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Councillor upset by ticket fee

9:06am Wednesday 1st August 2007

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A councillor is "appalled" he had to pay £40 for a VIP ticket to an air show organised by his own council.

Tory Stephen Mayzes is also angry only 40 places are available to 60 councillors who sit on Tendring Council.

The VIP area for the Clacton Air Show, near the West Greensward, includes private toilets, a viewing platform and a marquee with afternoon tea and a buffet.

The normal ticket price is £58.75, but members are offered a discounted rate of £40. It would cost Tendring Council £2,400 to provide free tickets for all 60 members.

But Mr Mayzes, who represents the town's Rush Green ward, said all councillors should be admitted for free.

Tory Mr Mayzes said: "It is ridiculous to ask councillors to pay to go to a council-run event.

"I will be more than happy watching it for free with members of the public."

Nigel Brown, Tendring Council's communications manager, said the number of tickets is restricted to 20 each day because of the space available.

He said the charge has been in place ever since councillors were first formally invited about 12 years ago, and no members have complained to the press before.

The air show on August 23 and 24 is expected to attract in the region of 90,000 spectators.

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Say It As It Is, Clacton on Sea says...
9:42am Wed 1 Aug 07

An arrogrant attitude expecting the taxpayer to foot the bill for what is nothing more than a jolly.

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sc, colchester says...
9:45am Wed 1 Aug 07

Good, who does he think he is. Cause he should have to pay. We all do.

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mark, clacton says...
9:53am Wed 1 Aug 07

shows what an arrogant tory boy he is!!!!!

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Mole, says...
9:55am Wed 1 Aug 07

Yet again the gazette is pandering to this trumped up little know-it-alls ego.
Can we please have a Mayzes free week in the papers as we are all getting fed up with hearing his ridiculous claims.
Of Course he should pay for his ticket ,every other councillor always has ,why should he expect a freebie ??
If he don't like it ,sit on the seafront like the rest of us Tax Payers.

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Vicar, says...
10:52am Wed 1 Aug 07

I would be honoured to pay for his ticket. In fact I feel it's my duty. Also If he wants to go to the cinema anytime I would be delighted to foot the bill. If he is hungry I will collect him from home and drive him to the finest restaurant where it will be my pleasure to pay for his meal.
He is my councillor, and should therefore be accorded rights and privileges far beyond the little people of Tendring who live in the real world. (Sarcasm off)
Oi Stephen, if you don't like it, dont go. The air show can be seen from outside the VIP marquee, you just won't be mixing with such impoprtant people. Try it! Private toilets indeed.

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Geoff, Colchester says...
11:00am Wed 1 Aug 07

This is nearly as arrogant as Essex CC removing the Governors of Alderman Blaxil School, this is the world of Conservative Politicians

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mark, clacton says...
11:13am Wed 1 Aug 07

Geoff wrote:
This is nearly as arrogant as Essex CC removing the Governors of Alderman Blaxil School, this is the world of Conservative Politicians
and their freebie trip to america which they are on now, at our expense may i add.welcome to the all new tory party!!!

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Say It As It Is, Clackers says...
11:32am Wed 1 Aug 07

Mark - what trip to America? Fill us all in on the details.

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Lol, says...
11:49am Wed 1 Aug 07

Erm ,hang on a mo ....marquee ,private loos ,buffet ,subsidised tickets ???Who is funding all this nonsense ,us tax-payers ,that's who.
Why do the nobs get private loos when the rest of us mere mortals have to use the disgusting ,smelly ones (those that are fit for use??).
Where the Hell does this jumped up little upstart get his ideas of grandeur from ,especially as he represents one of the poorest and most socially deprived areas .Hang your head in shame mate ,go out and mix with the real people and GROW UP.

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Saturn, Clacton says...
11:52am Wed 1 Aug 07

Is there anything that Stephen Mayzes won't moan about? Is he also going to ask the tax payer to make his contributions to the Tory fighting fund as well.

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mark, clacton says...
11:56am Wed 1 Aug 07

Say It As It Is wrote:
Mark - what trip to America? Fill us all in on the details.
there was a letter about it in lasts night gazette.the author of the letter has asked for more info under the freedom of information act,it looks like one big jolly!!

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Say It As It Is, Clackers says...
12:03pm Wed 1 Aug 07

Cheers Mark, I'm going to follow that one with interest. But lets not forget TDC is in the hands of a coalition, they are mostly all as bad as each other.

Did anyone read this piece posted on Tendring.net?

http://www.tendring.

net/index.php?option

=com_content&task=vi

ew&id=30&Itemid=2

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rob, clacton says...
12:31pm Wed 1 Aug 07

he is just a freeloader!
why should my council tax be spent on his lunch and drinks,perhaps he would like to buy me lunch out of his allowances.

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M & D T, Essex, England says...
1:04pm Wed 1 Aug 07

My wife and I have decided after much consideration to leave England. You don't know how much that hurts but we don't feel that we can endure another 5 - 10 years of Labour and its high taxes etc., The Tories and Lib Dems are a waste of time and no one seems to be willing to fight to take this country from the crooked politicans of Labour, Tories and the Lib Dems. Tory Stephen Mayzes sums up much of what is wrong with this country and the Conservative Party. Clacton could be a beautiful town but it is run by arrogant money grabbing idiots like him. We hate what Labour, the Lib Dems and the Tories have done to the England that we love.

