Friday 9 December 2011

Reduce councillors and cut pay



Say the Tameside Tax Payers Alliance, and who could disagree? Certainly not Carl Simmons who also has a letter on the same subject in this weeks edition of the Tameside Advertiser.

While I have no issues whatsoever with the Tax Payers Alliance letter, I do find myself disagreeing with Carl Simmons’s suggestion that councillors, once elected, should then only face re-election once in every four years.

I would have no objections to Mr Simmons’s suggestion of one councillor per ward. During these times of hardship and austerity this proposal makes perfect sense. However, assuming there was a change of circumstances in the council and it was decided that one ward = one councillor, just as one constituency has one MP, would it not then be a disastrous state of affairs if that one councillor turned out to be useless and you were stuck with that individual for four years?

Surely a far better idea is one ward, one councillor and one election per year? This way the councillor would be obliged to do the job they are so handsomely paid to do, and if they failed in their duties, the electorate would have the option to vote in a new councillor. If an individual councillor had to face the prospect of re-election every year, they would really have to earn their pay or face eviction from the public purse funded gravy train.

60 comments:

why give up a good thing? said...

Quinn, K
Executive Leader and Chair of Capital Project Monitoring Group
Basic Allowance - £11,640.00
Special Responsibility Allowance - £36,036.00
Total - £47,676.00

Quinn, S
Assistant Executive Member - Deputy Leader/Services for Children & Young People

Basic Allowance - £11,640.00
Special Responsibility Allowance - £8,352.00
Broadband Allowance - £249.96
Total - £20,241.96

There's too much money involved said...

Sweeton, D
Executive Member - Economic Services
Basic Allowance - £11,640.00
Special Responsibility Allowance - £20,099.00
Total - £31,739.00

Taylor, J
Deputy Executive Leader
Basic Allowance - £11,640.00
Special Responsibility Allowance - £23,495.00
Total - £35,135.00


Travis, L
Executive Member - Personal and Community Services
Basic Allowance - £11,640.00
Special Responsibility Allowance - £20,099.00
Broadband Allowance - £249.96
Total - £31,988.96

Anonymous said...

The issue is how do we stop the existing Councillors banking OUR money for a part time job that does "not require" any expertise.
Yes 1 Councillor per ward,yes more frequent elections for that individual would open up a more democratic system at a much lower cost,however such a root and branch
change is not unfortunately going to happen where you have all political groups in Tameside deep in their common putrid mire of self seeking greed for themselves.
Whether it be Partners,Wives,
Husbands,Friends they have managed to create a large financial cartels not prepared to limit their desperate greed for money and power which for them gives them a claim to fame amidst their local communities who would accept a tame monkey through their ignorance and apathy.
Over recent years the plan has been to create more and more panels,advisory groups and so called monitoring set ups,and the reason why is that they can expand their bank accounts at YOUR EXPENSE
I believe the main reason for the upsurge in TMBC group setups is also because Councillors do not have the expertise,know how,
background knowledge or previous education, and so can only perform their so- called tasks by using pack mentalities backing each other up in committee`s to hide their grossly inadequate individual capabilities.
Something akin to the animal behaviours of chimpanzee`s who can only learn from each other,then when threatened form a pack,and then run for cover when their challengers press forward.
I also find that a common trait with politicians is a substantial marked lack of consciences which permits them to utilise whatever means to deflect exposures,defend in mass,and sacrifice anyone outside their own created cartels.
The only way we can penetrate and
gain an administration which can serve not themselves but us is by
work hard at openly exposing each Councillor ineptness or wrong doing
by collating substantiated evidence
which can then be circulated again and again until the message begins to penetrate the apathy in Tameside.
Substantially increasing education standards within schools is vital
otherwise the blind will continue to follow the blind for generations.
Believe me it takes time,effort,and
persistence to formulate information which rattles political cartels.
If those intending to be considered as a Councillor recognised they would be robustly scrutinised and investigated including their backgrounds by the Tameside public who pay their salaries then from day one they may become reluctant to pursue becoming a Councillor and becoming constantly ridiculed and
open to exposures.
Dictators breed by fear,retribution
control of media,and influences in
in the Security/Police organisations,which might ring bells with some Tamesiders.
A more robust aid would be a monthly newsletter put "inside the free Advertisers"however that requires a structure and benefactor
intent on a purpose.
the TC Blog is the only existing thread for exposing the scoundrels
administrating our lives and its one of Tameside`s greatest assets
(worthy of a Beacon Award)
and should be backed at all costs.
No more than 1 Tameside Politician per household would be an essential start because that`s now becoming the increasing objective of TMBC Councillors.

