Brash's Token Gesture

[steveL]

I don't think this means very much frankly but the labour lot really do need to keep Richardson locked in the toilets when The Mail calls for a comment. I guess he must be the fall-back when the SCABS are off globetrotting.

I believe both Brash and Hargreaves work for a living and so they won't miss the extra but Richardson's last pay slip was probably written on papyrus; he no doubt takes it as a personal attack on his beer money.

http://www.hartlepoolmail.co.uk/news/local/hartlepool-councillors-turn-down-pay-rise-and-urge-others-to-do-the-same-1-7054351

[Balotelli]

I personally don't think that councillors should receive any remuneration or allowance above any expenses they incur as part of their role.

Any expenses they do incur should be approved in advance of being incurred at the appropriate committee meeting or forum.  If they fail to get prior approval, retrospective approval should be possible but only on the basis that councillors understand that by incurring expenses without prior approval they risk not being reimbursed.

I appreciate not paying an allowance would reduce the amount of people wanting to be a councillor but I think it would mean you don't attract the parasites either.

[notenoughsaid]

   Another gesture should come from the Finance Committee .........is it not about time the Car Allowance was rounded DOWN due to the recent decrease in fuel prices at the pumps.   The national level would be nice, lower even better. Some hope!!!!!

[Land Phil]

I know regular car users at HBC that change their cars more than annually and have said they would stop using their own car if the milage rate was dropped.

The council appears to have a fleet of top spec cars as well so no idea why so many journeys made in private cars, apart from the obvious expenses bonus.

[Balotelli]

Appreciate that a number of HBC off site visits may be to home addresses and small businesses etc which would necessitate the use of cars but does anyone know whether HBC make full use of teleconferencing facilites when they are available.

I used to spend a lot of my time making 160 mile round trip journeys for meeting with the obvious subsequent expense claims.  These have been all but eliminated due to the use of conference calls.

I also recognise that there will be a need to undertake face to face meetings but surely, if the meeting must take place off site, a huge proportion of meetings must take place within walkable distance of the Civic Centre anyway?

[steveL]

If, like me, you had suffered having to watch councillors struggling and fumbling with the on/off switch of their microphones at every council chamber meeting then you wouldn't even contemplate video conferencing for these luddites, mate.

[Riqueti]

I don't know how their travel expenses can be so high. Considering that pedestrian/cycling training staff at HBC are only able to claim a pittance allowance from their 'base' at Bryan Hanson House to wherever they are working. Example being,  a member of staff living on the headland and working at Clavering would get nothing and if it was 7 miles away for example at Greatham they have to deduct home to office which is just over 3.5 miles. Some of the lowest paid staff are getting walked over while the fat cats are having our eyes out!

[whatabouthisthen]

There are staff who visit many people in their own homes. Many of these residents would be uncomfortable in having to be interviewed electronically. I believe that Revs and Bens have electronic aids connected to the Civic, that process claims during an interview. Then there are quite a few out stations that have to be visited eg Emergency Planning in Middlesbrough and Carlton Camp. Also there are the other co-authorities that need to be visited. The car allowance may seem generous but when many of one's journeys are short then it would be much more expensive and inconvenient for the Council to use alternatives. Just think of careers, how could they do their job without using a car? I also understand that for long journeys, staff have to use public transport.

Car allowance is not paid for travel to and from normal place of work.
So all things considered I don't think that car allowance is all that generous and represents value for money for the Council in the majority of journeys.

[steveL]

HBC pays 52.5p per mile mileage allowance while HMRC recommends 45p. The anomaly comes when you consider the variation between authorities which in my view has no explanation. Around 100 authorities currently stick to the HMRC recommended 45p while other pay as much as 68p per mile. I have worked on many private contracts which pay just 20p per mile and yet I always managed to cover petrol costs with that and be left with a sizeable donation to any running costs such as tax and insurance, tyres etc.

52.5p is far too much, even before the recent drop in petrol prices and I know that it's seen by many as a useful supplement to their income which it was never meant to be. There's no scope for such generosity in times of austerity.