Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
A topic that was covered recently on the DF was the disquiet over the cost of teas and coffees supplied by Dovers local council.Well apparently Dover is not alone as its been revealed that Suffolk County Council has spent £59,095 on refreshments in council offices since January 2010 despite threatening to cut public services to save money.
Chief executive Andrea Hill, 47, was attacked recently for not taking a cut in her £218,592 a year salary - £75,000 more than PM David Cameron earns.Cuts being made include closing household waste recycling centres and sacking all 72 lollipop women and men to save £230,000. And these people are trying to earn our respect - do me a favour.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I agree Marek, it is a disgrace.
Suffolk County Council need good professional people to run their (County) Council - as all Councils do, but that is excessive, very excessive.
I do not consider that DDC are wasteful at all on the food that is provided for Councillors and officers attending full council meetings.
There's no time for an evening meal beforehand as the meetings start at 6pm, so a short break between work and the meetings is good and good value too.
Roger
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
it would be interesting to guage cost of food at dover
and of course if thre good people of dover were aware of the wage structure of senior officers and the amount of them im sure the good public would be out raged
in todays climate.
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Unregistered User
And the good people of Dover will be well aware from Labour's press release that they don't want to cut management costs but are hung up with whether the shared service agenda is good for them politically,when that issue is not even up for debate.
Give the people the true facts Keith.
Watty
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
paulw
im not over concerned with what the labour party might be saying.
if we go into the thoughts on shared services, of course this could lead to unitaries and that would longer term make big savings.
iv not seen a leaflet of any kind in my area dont often see any
from any party which surprizes me as priory maxton and e vale is very marginal;
anyway my point has been made
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Watty
So what,if any, comment do you wish to make about the above press release? Is this spending on refreshments acceptable in todays economic climate? especially as the same council has cut what,many ordinary folk, would refer to as 'essential' services.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Unregistered User
Not your press release Marek but the one on the Front Page where local Labour object to sharing management costs to save services. That was the point of your posting the cost of a high paid chief executive.
Watty
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the whole issue of refereshments was covered a while back, it was generally agreed that the amount spent over a year was not excessive.
john goodwin pointed out that often he goes straight from work to meetings, this must apply to many others.
the issue of chief executives pay is much more controversial, especially when front line services are cut.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
howard
agreed in part lol
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Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Howard that is true,when I am on middle shift I have time to get home change and get my lift,at work that bread and dripping sandwich don't last long,so I could go from 10.00 to 10.pm without a food break,as I am on my own at work from 12,00..
There are many Cllrs who work until 5pm and go straight to Council meetings,and if we didnt have food supplied and it is Sandwiches Fruit and cake then the Cllr would have to pay us a meal allowance.
So yes it is needed by some Cllrs.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Oh by the way one of the Cllrs on Suffolk Council is Cllr John Goodwin,problem is he is a Tory,wrong side of the family
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Is this from a statement from the Council or from the Press who have picked up the £500 spending information?
Again without context who is to say that this isn't food for a cafe that is paid for or for a leisure centre or catering for an event ?????
If it is purely meeting refreshments for council meeting then it is appauling, but that said if it is for staff accross a whole county council (like KCC is something like 30,000 people) then it is merely £2 a head a year !!
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
Paul
These are council released figures but if as you state it covers approx 30,000 workers then them dipping into their own pockets for £2 per year to cover refreshments would not be a lot to ask and would prove to be a good example for other councils to follow.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)