I can only speak from 60 years of
objective scrutiny,fact finding,and knowledge of Local and National Politicians methods.
No doubt the Anons will now re-surface from their jungle habitats chattering,screaming and displaying the very chimpanzee instincts I mentioned earlier.
J.Hall

Anonymous said...

Now if I listed the administrations I was directly involved with as shown below,I would find it extremely difficult in sleeping knowing that I keeping my head well down knowing the chaos which has existed at Tameside Hospital for years and which has contributed to Tamesider`s Deaths.

Councillor Brenda Warrington:
Lead Member for Health and External Relations
Chair of Personal and Health Services Scrutiny Panel
Member of Overview (Audit) Panel
Member of Denton and Audenshaw District Assembly
Outside Bodies on behalf of the Council
Member of Combined Authority Scrutiny Committee
Member of AGMA Health Scrutiny Panel
Member of Pennine Care (Mental Health) NHS Trust Joint Scrutiny Committee
Member of Regional and Sub-Regional Joint Scrutiny Committees
Hospital Trust Council of Members
Governor, Denton West End Primary

http://www.tameside.gov.uk/councillors/annualreport/brendawarrington

and equally I would hang my head in shame to become the Labour Shadow Health spokesperson and almost daily in the House of Commons trying to blame the present Government for our health services.
When did you last hear,see, or even anything from A.Gwynne MP regarding Tameside Hospital and its terrible
position in the UK Hospital league tables.

How the hell do these individuals sleep at night being paid to represent Tamesider folk but hiding away when it comes down to Coroners
verdicts and disgusting league table places.
Mr Penna long experienced Tameside Hospital Consultant another seriously marked man for years for exposing the facts which concern him at the Hospital.
Who continues to survive all the
deplorable facts yes its no other than Ms Greene an associate of Councillor Brenda Warrington the person also responsible for the health of Tameside folk.

Anyone else you know with the hide of a rhinoceros in Tameside who does not loose sleep.
J.Hall
(let the chimps loose)

Jack Vee said...

well said Mr Hall keep it going lad

Anonymous said...

Latest news from the Labour jungle
"I see a new chimp has been born"
called:

"tobat"which uttered
So neither of you are any better than those whom you seek to condemn.

J.Hall

Brenda said...

Just ignore the local trouble causers. We all know who they are and if you ignore them they will eventually crawl back under their stones.

illiterate lower class twat said...

im sorry to upset anyone but im new to this tameside citizen. and most of the stuff is shite but these labour are very much in the pay of the police. i was in class war and we hate the fucking police.
we still have a website on here.

Anonymous said...

What really,sincerely and deeply concerned me 2 weeks ago was the little boy who died because of not being diagnosed with Meningitis and seemingly not investigated fully for rashes whilst at Tameside Hospital.

I wonder in view of this tragedy whether those "elected" in Tameside who have positions which include
overseeing the health of Tamesider`s actually called on the obviously distraught parents.
This is "not intended whatsoever" as a political jibe,but something I hope was done because I have for one have not stopped thinking of this innocent tiny lad and his family.
J.Hall

Anonymous said...

What trouble are they causing BRENDA
????????????????????????????????????
stop spouting the same old stupid and infantile rhetoric,and for a change comment with substance which you obviously find impossible.
Who are they causing trouble for BRENDA,not you surely ?????????.
I hope you continue to read TC and
can sleep well.
J.Hall
(how many more chimps have been set loose I wonder)

illiterate lower class twat said...

hey i wonder if the labour lot will have their photo taken with him in the paper

Burgundy said...

It isn't the Tameside Labour mafia's fault it's the moronic, ignorant, spineless nature of the average Tameside voter that allows these chancing parasites to keep their snouts in the trough.
As for the three quarters who can't even be bothered to vote I wish the apathetic bastards all had one neck and I could get my hands round it.

reality check said...

Our hard working councillors are worth every penny. You people do not understand the work we put in. A councillor has to work every day and there is no such thing as time off if a particular issue is pressing in your ward. Stop being Scrooge like and research what councillors do before you condemn.

