Accrington Web - View Single Post

g jones · 30-01-2009, 20:56

First post by AndrewB, my name comes up followed by the word hypocrite. Ditto the second without a direct mention. You just can't control yourself Andrew can you?

The first point always missed is priorities. Whose pushing this forward in the first place. Labour Councillors don't bring to the agenda Members Allowances, they are always brought, in my time by The Council (Conservatives). That's whose driving the issue.

To follow that, the Conservatives are in power and stay in power. There seems no strong voice from the public to stop this at the ballot box. When it comes to hands in the air in Council, the fact is Labour Councillors do not put up expenses, Conservatives do and have a majority in Council and a mandate to do so.

If we had a Labour Council, allowances would not be going up above inflation. So it is necessary to vote against.

They have risen from about £1,800? in 2002 when I got on to about £4,100 now.

Since then 'The Council' have also voted through rises in food & hotel allowances, carers allowances and importantly removed the one extra allowance only limit.

I voted against that rise and every rise since 2002 above inflation. So have the Independents. Everyone has then accepted them after the vote has been lost to the Conservatives. Bare in mind I lose about £7,000 in lost wages at my place of work to be on the Council. In that respect the The Council (Conservatives) have a point.

Labour Councillors have never run to the press - ok Dave Parkins has - to blow this story up. As AndrewB wrongly put it (again!), shout from the roof tops and then take the allowance. There has been no shouting from the rooftop.

Where it gets 'out of hand' is the extra allowances.

The Council (Conservatives) proposed the removal of the 'one extra allowance only' limit so I now claim two.The first is Opposition Leader. £6,000. The second is Planning Committee, £750. Labour Councillors voted FOR the small allowance to be paid to Planning Committee (because it is the longest and hardest committee that meets more often and takes up the most time) under the 2nd allowances rule.

So AndrewB I am not a hypocrite on multiple allowances. You are easily fooled by MrB I can see.

It's all about who is benefiting from these changes in rules and payments.

Lets take MrB. Increased basic to £4,200. Increase Leaders extra (first) to x5 basic on top. Allowed multiple allownaces so chair of Ossy AC another £750, Chair of Area Councils, Chair of Licensing another £6,000 and that's off the top of my head.

Other Councillors (the ones in power and voting trough these rises) have Basic £4k + cabinet £6k + chair £6k +Area Council Chair £1k + Planning £750. Nice little earner with 4 extra allowances.

The Council (Conservatives) have increased vice chairs allowances to £5,000 (to pay off people) and multiplied the number of committees (with Chairs and Vice Chairs) to pay even more Councillors (Conservatives). Took Vice Chairs off Labour to pay even more Tories even more and removed the one extra allowance so all these Chairs and Vice chairs turned being a Councillor into a nice little junket FOR THEM.

It's also about who is claiming child care - the last time I looked 4 Conservatives were taking substantial sums in Child Care. I don't recall any Labour member doing so. And some of it is suspicious to say the least. And mileage. I claimed for May 2002 and have never claimed since mileage. Every drop of petrol being paid for by 'other allowances/my wage at work'.

Then there's the Rural Conference. 3 Tories every year, £3,000. A one day Conference about farming. Lovely! Great hotel too! (What part of Hyndburn is rural BTW?)

The real reason for £170 hotel allowances is the LAG Conference is once again in the lovely Harrogate. Like MrB says, very few Councillors go or stay in London (true). Nice is Harrogate, nice hotels !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

It's not whether your a hypocrite AndrewB, that's not the issue, thats just your political spin, life is full of contradictions. Contradictions can be ok because life is complicated and often a compromise.

The real issue is, how deep have you got your nose in the trough!

30-01-2009, 20:56	#95
g jones Senior Member+ Join Date: Mar 2006 Posts: 1,125 Liked: 14 times Rep Power: 732	Re: Living off the fat of the land. First post by AndrewB, my name comes up followed by the word hypocrite. Ditto the second without a direct mention. You just can't control yourself Andrew can you? The first point always missed is priorities. Whose pushing this forward in the first place. Labour Councillors don't bring to the agenda Members Allowances, they are always brought, in my time by The Council (Conservatives). That's whose driving the issue. To follow that, the Conservatives are in power and stay in power. There seems no strong voice from the public to stop this at the ballot box. When it comes to hands in the air in Council, the fact is Labour Councillors do not put up expenses, Conservatives do and have a majority in Council and a mandate to do so. If we had a Labour Council, allowances would not be going up above inflation. So it is necessary to vote against. They have risen from about £1,800? in 2002 when I got on to about £4,100 now. Since then 'The Council' have also voted through rises in food & hotel allowances, carers allowances and importantly removed the one extra allowance only limit. I voted against that rise and every rise since 2002 above inflation. So have the Independents. Everyone has then accepted them after the vote has been lost to the Conservatives. Bare in mind I lose about £7,000 in lost wages at my place of work to be on the Council. In that respect the The Council (Conservatives) have a point. Labour Councillors have never run to the press - ok Dave Parkins has - to blow this story up. As AndrewB wrongly put it (again!), shout from the roof tops and then take the allowance. There has been no shouting from the rooftop. Where it gets 'out of hand' is the extra allowances. The Council (Conservatives) proposed the removal of the 'one extra allowance only' limit so I now claim two.The first is Opposition Leader. £6,000. The second is Planning Committee, £750. Labour Councillors voted FOR the small allowance to be paid to Planning Committee (because it is the longest and hardest committee that meets more often and takes up the most time) under the 2nd allowances rule. So AndrewB I am not a hypocrite on multiple allowances. You are easily fooled by MrB I can see. It's all about who is benefiting from these changes in rules and payments. Lets take MrB. Increased basic to £4,200. Increase Leaders extra (first) to x5 basic on top. Allowed multiple allownaces so chair of Ossy AC another £750, Chair of Area Councils, Chair of Licensing another £6,000 and that's off the top of my head. Other Councillors (the ones in power and voting trough these rises) have Basic £4k + cabinet £6k + chair £6k +Area Council Chair £1k + Planning £750. Nice little earner with 4 extra allowances. The Council (Conservatives) have increased vice chairs allowances to £5,000 (to pay off people) and multiplied the number of committees (with Chairs and Vice Chairs) to pay even more Councillors (Conservatives). Took Vice Chairs off Labour to pay even more Tories even more and removed the one extra allowance so all these Chairs and Vice chairs turned being a Councillor into a nice little junket FOR THEM. It's also about who is claiming child care - the last time I looked 4 Conservatives were taking substantial sums in Child Care. I don't recall any Labour member doing so. And some of it is suspicious to say the least. And mileage. I claimed for May 2002 and have never claimed since mileage. Every drop of petrol being paid for by 'other allowances/my wage at work'. Then there's the Rural Conference. 3 Tories every year, £3,000. A one day Conference about farming. Lovely! Great hotel too! (What part of Hyndburn is rural BTW?) The real reason for £170 hotel allowances is the LAG Conference is once again in the lovely Harrogate. Like MrB says, very few Councillors go or stay in London (true). Nice is Harrogate, nice hotels !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! It's not whether your a hypocrite AndrewB, that's not the issue, thats just your political spin, life is full of contradictions. Contradictions can be ok because life is complicated and often a compromise. The real issue is, how deep have you got your nose in the trough! Last edited by g jones; 30-01-2009 at 21:03.