowman London SW
To e-mail, change noise into sound.

Dave Plowman wrote:

Suppose if the PDF is editable, someone could alter the name etc and use
as proof of identity?

Fraud is still fraud.

On Fri, 16 Mar 2018 10:27:01 +0000
Allan wrote:

At last, my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill
(so no fat envelope with one A4 of council tax bil then wedges of
glossy marketing brochures). The council tax bill came as a pdf
attachment on the e-mail, which is fine ..... but no encryption, no
pdf password, not locked (so very easily editable)

You can't really lock a PDF, the "lock" is just a file attribute that
software can ignore if it wants to.
Imagine the fun the council helpline would have if they sent out
encrypted documents to Joe Public.

On 16/03/2018 10:27, Allan wrote:
On 15/03/2018 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a
glossy booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?

At last, my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill (so
no fat envelope with one A4 of council tax bil then wedges of glossy
marketing brochures).

Thank God ours hasn't! I NEED to have some sort of paper bill as part of
identification and checks when I move jobs!

The council tax bill came as a pdf attachment on
the e-mail, which is fine ..... but no encryption, no pdf password, not
locked (so very easily editable) .... hmmmm.... they got an e-mail
pointing out a few things they might want to look into for next year.

Quite.

SteveW

Steve Walker wrote:

Allan wrote:

my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill

Thank God ours hasn't! I NEED to have some sort of paper bill as part of
identification and checks

yes, I've moved pretty much everything else to be online, but will keep
the council tax as paper ... even if it means I miss out the chance to
"win" a free month of council tax if I go paperless.

How come parish councils can put in an increase *way* above the 3% ?
14.7% here

On 16/03/18 18:32, Andy Burns wrote:

yes, I've moved pretty much everything else to be online, but will keep
the council tax as paper ... even if it means I miss out the chance to
"win" a free month of council tax if I go paperless.

How come parish councils can put in an increase *way* above the 3% ?
14.7% here


During a discussion of the precept at the last parish council meeting:
'we may be capped in future perhaps we should increase the precept while
we still can.'


--
djc

(–€Ì¿Ä¹Ì¯–€Ì¿ Ì¿)
No low-hanging fruit, just a lot of small berries up a tall tree.

In article ,
DJC wrote:
On 16/03/18 18:32, Andy Burns wrote:

yes, I've moved pretty much everything else to be online, but will keep
the council tax as paper ... even if it means I miss out the chance to
"win" a free month of council tax if I go paperless.

How come parish councils can put in an increase *way* above the 3% ?
14.7% here


During a discussion of the precept at the last parish council meeting:
'we may be capped in future perhaps we should increase the precept while
we still can.'

Remember Parish Councils tend to have pretty low precepts so a £10k
increase - to replace tbe roof on the Village Hall for instance, could be a
10% increase.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England

In article , Andy Burns
writes
Steve Walker wrote:

Allan wrote:

my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill
Thank God ours hasn't! I NEED to have some sort of paper bill as
part of
identification and checks

yes, I've moved pretty much everything else to be online, but will keep
the council tax as paper ... even if it means I miss out the chance to
"win" a free month of council tax if I go paperless.

How come parish councils can put in an increase *way* above the 3% ?
14.7% here
And PCCs - not capped.
--
bert

In article ,
bert wrote:
In article , Andy Burns
writes
Steve Walker wrote:

Allan wrote:

my local council has started e-mailing the council tax bill
Thank God ours hasn't! I NEED to have some sort of paper bill as
part of
identification and checks

yes, I've moved pretty much everything else to be online, but will keep
the council tax as paper ... even if it means I miss out the chance to
"win" a free month of council tax if I go paperless.

How come parish councils can put in an increase *way* above the 3% ?
14.7% here
And PCCs - not capped.

Have they just changed that? Police expenditure was last year.

As for Parish Councils, they normally have a small precept so a medium
sized sum can look enormous in percentage terms. An extra £10k for our
village hall roof would put our precept up by 13%.

--
from KT24 in Surrey, England

On 15/03/2018 14:17, alan_m wrote:

I've just received my Council Tax demand from Southend on Sea Borough
Council where the bill is bad news BUT they have also included a glossy
booklet in the package advertising local exhibitions and events.

Why do the arty-farty types believe that everyone can read small light
blue text in the thinnest of fonts on a white background? Why do they
believe that white text on a light blue background is readable?


I detest the sort of mags that have colours that bleed on to your
fingers as you grip the thing.