No exceptions said...

Reality check, if so many services are being cut why aren't councillors taking a hit? An average 15 hours and £22,500 a year for an amateur is totally unacceptable in the current climate.
We don't need one councillor for every 3700 residents if an MP can manage 100,000.
The pay of executives should also be drastically cut, nearly £200,000 is ludicrously excessive, especially in a recession, for one person.

Aksa Homes? said...

Aksa A housing trust has increased its borrowing facilities by £60m to £350m which will be used to develop 640 homes in Greater Manchester.

New Charter Housing Trust Group has closed a deal with Nationwide Building Society and the Royal Bank of Scotland.

New Charter, which is based in Ashton-under-Lyne, will use the money for a three-year scheme in Tameside which will include 270 new properties under the government's affordable rent programme.

Deputy chief executive Martin Frost said: "At a time when funding streams are proving more difficult to access, the completion of this arrangement is evidence of the confidence that our funders have in New Charter."

The deal follows a £15m extension of New Charter subsidiary Aksa Homes' facilities with RBS. The new money will deliver 100 homes in Oldham

Anonymous said...

reality check said...
Our hard working councillors are worth every penny.

I vote 5 pence,and that's over the top.

Anonymous said...

09/12/2011 21:50

Don't forget your work spreading smear and allegation.

Alan said...

To be honest we see very little of our councillors in Droylsden. I sometimes see them in the sister newspaper of this blogsite and we get the occasional leaflet but other than that they are strangers to us. What exactly do they get paid for?

The Ward Of Droylsden: West. said...

Alan click on the blue link find out what they do, how they make pots loads of money.

Cooney, Ged
Executive Member - Lifelong Learning Services
Basic Allowance - £11,640.00
Special Responsibility Allowance - £20,099.00
Broadband Allowance - £249.96
Total - £31,988.96

I don't want filming said...

Well done for the Billington letter at least that's one issue we can all agree.
Be careful you don't get a visit from the police.
The police come to my house because I call the "Labour Mafia" nasty and violent.

Anonymous said...

Excellent letter from Mr Billington. As usual, to the point, factual, articulate and researched.

Something for Hall to aspire to instead he tries to steal the thread with his ramblings along with his mate West.

Oh how the Labour Mafia must be shaking in their boots with Hall and West on their tail, not.

Anonymous said...

10/12/2011 14:51

That's why they send the police round when I put out leaflets, about their political thuggery and vast Allowances and expenses.

Anonymous said...

Another thing about Councillor Jackie Lane, it's perfectly ok for her to go round Dukinfield posting Searchlight leaflets.
Spreading smear and allegation, but let anyone dare speak about her. You'll see her under handed methods at work against you.
And that's how it works Billington knows that.
He has had a nasty taste of Taylor's vile methods. He knows what I'm talking about even thoguh we've had words in the past.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous said...
Oh how the Labour Mafia must be shaking in their boots with Hall and West on their tail, not.

Response
I get more laughs at your Anon type spurious remarks and those from your Anon associates than I do watching Peter Kay.
Explain what is it like spending your life always having to remain Anon ?,as you sit contemplating your navel and making snide remarks which have no impact whatsoever other than encouraging me to nail those Council hypocrites who bank our money.
J Hall

Anonymous said...

You are just jumping on Mr Billingtons back Hall. He's done the work with his TPA alliance friends and you are trying to claim the credit.

"encouraging me to nail those Council hypocrites who bank our money" < it wasn't you.
T. Smith

Anonymous said...

As you say Mr Hall you have been doing it for 60 years. Not very successful yet? Have you looked in the mirror when you hurl insults on this blog. And this is my first post on this issue so do not confuse me with any other Anon. And if your mate TC can be Anon why can't others without getting insults from you.

Only sensible point I make on this subject TC is that if you want to attract the right people to be involved in local politics I don't think an annual election will do it.

NCB said...

Reality Check said.....

"Our hard working councillors are worth every penny. You people do not understand the work we put in."

I hardly think attending a few committee meetings, writing the odd letter, and holding a surgery once in a while constitutes hard work. Councillors can earn over £30k per year for what is essentially a part-time non-job. The money they make includes a basic allowance, plus extra loot from the public purse for being on a committee or chairing a District Assembly etc. On top of this is the money they can claim in expenses. Most people would give their right arm to earn so much money for so little work.

