Councillors expenses, allowances and gifts of hospitality

[bat man]

Why do we have 3 councilors for each ward,surely one will do.......

[moorendman]

Overall £10k a year for expenses and allowances is hardly excessive, many people would not consider that a reasonable remuneration for the time these people put in ( especially when that figure also includes reclaiming out of ppocket expenses ) £20K each from 2 councillors living together does seem a little on the high side though.

How long before the new national austerity reaches local government though? As the new administration prepares to wield the axe on local government grants , are our representatives starting to think value for money?  Stockport has blithely put up its council tax by 2 to 3 % annually for at least 10 years and I believe needs to start thinking about how it can make some economies and get some value for money now.

How about a new topic in line with yesterdays request by George Osborne for ideas on what should be cut? At least one prospective councillor and probably a number of others read this forum , so here is your chance to have a voice.

I'm happy to start it off ( see new topic "Ideas for council savings" in Local issues

[Dave]

In his election leaflets, Cllr Wright proudly claimed credit for getting an increase in the number of trains serving Rose Hill Station.  However, he omitted to mention that this will be at the expense of Marple Station, which I understand will be reduced to two trains per hour from December this year.  And it's hard to understand why he did this, as it  will inconvenience constituents in Cllr Wrights own ward (Marple North), which includes Compstall, Marple Bridge and Mellor.  Not to mention the fact that there's plenty of car parking at Marple, and not much at Rose Hill!

And now we discover that we have paid nearly 11,000 quid to have our rail service cut!   Blimey   

[admin]

See here: http://menmedia.co.uk/news/politics/s/1240689_934000__the_price_of_civic_duty_in_stockport

In summary for 2009/10 CW's total expenses are shown as £10,914.05

[jet]

Can anyone till me how much Councillor Craig Wright Expenses , allowances and gifts of hospitality for 2009?

[Dave]

The allowances are not a problem providing they earn their money and they provide as a high a standard of representation as possible.

Well said Oliver.  Councillors do a vital and thankless task, and I think we should be grateful that there are still people who are prepared to do it - I for one would certainly not be prepared to put up with it, especially nowadays with so much government interference.   

[OliverJohnstone]

That's a fair point, Miss Marple. Councillor's allowances are important though on the question of deserving financial remuneration. The allowances are not a problem providing they earn their money and they provide as a high a standard of representation as possible. When they fail to do this then it becomes a serious issue of why ought we pay this person to do nothing for us?

Local politics is and ought to be personal - less about parties and more about individuals. It is the individual who claims these allowances and they should be judged accordingly.

[Miss Marple]

That is a hell of a lot of money especially when you consider that it is a part-time role. I was surprised at how low the Leader of the Council's expenses were.

The councilors expenses are a drop in the ocean compared to the hundred of thousands that were thrown at Seventeen Windows in money and council Workman's time in completing a drive in/out drive and all the landscape work.  At least as tax payers we can have sight of all councillors expensive unlike the cost's involved in developing Seventeen Windows,which in turn only profited a private individual.  Now if SMBC were to make public the costs of the Seventeen Windows project you would then know what excessive expenditure was.  

[OliverJohnstone]

That is a hell of a lot of money especially when you consider that it is a part-time role. I was surprised at how low the Leader of the Council's expenses were.

[sooty2]

They are in the Stockport Times.Shan Alexander and her husband had nearly 40k. She hasnt replied to an e-mail I sent her months ago.

[alan@marple]

Has the list of payments for expenses and attendance allowance been been issued yet.

Is there a detailed list of hospitality received?

How often is the declaration councillors interest's renewed?