Slash council allowances to ease the cuts (From Gazette)

Slash council allowances to ease the cuts

1:38pm Monday 6th February 2012 in Letters

Again we read criticisms of some of our councillors in the Gazette, particularly the debate regarding Joyce Brooks House.

Why not, to help with the cost savings, don’t all 60 take a 10 per cent cut in their basic allowance of £6,316.97?

That would bring in almost £38,000, a useful sum to help with those facilities affected by this current administration’s attitude to save overheads. Of course, if the 10 per cent was carried across the board to embrace the extras for the leader (£18,950.92), deputy leader (£11,939.08) and other varying titles that command additional allowances, the figure would be considerably higher.

It has been suggested recently the borough councillors could be reduced by 50 per cent. This would give a minimum saving of £189,509.10, at the very least.

Of course, it would not happen. Can you imagine the pandemonium at the meeting?

Nevertheless, it must be worth considering a reduction in the current administration – ten councillors fewer would save at least £63,000 per annum.

We taxpayers, their employers, are never given the full facts, so would it not be favourable for the chief executive to ask the head of corporate management to publish the full accounts as to the total cost of 60 borough councillors to us the taxpayers?

Would it not also be attractive for the Gazette to introduce a weekly column called Councillor Spotlight, starting with the leader, deputy leader and then the portfolio holders etc, where details could be published of title, responsibilities, allowances, achievements, visions and, more importantly, business knowledge and experience of the position held. It could make interesting reading and give us poor mortals a greater understanding as to why there are so many sleepless nights (to quote councillor Anne Turrell).

If our town was being run 100 per cent responsibly and efficiently, I do not believe questions would be raised, but it is not, and those responsible are answerable to the taxpayers.

If we wish to see more visitors in our beloved Colchester, start making it attractive, improve the infrastructure, install a park and ride immediately (what is wrong with the old Sainsbury’s site at Tollgate?), clean up the town centre, seriously reconsider the bus station remaining on its present site, make it financially attractive to run a small town centre shop, stop nitpicking on security shutters etc and offer incentives to fill the many empty shops.

Trevor Wright
Sterling Close
Colchester