Monday 17 August 2009

The local authority gravy train

The Journal 17 August 2009 front page headline

Thought MPs were well paid? There are 494 people who have higher salaries in the North east - and YOU are picking up the bill.


There are 97 employees of Durham County Council earning more than £63,291 a year, costing the charge payers £8,284,843 - that's an average of £85,410 each.

18 employees of Durham Police earn £1,436,408 or £79,800 each.

Durham County Council claims that it has had a big reduction in higher earners since it started reorganising.

So why was the gravy train allowed to chug along the tracks for solong?

Monday 3 August 2009

Councillors' pay

Is this the only person in County Durham supporting the rise in councillors' pay?

As published on the Northern Ech website 12:00pm Saturday 1st August 2009 "Have your say" And you can have yours through our comment facility

PERHAPS Durham county councillors could be accused of bad timing, but to describe them as ready “to dip their noses in the trough” over their (now agreed) 20 per cent allowance rise – as did Ralph Hughes (HAS, July 29) – is disingenuous to say the least.

Although some councillors have full-time employment, thus having to fit in a personal life around the pressures of council work and a job, others work full-time as councillors.

Certainly, I cannot see how the leader, deputy leader, cabinet members and chairman of the council can carry out their responsibilities efficiently and effectively and keep an employer happy at the same time.

So how do we expect them to house, feed and clothe themselves and their families?

Anyone who has had any contact with councillors must know that to be a good one requires a lot of time, effort and energy. I know a lot of good ones.

If there is any discussion to be had it should centre on the rationale of fewer councillors being paid at much higher rates so that they can focus fully on the issues of their communities.

Surely I can’t be the only voter who thinks that if you pay peanuts you’ll inevitably get some…
Olwyn Gunn,
Hunwick,
Crook,
Co Durham.

Monday 29 June 2009

Councillor acquitted over row with wife

A Durham County councillor has been acquitted iver a charge he assaulted his estranged wife following a row over private number plates. Dave Farry, an independent councillor stood trial at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates Court.

Mr. Farry denied assaulting his wife, Amanda, at the home they shared above the post office in Eldon Terrace, Ferryhill, despite being seperated.

chairman of the bench, Nigel Scott, said he found both parites to be palusable. He also noted that a child, who was a few feet away during the incident, did not wake up and concluded that the prosecution had not met the burden of proof.

Thursday 9 April 2009

Ex-councillors leave Labour over funding issue

Taken from an article in the Northern Echo:

Former members of a district council have announced they are leaving the Labour Party.

Carl Christer and his mother Hilary were members of Derwentside district council before it was replaced by Durham county council.

They said the reason for the change of political allegiance was because of increases in council tax to fund the new Stanley town council. They blame Durham north mp Kevan Jones, who was responsible for proposing and supporting the creation of the council.

Mr Christer, who has represented the ward of Annfield plain since 2001, said: “the town council is a glorified talking shop and now they are taking money out of people’s pocket to massage their own egos at a time when people can ill afford it.

“Kevan Jones and the labour party are completely out of touch with the views of real local people and it is clear that there has been no real regard to local people in this matter.”

The council tax precept for a band d property to support the town council is about £110 a year per household.

Mrs Christer, who represented Catchgate, said: “this will affect some of the least well off members of our community. We have raised a number of concerns about the handling of this process from the start, and it is clear from talking to the local people that they have real concerns.”

Tom Pattison, Chairman of Stanley town council, declined to comment.

Me Jones said: “it is sad and ironic that two days after they are no longer getting paid as councillors, they have decided to take this stance. It is also sad that they were not brave enough to contact me before going to the papers.”

Mp's expenses row.... again

A small piece found in the April 3rd-16th edition of Private Eye

“The time that a jobseeker is expected to travel from his home to his place of employment has increased from one hour to one and a half hours each way.”

So boasts the government of one of its recent crackdowns on the work-shy under minister for employment and welfare reform, Tony McNulty. Anyone who turns down a position on the grounds that this is to far to commute will instantly lose their £60.50 Jobseekers Allowance.

The journey from Westminster to Mr McNulty’s “constituency home” in Harrow takes around 45 minutes by tube. This is, however, sufficient for him to have been able to claim around £60,000 in “additional costs allowance” for the house, let his parents live there, and reside nine miles away in Hammersmith instead.

Tuesday 31 March 2009

The smell of decay settles over Westminster

The Brown ending to Labour’s electoral dominance mirrors ever more closely the Major years – especially with the ever increasing whiff of decay. We see yet again how all power corrupts:

The Home Secretary in two separate rows over expenses.
  • Prisons Minister Tony McNulty ditto
  • Ex-Minister Nigel Griffiths exposed by the News of the World for inappropriate (shall we say) use of his Parliamentary office late at night.
  • Ex-Ministers Adam Ingram and John Reid have set up companies to garner six figure fees they are now earning.

Of course it’s pretty obvious that there’s a concerted campaign going on to “get Labour”, but there’s certainly something to be “got” too. The House of Commons Authorities should be having an urgent look for the leeker in their midst. The selective release of information ahead of formal publications seems to be politically motivated – and there’s no room for that in an impartial civil service.

But this certainly seems to be the point of no return. Up to now it has been possible to compose an argument that Labour could still claw their way back from their dismal poll showing. That no longer seems to be the case.

