Today the Argus reports that a new executive member has been appointed, with responsibilities for equalities. It is being given to Councillor Cynthia Beynon! It is obvious this post has been created for her because she was the only labour councillor to not have a position of extra responsibility, as there were not enough to go around after handing out 5 posts to the 3 plaid and two independent councillors who sided with labour. Executive members get £13,508 pa in addition to the standard allowance of £12,718. She now gets £26,226 pa and every labour councillor is getting a minimum of £18,120 pa.
Councillor Beynon may be an excellent councillor but is this the time to go creating new cabinet positions? Also I cannot believe that each and every one of the Labour Councillors deserves the extra money or is capable of the posts to which they have been appointed.
What do you think?
See this earlier post
Friday 4 July 2008
Predictible or What?
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7 comments:
I think Bob Wellington is raising two fingers to the opposition, the famous five and the people of Torfaen. He really does not care.
It seems the positions were given to the famous five making positions limited. Suddenly a NEW position is made available for this labout councillor. Surly to make a NEW position this should have been voted on in Council? Something for the TPC to investigate i think.
I am FAR from being a Labour supporter but the truth is that Cabinet position #8 used to be held by the minority party leader (Non voting position). The constitution would have to be changed to lose that position. Bob Mcgabe used his delegated powers to rename position 8. No new position was made.
Of course, the whole thing still smacks of "jobs for the boys" and seems undemocratic.
That is an interesting question, are the councilors capable of upholding the posts they have been given? lets see. If we take councilor John Marshall for example we can see:
Membership of Committees
Housing and Community Safety Overview and Scrutiny
Operational Services Overview and Scrutiny
Planning Committee
Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny
Resources Overview and Scrutiny
Membership on outside bodies
Coalfield Communities Campaign/Steel Action
Cold Barn Farm Management Committee
Communities First Partnership - Trevethin
Health Learning Station Project Board
Monmouthshire and Brecon Canal Steering Group
New Towns - Special Interests Group
Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Liaison Committee
Pontypool Carnival Committee
Wales Homes Safety Council
Pontypool Regeneration Partnership - Strategy Group
Pontypool Regeneration Partnership - Operations Group
Trevethin & Penygarn Community Centre Management Committee
but he doesn't do surgeries. Thats odd. Do you think that all of these commitees and so forth are given equal attention and consideration by cllr Marshall? It seems rather a lot for one person to manage with any kind of real purpose.
And I overheard him tell someone at a function a few weeks ago that he had to be there because he couldn't get out of it. Not the thing you want to hear from a councilor at any time really.
It used to be said that you could put a monkey up as a labour councillor in Wales and he would get in. A little unfair maybe but it has to be said that not every councillor in Torfaen, labour or otherwise, is up to the job, especially when it comes to extra responsibilities. But here they are getting in a retirement job getting much more money than they ever got when they were in real work, plus their pensions, all on the pretext of serving the public. Hang on in there lads!
I must be confused, could someone please explain. I thought you needed to live in the ward in which you serve. i.e. Marshall lives in Pentwyn above Pentorpeid, but he represents Trevethin??? I always presumed he lived there. So I could theoretically live in New Inn and represent Henllys? What is the point in that, he can't practically have any understanding of the people's issues there. Anyone?
For many, that's £18000 per annum on top of their long term sickness benefits.
Of course, those with real illnesses and/or disabilities would see their benefits revoked and would posibly be pursued through the criminal courts for carrying out any work at all.
Does anyone have any idea of how many of our representatives are in receipt of invalidity, incapacity etc benefits?
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