Just read the Echo report on the cabinets gang of 8 increased allowances and terry cutmores reasons why he deserves the increase. I felt his reasons where a little weak just as the reason why the conservatives adopted the cabinet system was. Surely strong leadership would be to say that why adopt this system when it is undemocratic and it would not be beneficial for the relationship between an electorate that is becoming more dismayed with its council every day. Or a council that is becoming more insular every day.
I also missed the part in the paper that said where the £50K was going to come from. Maybe I missed it or maybe the Echo didn’t ask the question. We are still waiting to hear Mr. Cutmore!
Christine, it shouldnt affect the council tax. The govt normally allows us to increase the council tax by a maximum of 5 percent and the council then increases it by that amount.
Could mean an increase in car parking charges – but as we are already warning them NOT to pay for it that way they probably wont try it.
What will probably happen is that the 50k is simply spent on cabinet allowances rather than on something else more worthwhile.
…. Mr Cutmore currently works for Eon, and we all know that the powers that be there, squeeze more money out of the populace to pay the fat cat increases!! [edited by admin]
If Councillor Cutmore wants to put up the car parking fees ONLY in his own Ashingdon and Canewdon ward to pay for gis greed then perhaps he should do so – and then explain why he is doing so to his loyal constituants – maybe then those people that actually voted for him will think twice about voting him in next time…
We are still waiting to hear an explaination from Councillor Thomass and the other 15….
I hope that all of the Rochford Distict Voters are going to be made fully aware of this abhorant raise…so that they ALL Voters, regardless of their political persuasion, can make a truly informed choice of who they vote for and what it is likely to cost them if they vote Tory!
Admin, is this a policy that could be overturned if another leader/party were elected?
TWR, it’s perfectly possible to change this policy.
When the council was hung back in the ’90s, we had one year that very grim financially, with the possibility of some voluntary redundancies.
In those days allowances were in the hundreds rather than in the thousands. But as a symbol , I suggested that allowances were cut by 10 percent and that was agreed.
BigBry, I am not saying that companies are not entitled to their profit, but I am saying that Electricity & Gas suppliers such as Eon, should be having their profits capped and the balance repaid to their consumers. Can anyone (other that the fat cats) justify the huge double figure percentage increases over the past few weeks? Who gets that profit? The share holders!
What we should all be doing is writing/emailing to our local councillor (especially those in the ‘cabinet’) informing them of our disgust at their rises, with reasons why. Demanding we have contact telephone numbers in case of an emergency and letting them know that we are seriously reconsidering who we will vote for, not just in the Rochford council, but the County Council as well. That will give Mavis Webster something to think about!
Corey, sorry I disagree. Although energy suppliers aren’t exactly operating in a free market there is competition. If a windfall tax was appropriate where do you draw the line? Is profit of £500m too much for a huge company like BG or Eon but for a smaller player like Scottish and Southern what is appropriate. What about all the massive investment energy companies are going to be making over the next 10 years to make sure we all have enough power? What about petrol companies, banks, supermarkets? Do we tax everyone more just because they are sucessful?
Don’t forget the Government makes a huge amount of money in tax from all profitable companies.
How much extra VAT will the Governemnt be getting from their 5% vat on fuel? Do they use this to help those ‘fuel poor’.
Anyway that’s off topic. Sorry for the distraction.
TWR, as far as I can remember, Ashingdon & Canewdon do not have any pay car parks. If raising car park fees to fund these increases were to be introduced, Rochford, Hockley & Rayleigh residents would be the ones to suffer. Traders in Rayleigh would also see further drops in customers and even more shops would have vacant notices in their windows.
Greenbelt – Then the lucky lucky residents of Ashingdon and Canewdon will continue to live in blissful ignorance and continue to vote for Cutmore and the rest of his Highwaymen!
I would really like to have full disclosure on this issue – i.e.
1) The names, political party, Council position and wards of the 17 Councillors who voted for this hike in allowances.
2) The names, political party, Council position and wards of the 4 Councillors that voted against.
3) The names, political party, Council position and wards of those Councillors that abstained.
This list should be published ASAP – much like the “John Lewis List” so that tax payers can decide for themselves if they are getting value for money from their Councillors and then make a truly informed choice when it comes around to the next election!
TWR -We don’t have a full record. A proper ‘recorded vote’ requires 8 councillors to ask for one. It only happens these days when the Conservative Group want a recorded vote because there are only 5 Lib Dems and one Rochford Resident.
However an individual can always ask for his or her own vote to be recorded.
I can tell you that :
17 councillors voted for the increase. All Conservatives. (But note, there are 33 members of the Conservative Group – so 16 of them did not vote for this)
4 Councillors voted against. All Lib Dems. These were Chris Black and Ron Oatham (Downhall and Rawreth) Jackie Dillnutt (Sweyne Park) Chris Lumley (Grange)
A number of councillors abstained.These were all Conservatives except June Lumley (Lib Dem, Grange).
June holds a special position on the council as she is chair of the Review Committee which, amongst other things, monitors the cabinet. (Under the Council Constitution this position has to go to a minority party).
I should make it plain that June did NOT get an increase in her own allowance.
The only person who asked for their abstention to be recorded was Hawkwell Conservative Councillor Derek Stainsby. (not in the cabinet)
A number of councillors were absent. These included John Mason (Rochford Resident Councillor from Hawkwell)
Yet again many thanks Chris for this response and your honesty!
However it doesn’t make me feel any easier about this particular issue.
I’m not making any accusations but the “rules” that exist only contribute to allegations of sleaze.