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Mole, says...
1:06pm Wed 1 Aug 07

Actually ,it would cost £3,525 to give all 60 councillors a free ticket at full rate and £2,400 at the 'subsidised'(by who?)£40 .
What a complete waste of money .....
get your picnic rugs out and sit on the grass with the rest of us .

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Scoot, St Osyth says...
1:08pm Wed 1 Aug 07

If it was me I'd refuse to pay for a ticket and not attend but instead donate the 40 quid to the SSAFA or some other good cause...

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john, st osyth says...
1:19pm Wed 1 Aug 07

did stephen mayzes raise this on behalf of the other conservative councillors or was he alone in doing this?
it beggars belief that he could even go to the papers complaining about this,is he that niaive?

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ronnie bland, y says...
1:20pm Wed 1 Aug 07

councilor,i think not,conman,freeloade
r.

one who is only interested in what he can get from the electorate and not what he can give.

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Trev, Clacton says...
1:38pm Wed 1 Aug 07

I wish I was M & D T, Essex, England who are leaving England. The Labour, Tory and Lib Dem money grabbing, tax hiking thick politicans have destroyed Britain. Stephen Mayzes and the rest of the councillors on Tendering Council should be ashamed of themselves.

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Ri cky, Walton on the Naze says...
1:39pm Wed 1 Aug 07

So Cllr Mayzes- rattle well and truly out of the pram is it? Instead of critising the cost, should you not be saying "what can I do to help so that the Wonderful Clacton Airshow is "self-supporting" and not in any way a burden on the Authority?" according to reports up to 90,000 people are expected over the two days, they don't have to spend any money and will have a wonderful time. They bring their picnics and beers, wine and deck chairs, grab a good spot and enjoy. A couple of quid will buy them a programme, if they wish. You could do the same, or you could become a sponsor and buy an aeroplane, or part thereof, then you would really be a VIP.

You didn't want the free Lap Top (which might have helped you to do your elected job better) did you? but now you want to free load....

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Clacton Resident, Clacton says...
1:49pm Wed 1 Aug 07

How arrogent can you get !.

The Tendring Area is suffering under these idiots who think they deserve special treatment because they are councillors.

I thought a Councillor's responsibility was to represent the views of his Ward within and outside of the Council, in other words a public servant.

So you lot in TDC start mixing with the public and start serving them, not yourselves.

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Local Business Man, Clacton says...
7:59pm Wed 1 Aug 07

After reading your article tonight my blood began to boil. It wasn't until this evening I learnt of your age. Unless you change your strategy very sharply your political career will be over before it began. Why should my business which pays thousands in taxes, fund your unreasonable request. You silly boy!

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Dave Baker, Jaywick says...
10:48pm Wed 1 Aug 07

It strikes me Mr. Mayzes is trying to outdo one of our long standing superannuated Councillors, those living in Jaywick will know who I mean, in how many mentions he can get in the local press. Mind you he sounds about as effective. TDC's councillors should only be refered to as VIPs if it is short for Very Indifferent Person, because most of them don't seem to give a **** about their constituents.

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A.T.Ory, VIP Box says...
11:23pm Wed 1 Aug 07

Anyone for caviare?

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ivor go-alot, SUNNY JAYWICK says...
12:03am Thu 2 Aug 07

as a friend of mine said, any councillor who wants his spotty face in the local papers every time someone opens an envolope, let alone anything remotely to do with his elected job of looking after his residents that elected him, or his baby brother, should be asking for not onr VIP ticket, but his baby brother and there collective mum mimsy, or was that mumsy.......good god the thought of the family mayses all in one sitting is enough to drive the paying public away for the day......crisps anyone...

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A.T. Ory, VIP Box says...
9:30am Thu 2 Aug 07

Well i for one think the whole Tory party should all get in free. In a seperate VIP box away from those commoners of course. They might start throwing crisps at me.

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Lady Lycra, says...
9:42am Thu 2 Aug 07

Personally I would prefer not to have these RiffRaff Crisp eating councillors sitting next to me as I enjoy watching the extravaganza from my VIP box that I had to pay full price for.
Is there going to be a strict dress code or are the Mayzes brothers going to turn up in their shorts again to a civic do?.
I also think that ALL the councillors getting a reduction should do the right thing and offer to donate the amount they have been subsidised to the SSAFA in respect of what these brave people have given to our country.
Better still ,let the old service men have the tickets instead of a bunch of freeloaders.

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YoungPerson, Clacton says...
4:14pm Thu 2 Aug 07

As a 16 year old girl who is involved with youth issues and works hard to improve them and who has "worked" with both Mayzes, i think this is absolutly riduclous!!
If he doesn't want to pay the £40 dont! but why is there the need to get the press involved yet again!
I agree that we should.. no NEED a week free of the Mayzes in the press. we should be promoting the good things that youth are doing not reading about the petty things the Mayzes Brothers come up with!

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Nikadi, says...
1:51am Mon 6 Aug 07

Stephen Mayzes is a whiney little sod who should grow up. As should his brother. When the two are together, nothing can be done as they're always at each others throats. This front they put on for the public is ridiculous, show your true colours boys! Then we'd definately not want them as councillors.

If only I were a month older, then I would have voted against them.

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