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Fury at councillors' demands for cash
HUNDREDS of North-East councillors, who will lose their jobs due to local government reorganisation, have been condemned for "shamefully" attempting to squeeze cash out of taxpayers by seeking compensation to cover their early exit from public life.
Councillors who are set to lose their seats in a shake-up of local Government are demanding "parachute payments" to cover their loss of earnings.
The National Association of Councillors (NAC) is taking legal advice over whether members can be compensated for any financial loss.
In County Durham, a new, single super council will replace the existing two-tier system of seven district councils plus a county council by April 2009 with similar reforms taking place in Northumberland.
In Durham, 375 councillors spread across the county on various councils will see their numbers slashed to 126 members representing 63 wards.
In a letter written by Gateshead councillor Peter Mole, who is general secretary of the NAC, he states that he has been exploring approaches to mitigate the financial losses faced by colleagues whose anticipated terms of office are going to be cut short by reorganisation.
The law as it stands does not guarantee a minimum term for councillors and provisions in the Local Government Act 1972, which stipulate four year terms, can be overridden by legislation in relation to reorganisation.
Mr Mole said that his organisation had sought legal advice, which indicated that the remuneration of members could only relate to the discharge of their duties and responsibilities as councillors and not to compensation for actual or anticipated loss of office.
Writing in the letter, he said: "What we are left with is a campaign to lobby Government, pointing out the implications for colleagues affected.
"The impact will be wide-ranging, especially for those who have made a conscious choice to commit themselves to full time council duties.
"Pension entitlements and anticipated or planned income levels which inform day-to-day lifestyle choices, will also be affected.
"If the Government can secure legislation to reorganise local authorities they can equally make provision for addressing issues of consequential loss.
"I think there should be some kind of parachute payments for elected members who are having to stand down because there is no position for them.
"We are not talking vast amounts of cash, but I believe it is fair and equitable that payments are made to these councillors."
Asked whether his proposal would prove value for money, he said: "If people really want democracy, democracy costs."
The leader of Durham County Council, Coun Albert Nugent, who has been overseeing a steering group preparing for reorganisation, claimed councillors were being "shoved out by the system".
He said councillors who had been elected on a four-year term, and then found themselves unable to serve that, effectively had a contract with the Government, having been elected by the people.
He said: "Many people are being thrown on the scrap-heap.
"We have got a contract and the Government should honour that contract."
Coun Nugent said severance packages had been offered to councillors in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland when councils underwent re-organisation there.
He added: "We are not asking for the earth here. Councillors have worked hard for people, so there should be some sort of recognition."
However, Mark Wallace, campaign director of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "This is a shameful attempt to squeeze yet more money out of hard-pressed taxpayers.
"Being a councillor is meant to be about public service, not personal gain - the payments are allowances, not a salary.
"Councillors are already generously provided for and have no right to get even more compensation from the public.
"This suggests the National Association of Councillors view the posts in financial rather than democratic terms, which is a sad explanation of why so many of our councils are failing."
However, it appears the Government is unlikely to back the bid.
A spokesman for the Department for Communities and Local Government said the new "flagship" unitary councils would save £20m in County Durham and £15m in Northumberland every year.
He said: "Many of the best councillors say that serving the public is an honour, rather than a profession.
"We have no plans to introduce parachute payments' as we do not believe that is what taxpayers want or expect."
7:33am Saturday 22nd March 2008
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CommentPosted by: Peter Dolan, Newton Aycliffe on 8:50am Sat 22 Mar 08
Well Councillor Nugent has blown the myth that councillor's serve from a sense of civic duty, its just as many of us have said before they are only there for what they can get out of the system. They all went along quietly with regionlisation of the Northeast when the people voted against it but now the government turns on them they want the council taxpayer to fund a bonus payment for losing their money spinning activities.
Well Councillor Nugent has blown the myth that councillor's serve from a sense of civic duty, its just as many of us have said before they are only there for what they can get out of the system. They all went along quietly with regionlisation of the Northeast when the people voted against it but now the government turns on them they want the council taxpayer to fund a bonus payment for losing their money spinning activities.
Posted by: john, newton aycliffe on 9:04am Sat 22 Mar 08
Do some of us still believe councillors seek election for public servive, surely not, they have always, with a very few exceptions served themselves. Changes are needed in our area and County Durham.