Anonymous said...

Don't forget working hard posting Searchlight leaflets. Spreading smear and allegation.

Anonymous said...

NCB said

I hardly think attending a few committee meetings, writing the odd letter, and holding a surgery once in a while constitutes hard work

I think this demonstrates that few people on this site know what a local councillor does. There is a national debate to be had about the number of councillors per ward and the payment made to locally elected councillors. Unfortunately this blog is not the place to have an intellectual debate about such things when the likes of Hall, West and NCB are here.

Alan said...

It is pretty obvious that Hall, West and NCB are the ones annoying the Labour thugs the moset hence the attacks.

NCB said...

Dear anon 10/12/2011 17:31

You wouldn't know an intellectual debate if your life depended on it. Your unwillingness to debate the issue of whether or not Councillors are value for money tells me you have something to hide, or maybe you fear an open debate will expose you as a charlatan. I notice that instead of criticising the points I raise, you hurl insults and abuse.

So come on then Einstein, tell us all what other glorious things a local Councillor does apart from those mentioned above.

Scum is as scum does said...

There's no need for a debate just a statement of the facts:
Councillors earn an average of £22,500 for a part-time amateur position, and represent a paltry few thousand people each. Ludicrous excess, and in the current economic climate, indefensible.
If large numbers of people are being squeezed financially in Tameside including, nauseatingly, targeting the disabled, why should our elected representatives be exempt?

Anonymous said...

Well said 20.57.

Anonymous said...

I agree it seems just like a group of anon chimps have been let loose to
degrade the facts which appear on TC

Gay Nationalist said...

Councillors get paid too much end end of story really.

Cretinocracy said...

In the final analysis it's the electorate's fault.
Some areas now have such a fundamentally inferior or corrupt electorate (the latter usually in Islamic areas) that this is reflected in the resulting quality of the elected representatives.
The recent list of areas with the highest amount of benefit claimed per head was as usual dominated by pisshead/junkie/human detritus areas such as Liverpool, in particuar, and Glasgow, and also included parts of London and the West Midlands with their extremely high ethnic populations.
Most of these areas are dominated by Labour, with the same sort of low quality, greedy, self-serving chancers we have in Tameside.

No just, just a corrupt mafia said...

News has just broken of Labour Government plans to take control of the legal system. Has the Minister of Justice gone raving mad, or have Labour decided to go all the way and make themselves a junta? The new ‘Counter-Terrorism Bill’ includes new powers to get rid of the two biggest guarantees of our liberty: juries, and an independent judiciary. If this disgusting law is passed, the Government will be able to order that juries don’t sit on coroners’ inquests, and the Government can replace ‘unsuitable’ coroners with their own chosen puppets. Rule of Law? Chuck it in the bin.

Anonymous said...

I think you will find that the government is Conservative.

Back to the subject matter. NCB has a point as does Billington. And it isnt a national debate that is needed, thats just hiding behind something that will never happen whilst ducking the issue.

There are several issues for me. How many there are, how much they cost, there term in office and what they do.

It appears obvious to most that there are to many councillors. Most of the councils duties were education, that has moved to schools. They have privatised housing, leisure, colleges, council buildings etc so there is clearly less for them to do than ever before.

Therefore, they cant hold on to the notion that they are good value for money, if they ever could.

Anonymous said...

Yes i think the barm pot is still living under labour. However still relvant stuff in my view

Alf Garnett said...

yes you keep voteing your leftwing shit coz its cunts like you that put us in this mess or should i say are going to put us in a big mess ? its all going to hit the fan and it will hit just after xmas and none off it will be down to nationlists its all down to you leftwing fuckers ? we just have to suffer for your lots doing.

Anonymous said...

Eh up! it's Myra Hindley's nephew. Welcome back Aluman.

Anonymous said...

Nationalist! The three labour cllrs in Dukinfield post Searchlight leaflets. That tells you everthing about the corrupt bastards.

Alf Garnett said...

eh up yourself ? I would rather be a paki than a leftwinger and thats saying something,u lot have distroyed my kids future and you have done it by cheating, lying, and stealing and by treating this country like you own it, and 1 day you lot will pay

Anonymous said...

