'Given the recent concerns and utterances of the Local Government Secretary, Eric Pickles, over the high payment to Chief Executives (Bury MBC Chief Executive is on a pay scale of between £147,822 and £160,284 up to 2011) and press reports this week of soaring allowances to local councillors (Councillor Bibby alone in 2009/2010, received £36,087.39 for his basic allowance; Special Responsibilities, Travel & Subsistence): would it be more economical to dismiss the Chief Executive or return to a situation pre-1972, in which councillors were denied the stipend of councillors allowances?'Councillor Bibby also defended his own stipend and allowances saying that he believed the Bury Branch Secretary of Unite was on more than he was. Regarding councillor's allowances he said that these were set Nationally by a 'remuneration panel'.
The Labour Party offered an amendment to the governing Tory budget that made some token gestures to the demand of Bamford and Bury Unite: this included 3 days surrender of councillor's allowances to fit with the decision to lockout staff for three days at Xmas and a suggested saving by reorganising the Chief Executive's office. The Labour amendment was later rejected but an amendment from the Lib/Dems was accepted: this included a proposal for extra bin collections at Xmas and Passover.
A protest of perhaps 200 people took place before the Council meeting: this was called by Unite the Union and Bury Action Against the Cuts, though later, inside the Council Chamber, the Bury Labour Party tried to claim it was their protest.
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The hypocrisy of these toy town councillors is outrageous. Earlier this week, Bibby, the Tory leader of Bury council, told the Manchester Evening News(MEN) that they were going to make Bury an 'enabling' council that purchases and co-ordinates services but doesn`t provide any services. These will be handed over to capitalists, voluntary groups and charities. But does this mean that there will no longer be any need for Bury councillors? Not at all! Bibby told the MEN that there would still be a need for the council and added: "The council`s role would be to make sure the quality of service is continued." What a joke. The services already under review for privatisation include learning disabilities, parks, pest control, finance, highways, human resources, libraries and leisure. This is Cameroons Big Society - A government of millionaires working in the interests of millionaires.
The whole procedure relating to the cuts is an absolute shambles. As employers they can not even follow their own policies and then when they realise they get things wrong they all get together and deny it. And those at the receiving end are to blame for not questioning what senior managers tell them. They can even make decissions based on what they think other people might be thinking. Information put into writing is for the purpose of the reader to understand what the writer may be intending and not what the words actually say.
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