Comments on: Southend Council leader and deputy give conflicting views over expenses http://www.councilbust.com/2010/07/21/southend-council-leader-and-deputy-give-conflicting-views-over-expenses/ Thu, 05 Jan 2012 07:34:20 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.4 By: Vicky http://www.councilbust.com/2010/07/21/southend-council-leader-and-deputy-give-conflicting-views-over-expenses/comment-page-1/#comment-1802 Vicky Wed, 21 Jul 2010 22:14:38 +0000 http://www.councilbust.com/?p=1855#comment-1802 In these times there is absolutely no justification for voting to increase Councillors personal allowances. The majority of the tory councillors qualify for free bus passes anyway due to their age(sorry but it's true) and saying that only the well-off would be able to be Cllrs without these extras is frankly ridiculous. many people work in the borough and have voluntary community commitments to attend on a regular basis and they don't get travel expenses. The borough is hardly any size either.Labour Cllrs didn't just find it controversial they thought it was blatantly wrong. None of them thought this vote would mean they couldn't cover their costs. As for Deputy Leader Lambs comments- his allowances are : basic allowance of £8,402.20 + special responsibility allowance of £14,528.85 total of £22,931.05. So it begs the question-is the insistence of the extra £100 really NOT about lining pockets?? THE DUCK HOUSE STANDS! In these times there is absolutely no justification for voting to increase Councillors personal allowances. The majority of the tory councillors qualify for free bus passes anyway due to their age(sorry but it’s true) and saying that only the well-off would be able to be Cllrs without these extras is frankly ridiculous. many people work in the borough and have voluntary community commitments to attend on a regular basis and they don’t get travel expenses. The borough is hardly any size either.Labour Cllrs didn’t just find it controversial they thought it was blatantly wrong. None of them thought this vote would mean they couldn’t cover their costs. As for Deputy Leader Lambs comments- his allowances are : basic allowance of £8,402.20 + special responsibility allowance of £14,528.85 total of £22,931.05. So it begs the question-is the insistence of the extra £100 really NOT about lining pockets?? THE DUCK HOUSE STANDS!

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