Tameside Tories ordered to concentrate on saving Werneth and Stalybridge south to keep three Tories in each ward.
All other wards can not be won,and this is from a top regional official.

Anonymous said...

ALL these separate references
include pictures of kids with Gwynne on the world internet pages !!!!!

1.World book day comes to Denton West End Primary

2.Andrew reads a story to children as part of World Book Day

3.Celebrating World Milk Day at All Saints Primary School

4.Andrew educates children about the benefits of milk.

5.Andrew joins with school children Russell Scott Primary School to mark the month@
Tameside Advertiser

6.Andrew meets young people at a recent event in Reddish

7.The Capriole Academy of Dance in Audenshaw invited Andrew Gwynne MP to open their new Brenda Hilditch Studio.

8.National Day Nurseries Association launched its nationwide healthy body, happy me campaign, with Andrew making a visit to Jeffrey’s Corner

9.Pupils all over Denton and Reddish are joining thousands of children from across the UK and over 40 countries worldwide.

"Andrew supports calls for
children's rights to be respected by reality TV shows"(what about respecting them in your Constituency as you pose with tiny tots usually on your own.

Andrew Gwynne MP has supported a Ten Minute Rule Bill in Parliament entitled the Children (Protection of Privacy) Bill...
What a hypocrite !!!!!

If, after pursuing the course of action above, you still have a complaint about how the local authority had dealt with your problem, then it would be appropriate to contact your MP for help.

If this is how Labour promote its MP`s then I would`nt want my kids
pictures all over the internet for political promotion purposes.
Yet here we have the Borough Solicitor Sandra Stewart more than happy to go along with it in Tameside.

Makes me sick how tiny kids are used,

PS When did you last see Gwynne`s
children`s pictures on the Internet.
Maybe their privacy is protected more than others.
J.Hall
Whose "this" troubling Brenda ????

Roy K West said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Roy K West said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Liam said...

Why do councillors need to claim for broadband? We all know that the low life Labour councillors spend half their time watching Jeremy Kyle on their Sky+ HD. Get Sky broadband for £7.50 a month. Because you would use it for yourself anyway and most of you hardly get any emails from constituents.

CCTV said...

CCTV footage of a Labour Councillor distributing illegal and libellous smear leaflets in Dukinfield on election day will soon be available for viewing on this web blog.

The leaflets in question falsely claimed that a rival candidate had racially abused a woman with mixed-race children.

Look out for a blue link (CCTV).

Anonymous said...

Reading this blog it looks like Gwynne is bang to rights yet again.
But what the hell is this lot on Tamesidetories web-site.
Tameside Politicians are treating us like bloody crap,sack the lot and let them get real jobs if they could?
I`m working to keep these slimy
parasites in luxery.

Blue Rinse said...

Liam needs to log on to an excellent website called Conservative Future and report that he is being prevented from making the Conservatives a force to be reckoned with in the borough of Tameside because a small clique of yes men dominate the local party.

If Liam and the young guns were allowed free reign AshtonHurst is there for the taking and Liam would be a brilliant councillor and group leader.

ukip said...

Hi TC,

could you please update the ukip link using:
http://www.ukip-tameside.co.uk/

Tameside Citizen said...

With pleasure sir, great to see you back. The new website looks great. Click here to view the new look Tameside UKIP website or click the link on the side bar.

ukip said...

Thanks TC, I am not back, I have never been away! Always an avid reader, I have just stopped posting in comments.

Roy K West said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Demographics said...

Any party that wants any chance of winning Werneth next time had better stand the right type of candidate. Mr Miah always does very well when he stands and very nearly caused a major upset last time.

Roy K West said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
FSF said...

Mr. Miah did well because he is a filthy fraud. Everyone knows of his sordid postal vote scandal from "the community". This has been overlooked by the police, the returning officer (Sandra Stewart and Steven Pleasant) and Robert Landon as Head of Democratic Services.

Van cost from gee cross said...

FSF I'm shocked by that news of postal vote wrong doing, of courae I'm not only kidding.

Anonymous said...

Yet again, Mr. Billington puts forward an articulate, balanced and common sense argument for reforming the expensive circus that is TMBC.

Quite why Tameside Tories have never been or felt able to utilise Mr. Billington's evident intelligence and dedication to the pursuit of the truth beggars belief.