Quote:
Originally Posted by katex
Can't believe you said this, Ken. Whilst I agree with your 'policy' of searching out smaller spendings to relieve the budget ... holding this up as a guilt trip to staff at HBC losing their jobs is dirty tactics. Not impressed.
As for solvent councillors not claiming the expenses they are entitled to, and which would ease some lesser well off councillor's income so that they can carry out their duties without the pressure of expense, I have no time for this smug martyrdom.
I stand by my original post.
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I think a certain tongue-in-cheek factor is not quite coming across in my posts.
However, I'm not being entirely flippant either about whittling out spending like this so that the people who do the actual work don't get fired. I'd rather go without the odd free meal if I knew that the ward caretaker would be litter-picking that week, or the call-centre was fully staffed, or the binmen weren't trying to cram everything into even fewer shifts, etc.
I'm quite surprised you're being seemingly quite supportive of free buffets for the councillors when the rest of the borough is wondering if they'll even have a job this time next year. I have to say that walking into a meeting to find a free lunch waiting for me and then telling everyone in Rishton that cuts have to be made doesn't sit well with my conscience.
There are hundreds of other examples of small amounts being dished out for no real reason, you only need to scan The Observer to see that. Little cheques to individuals for £250 here, £500 there....nice votewinners and even nicer for the people on the receiving end but we aren't here to use public money in that way, we should be spending to improve whole communities and once you start totting up all the little things you suddenly find that you've got a big saving.
There's also the Cabinet Action Fund which has magically been increased to £100k this year and something which the Leader of the Council can spend as he sees fit. Looking back over the years I have to say that I wouldn't have parted with a lot of it and feel that it is a lot of money in the hands of one politician.
I'll say it again, we aren't here to shout about what jolly nice chaps we are, we aren't here to crow to the world about how 'excellent' we are and we shouldn't be getting perks when the rest of the borough struggles. Even the Mayor paid for his own Civic Celebrations this year!
I can appreciate that you think there's dirty tactics at play but a council can't scream about making savage cuts and ignore ways of cushioning the blow.