Political blog, June 26: KCC's new allowances: Outrageous or sensible
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Fair, modest and sensible or insensitive and
outrageous?
For the councillors gathered at County Hall to decide whether to
award themselves an eight per cent "pay" hike, it largely depended
on what side of the political fence you sat.
It was hardly a surprise that the opposition
parties opted for the moral high ground and urged
restraint and a delay until the public had had a say. This did not
impress council leader Paul Carter, who said that
would be a waste of time and money.
Read our story on KCC allowances
here
Either way, it was hardly the most auspicious way in which to
kick off things for the newly-elected county council.
After weeks in which national politicians have been rightly
vilified for lining their own pockets, what is the first thing that
KCC's 84 members do after the June poll?
Decide on an eight per cent pay hike. Hardly the kind of
thing to convince the public that you are on their side or are
sensitive to the public's mood.
Admittedly, the timing may not have been of the council's making
as the recommendations had been made by an independent panel. The
line being spun at County Hall is that councillors had no say in
the increase proposed.
But there are a few points worth making:
Although the recommendations are indeed made by an independent
panel, the council did not have to accept them and indeed, under
the legislation, is not bound to do so.
KCC could have opted for a freeze, for example. Or to phase in
an increase. Either would have been something that would have
showed that our local politicians were sensitive to to the
difficult economic plight that many of their constituents are
in.
Incidentally, I do accept that councillors need remuneration and
I am not advocating they should get nothing. Certainly, a lot of
senior county councillors, especially in the cabinet, do the same
kind of hours as a full-time job. But I do wonder if all members
warrant the kind of money that they are entitled to.
And let's not forget that among the 84 members at County Hall,
close to half are also district and borough councillors - meaning
they get paid for that job, too.
You can read the full report on the recommendations made by the
independent panel here
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One county councillor told me after yesterday's meeting that he
regarded the decision to accept the allowances as a sign that the
new administration, bolstered by the huge majority it has, was
prepared to steamroller through anything that it wanted.
I think that's a bit unfair given that we have hardly begun
with the new council. But it was an interesting comment. We
will have to wait and see what "the direction of travel" is going
to be...
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Despite being reduced to a rump of just ten members, the
opposition Labour and Liberal Democrat groups put on a feisty show
during the first full council meeting, indicating that they are
determined to do what they can to hold the ruling Tories to
account.
Cllr Les Christie, the nominal Labour leader,
was in vintage form - buttering up the Conservatives with a
magnanimous speech congratulating them for their recent election
victory and then launching a stinging attack on the council's
recent track record.
It led deputy Conservative leader Alex King to
speculate - a touch mischeviously - that has Les been Labour leader
before June 4, perhaps they would not have lost quite as many
seats.
There was also a good contribution from newly-elected
Liberal Democrat councillor Tim Prater from
Folkestone, who said KCC could set an example on the councillors'
allowances issue by inviting the public to have its say.
Friday, June 26 2009
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