But before rejoicing, reflect that the Tories are saying privately already that their spending cuts will be savage. You have been warned!

Monday 30 March 2009

Of troughs and snouts

As we all know, Britain is in its worst recession for a century. So what better time for:

-Councillors in Darlington to continue with the Mayor getting paid for that job and any other he cares to take on.

-Members of Durham Police Authority more than doubling their own allowance.

-Executives at Newcastle Airport, majority owned by local councils, get £3.8 million bonuses

-Councils about to be abolished rushing through planning applications.

-And rumours abound of massive pay offs for senior council officials taking “early retirement”. If you have any information about this, let us know. We’re not afraid to publish the truth the others seek to hide!

Friday 13 March 2009

A tale of Tesco

Late last year it was revealed that a dispute between Britain’s biggest supermarket and north east council officials over a city centre development had cost taxpayers more than £2 million.
In the light of the attempts to get planning permission through for a Tesco store in Consett before Derwentside District Council is abolished, and fears for the impact it would have on Consett centre shops, it's worth revisiting the affair.
The plans for the former Vaux brewery site in Sunderland were supposed to create 3,200 jobs and bring in £370 million in investment.
But, nearly 10 years after the brewery closed down, the 16-acre site is still just a derelict wasteland.
Meanwhile, the regional development company Sunderland Arc has spent more than £2 million trying to develop the site – including nearly half a million pounds in legal fees.
The figures, which have been revealed under the Freedom of Information Act, have provoked an angry response.
North East Conservative Euro MP Martin Callanan said: “I think the Arc proposals represent a much better development for the people of Sunderland and I would like to see work underway as soon as possible.
However, Tesco seem determined to use their considerable financial and legal muscle to frustrate the proposals and it is their delaying tactics which have incurred most of this bill for taxpayers.”
But Bryn Sidaway, the former leader of Sunderland Council, said: “It’s outrageous that this land is still derelict.
“I wanted the council to buy this site in 1999 but I lost my seat and, for some reason, the council never pursued it. It was a golden opportunity that was wasted.
“If they had, they could have built on it and made money from it. Instead they’ve lost millions and the opportunity to create thousands of jobs and a better environment for the city centre.
“It’s been a festering sore for nearly 10 years now. It’s scandalous.”
Frank Nicholson, the former managing director at Vaux, said: “I look on with huge sadness and dismay that this saga goes on and on and on.
“Why can’t grown-up people can’t sit down and work out a way forward ?
“I don’t particularly want to see a great big Tesco shed on the site but it’s better than nothing if it means bringing jobs and development.
“Why can’t the Sunderland Arc, who have cost taxpayers a fortune, work out a compromise ?”
David Walker, Chief Executive of Sunderland Arc, said: “The stark choice for the city was 600 jobs or at least 3,000 high quality jobs.
“The number of jobs created by our scheme will completely change the city and its economy and we have always felt that this was something worth fighting for.
“The majority of legal fees have gone into supporting our case at two public inquiries to ensure the right framework was in place to support the crucial regeneration we and our partners have planned for this site and the rest of the city.
“The interest we have had from developers has been extremely strong and if you put the figure into context, the money spent to date is just 0.55 per cent of the £370m of anticipated private investment that will be coming into Sunderland city centre.”
Tesco – whose motto is Every Little Helps - is the world’s third biggest retailer, making a profit of nearly £3 billion last year.
The company bought the Sunderland site for £13 million in 2001.
They wanted to build a 110,000 sq ft superstore, alongside shops and homes.
But the plans were opposed by Sunderland Arc, a regeneration company set up by Sunderland Council.
They claimed the Tesco superstore was too big and they wanted more of a mixed development.
Sunderland Arc claimed their plans, which cover a four-mile swathe of land along the River Wear to the A19, would create 3,200 jobs and attract £370 million in investment.
The legal battle has dragged on for seven years now – and is still going on.
In 2006, after a public inquiry, the Government finally approved Sunderland Arc’s plans, which include shops, homes, offices and a court building.
Tesco is now taking legal action through the High Court in a bid to overturn the decision.
A Tesco spokesman said: “We are reviewing our plans but we are still committed to a mixed use on the Vaux site, including a Tesco store.”
Now a Freedom of Information request revealed Sunderland Arc has spent £19,096,090 since it was set up in 2002.
The figure includes £2,054,330 trying to redevelop the Vaux site – with £422,047 spent on legal fees.
In the past, Sunderland Arc has threatened to seek a compulsory purchase order if necessary.

Friday 27 February 2009

Roberta Blackman-Woods MP expenses 2006/2007


Type

2006/07 (ranking out of 645)

Additional Costs Allowance

£22,110 (joint 1st)*

London Supplement

£0

Incidental Expenses Provision

£19,948 (370th)

Staffing Allowance

£74,591 (564th)

Members' Travel

£11,498 (149th)**

Members' Staff Travel

£154 (joint 354th)

Centrally Purchased Stationery

£1,816 (118th)

Stationery: Associated Postage Costs

£3,742 (216th)

Centrally Provided Computer Equipment

£1,089 (joint 269th)

Other Costs

£0

Total

£134,948 (380th)

*Morgage Interest: £13,281.72
Bills & Food: £6,476.28
Furniture & Household Bills: £2,352.00

** Car £1,540 (480th). Rail £9,552 (41st). Air £406 (166th).