Do some of us still believe councillors seek election for public servive, surely not, they have always, with a very few exceptions served themselves. Changes are needed in our area and County Durham.
Posted by: john, newton aycliffe on 9:04am Sat 22 Mar 08
Do some of us still believe councillors seek election for public servive, surely not, they have always, with a very few exceptions served themselves. Changes are needed in our area and County Durham.
Do some of us still believe councillors seek election for public servive, surely not, they have always, with a very few exceptions served themselves. Changes are needed in our area and County Durham.
Posted by: david simon, Durham on 9:37am Sat 22 Mar 08
. . . power hungry, money orientated, from the PM down ... serving the public? ... NO! ... serving themselves... YES!
. . . power hungry, money orientated, from the PM down ... serving the public? ... NO! ... serving themselves... YES!
Posted by: malcolm, Rowlands' Gill! on 10:27am Sat 22 Mar 08
Your apostrophe is in the wrong place in the headline. Hand 100 lines to Mike Amos.
Your apostrophe is in the wrong place in the headline. Hand 100 lines to Mike Amos.
Posted by: Bill, Ferryhill on 10:36am Sat 22 Mar 08
I agree with above posts it is not a case losing ones job, but these greedy people are there for what [bold]THEY[/bold] can get. Allowances was the worse thing that ever happened in local councils the I thought that it was to cover expenses. All these councillor's should be named and shamed people will remember if they come to be elected at a later date
I agree with above posts it is not a case losing ones job, but these greedy people are there for what
THEY can get. Allowances was the worse thing that ever happened in local councils the I thought that it was to cover expenses. All these councillor's should be named and shamed people will remember if they come to be elected at a later date
Posted by: Cllr Joan McTigue, Middlesbrough on 2:26pm Sat 22 Mar 08
I am an Independent cllr and I could not agree more with you all. Paid less than £6,000 a year, I earn it in my opinion but I am a volunteer after all & I do NOT beleive that if a cllr wants extra duties & the nice title that goes with it, they should be paid £12,000 extra. In Mbro, the "extras" cost the tax payers almost £250,000 (half the total bill for cllrs) yet the Mayor recently stated that the hike in the council tax will bring in the needed amount of £300,000. He actually stated "most clrs earn their money" - we are NOT here to earn money. My biggest objection is that some cllrs are fully employed elsewhere (one Labour cllr working off-shore yet claiming a full months allowance of almost £14,000) but take home between £15,000 and £25,000 for council work. Another (Labour) is employed full time by Redcar & Cleveland Council yet takes home over £25,000 from Mbro (inc almnost £9,000 for sitting on the Police Authority)
I am an Independent cllr and I could not agree more with you all. Paid less than £6,000 a year, I earn it in my opinion but I am a volunteer after all & I do NOT beleive that if a cllr wants extra duties & the nice title that goes with it, they should be paid £12,000 extra. In Mbro, the "extras" cost the tax payers almost £250,000 (half the total bill for cllrs) yet the Mayor recently stated that the hike in the council tax will bring in the needed amount of £300,000. He actually stated "most clrs earn their money" - we are NOT here to earn money. My biggest objection is that some cllrs are fully employed elsewhere (one Labour cllr working off-shore yet claiming a full months allowance of almost £14,000) but take home between £15,000 and £25,000 for council work. Another (Labour) is employed full time by Redcar & Cleveland Council yet takes home over £25,000 from Mbro (inc almnost £9,000 for sitting on the Police Authority)
Posted by: DB, Durham on 8:35pm Sun 23 Mar 08
I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in a long time, and what worries me is the leader of the county council, Albert Nugent is supporting and proposing the idea. It makes me wonder if he is the right person for the job!!
How often do you hear that councillors do it for the love of the job, well I can’t believe that now. It’s not like they will have any expenses that have occurred because of the job, i.e. they won’t have had to buy a car or computer to do it.
I’ve never heard anything so ridiculous in a long time, and what worries me is the leader of the county council, Albert Nugent is supporting and proposing the idea. It makes me wonder if he is the right person for the job!!
How often do you hear that councillors do it for the love of the job, well I can’t believe that now. It’s not like they will have any expenses that have occurred because of the job, i.e. they won’t have had to buy a car or computer to do it.
Posted by: Tom Pattison, London on 8:39pm Thu 27 Mar 08
Is anyone surprised? They're just like their friends in Westminster.
Is anyone surprised? They're just like their friends in Westminster.
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