Accrington Web - View Single Post

Gayle · 27-01-2009, 11:44

Well I would defend any of the councillors for taking the allowances and expenses. If I'd have been elected then too right I would have done it too.

I spend a lot of time in the council offices and some of the councillors are in there most of the time. As for making them take minimum pay - they'd be claiming more if they did that. Being on the council is a 24hr thing, 7 days a week - people ring them up at all hours to complain or comment on things and expect them to be at their beck and call. They don't earn a salary for being on the council and the amount they can claim comes no where near the salary that they'd be missing out on if they worked elsewhere.

Whilst the expenses hike might have seemed like a big one, let's put it into perspective - Britcliffe only spent about 5 nights away last year (or something like that) very few others actually spent any nights away. The additional amount claimed is probably peanuts.

27-01-2009, 11:44	#46
Gayle God Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Relaxville Posts: 6,866 Blog Entries: 69 Liked: 13 times Rep Power: 2867	Re: Living off the fat of the land. Well I would defend any of the councillors for taking the allowances and expenses. If I'd have been elected then too right I would have done it too. I spend a lot of time in the council offices and some of the councillors are in there most of the time. As for making them take minimum pay - they'd be claiming more if they did that. Being on the council is a 24hr thing, 7 days a week - people ring them up at all hours to complain or comment on things and expect them to be at their beck and call. They don't earn a salary for being on the council and the amount they can claim comes no where near the salary that they'd be missing out on if they worked elsewhere. Whilst the expenses hike might have seemed like a big one, let's put it into perspective - Britcliffe only spent about 5 nights away last year (or something like that) very few others actually spent any nights away. The additional amount claimed is probably peanuts. __________________ The views expressed within this post are mine and mine alone.