Saturday 22 February 2014

Councillors expenses up. Services cut. Charges up.

The pages of the Advertiser this week tell a sorry tale. Well, several sorry tales to be truthful.

Tucked away on page two we learn that in the financial year 2012/13 councillors' expenses were £1,204,972. This was an increase from £1,200,094 in 2011/12 and £1,186,473 in 2010/11. For full details see Member allowances

Meanwhile, on the front page we have the leader of the opposition on Tameside Council actually doing that! Leading opposition to the Labour council. An almost unheard of phenomenon. Councillor John Bell has described as scandalous the proposal that the council may, and it is stressed that this is a proposal and not a firm decision, increase the support charge for residents of sheltered housing. This could see the elderly paying more for services such as wardens.

However, the really interesting story is one which is unwittingly reported. In the letters page Councillor John Taylor states "We have been in Wythenshawe for weeks at the by-election". What's that? £35,175 in expenses claimed from Tameside last year and he spends "Weeks" in Wythenshawe?

No wonder they wanted Roy West out of the way!

So there we have it, services cut, expenses rising for councillors and charges rising for the sheltered OAP's.  No change.

11 comments:

tonydj said...

I see on Cllr Taylor's "Dukinfield Views" website that he and councillors B Wild and J Lane have been out on a volunteer clean up team. That's sweeping he streets to you and me (and poo-removing to Cllr Taylor).That comes to a total of £76,348 pa in expenses for all three. That is a lot of money for a trio of street sweepers. If they are so short of proper councillor's duties perhaps their hours and expenses should be cut?

Anonymous said...

They see council tax payers as a source of cash for maintaining a superior lifestyle for themselves and their little club of council employees etc.
The mug and/or apathetic electorate are the ones responsible, for allowing them to stay in power.

Curmudgeon said...

They were busy getting Michael Kane, political adviser to Tameside council’s leader Kieran Quinn, back on the Gravy train. He previously worked for current Stalybridge and Hyde MP Jonathan Reynolds - as well as his predecessor, former minister James Purnell.

It begs the question, who will the mighty Quinn get to advise him now? Let's hope it's not the same person who thinks Ashton's Christmas market was a great financial success!

Anonymous said...

Roy West posted thousands of leaflets in Dukinfield about their expenses.
What happened, they sent him a solicitors letter saying that , the three Labour Cllrs felt upset and intimidated by the expenses leaflets.

Anonymous said...

If Roy West is doing all this daily harassment and stalking, where is all the evidence?
New charter housing have known for sometime that Roy West and his family are being secretly filmed.
So the visual evidence should be overwhelming.

Anonymous said...

I don't think Councillor Brian Wild took to kindly to the expenses leaflets, he could not go in a pub in duki without people waving money at him.

Anonymous said...

You've mentioned Roy West yet again in one of you're TC articles.
One point you continually fail to see, or maybe choose to ignore.
Why is Roy West being held responsible for every anti-blood sport comment.
Why are Roy West's accusers claiming that he is trying to drum up support against blood sports?
Does he really need to do this?
80% of the British public are opposed to blood sports anyway.
If Roy West is going to be dragged through the courts yet again, then maybe you need to do some investigative reporting on this.

Anonymous said...

If you set a trap for a Fox, then that is a blood sport.

Anonymous said...

80% of the British public are opposed to blood sports anyway.
Yes, this means setting traps for unsuspecting foxes.
Shooting birds flushing them out of the brush.

Talking s***e said...

Hard to believe I know but the Deputy Moro...sorry, Leader's got ANOTHER!!! letter about dog dirt in the Advertiser. The exciting difference this time is it's Wythenshawe's canine brown stuff.

By the by, if TMBC (Too Many Bloody Chiefs) ARE so short of money, they should shut and sell all these expensive works buildings and tender out basic services.
Any info on Duki Baths potential closure? But who cares about that anyway as long as there's enough money for bin men and legions of pen pushers, managers, councillors etc to get 25% above the going rate and make sure they've got belting, public backed and funded bonus and pension schemes.

Unknown said...

How can a Councillor with 1,905 votes out of a possible 12.000 votes, have so much power.