These “rules” do nothing to promote transparent and democratic governance. If the Tories – in fact any Councillor – had nothing to be ashamed of then ALL votes and decisions would automatically be fully recorded and made available for public scutiny. After all (yawn!) we are the tax payers… I’m tempted to put in an application under the FOI Act but this would only cause me more expense!! Maybe The Echo would be publically spirited enough to do this and write a nice investigative journalistic piece?
What with the ASDA debacle etc.. and now this outrage I’m becoming increasingly disillusioned by local politics.
If it wasn’t for this website I wouldn’t have a clue what was going on! Thank You.
TWR, you should come along to the next Full Council on October 28th and have a look at what happens for yourself. (I would really enjoy reading your comments here afterwards).
In the meantime, over the summer break we’ve got some ideas on changing the appearance of the website and hopefully adding an extra feature that will really help onlinefocus readers to be informed and involved.
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Just read the Echo report on the cabinets gang of 8 increased allowances and terry cutmores reasons why he deserves the increase. I felt his reasons where a little weak just as the reason why the conservatives adopted the cabinet system was. Surely strong leadership would be to say that why adopt this system when it is undemocratic and it would not be beneficial for the relationship between an electorate that is becoming more dismayed with its council every day. Or a council that is becoming more insular every day.
I also missed the part in the paper that said where the £50K was going to come from. Maybe I missed it or maybe the Echo didn’t ask the question. We are still waiting to hear Mr. Cutmore!
Dare I say it, an increase in the Council Tax?
Christine, it shouldnt affect the council tax. The govt normally allows us to increase the council tax by a maximum of 5 percent and the council then increases it by that amount.
Could mean an increase in car parking charges – but as we are already warning them NOT to pay for it that way they probably wont try it.
What will probably happen is that the 50k is simply spent on cabinet allowances rather than on something else more worthwhile.
…. Mr Cutmore currently works for Eon, and we all know that the powers that be there, squeeze more money out of the populace to pay the fat cat increases!! [edited by admin]
That’s a bit unfair isn’t it Corey? Are you suggesting companies don’t exist for profit?
If Councillor Cutmore wants to put up the car parking fees ONLY in his own Ashingdon and Canewdon ward to pay for gis greed then perhaps he should do so – and then explain why he is doing so to his loyal constituants – maybe then those people that actually voted for him will think twice about voting him in next time…
We are still waiting to hear an explaination from Councillor Thomass and the other 15….
I hope that all of the Rochford Distict Voters are going to be made fully aware of this abhorant raise…so that they ALL Voters, regardless of their political persuasion, can make a truly informed choice of who they vote for and what it is likely to cost them if they vote Tory!
Admin, is this a policy that could be overturned if another leader/party were elected?
TWR, it’s perfectly possible to change this policy.
When the council was hung back in the ’90s, we had one year that very grim financially, with the possibility of some voluntary redundancies.
In those days allowances were in the hundreds rather than in the thousands. But as a symbol , I suggested that allowances were cut by 10 percent and that was agreed.
BigBry, I am not saying that companies are not entitled to their profit, but I am saying that Electricity & Gas suppliers such as Eon, should be having their profits capped and the balance repaid to their consumers. Can anyone (other that the fat cats) justify the huge double figure percentage increases over the past few weeks? Who gets that profit? The share holders!
What we should all be doing is writing/emailing to our local councillor (especially those in the ‘cabinet’) informing them of our disgust at their rises, with reasons why. Demanding we have contact telephone numbers in case of an emergency and letting them know that we are seriously reconsidering who we will vote for, not just in the Rochford council, but the County Council as well. That will give Mavis Webster something to think about!
Corey, sorry I disagree. Although energy suppliers aren’t exactly operating in a free market there is competition. If a windfall tax was appropriate where do you draw the line? Is profit of £500m too much for a huge company like BG or Eon but for a smaller player like Scottish and Southern what is appropriate. What about all the massive investment energy companies are going to be making over the next 10 years to make sure we all have enough power? What about petrol companies, banks, supermarkets? Do we tax everyone more just because they are sucessful?
Don’t forget the Government makes a huge amount of money in tax from all profitable companies.
How much extra VAT will the Governemnt be getting from their 5% vat on fuel? Do they use this to help those ‘fuel poor’.
Anyway that’s off topic. Sorry for the distraction.
TWR, as far as I can remember, Ashingdon & Canewdon do not have any pay car parks. If raising car park fees to fund these increases were to be introduced, Rochford, Hockley & Rayleigh residents would be the ones to suffer. Traders in Rayleigh would also see further drops in customers and even more shops would have vacant notices in their windows.
Greenbelt – Then the lucky lucky residents of Ashingdon and Canewdon will continue to live in blissful ignorance and continue to vote for Cutmore and the rest of his Highwaymen!
I would really like to have full disclosure on this issue – i.e.
1) The names, political party, Council position and wards of the 17 Councillors who voted for this hike in allowances.
2) The names, political party, Council position and wards of the 4 Councillors that voted against.
3) The names, political party, Council position and wards of those Councillors that abstained.
This list should be published ASAP – much like the “John Lewis List” so that tax payers can decide for themselves if they are getting value for money from their Councillors and then make a truly informed choice when it comes around to the next election!
Is that possible please Admin?
TWR -We don’t have a full record. A proper ‘recorded vote’ requires 8 councillors to ask for one. It only happens these days when the Conservative Group want a recorded vote because there are only 5 Lib Dems and one Rochford Resident.
However an individual can always ask for his or her own vote to be recorded.
I can tell you that :
17 councillors voted for the increase. All Conservatives. (But note, there are 33 members of the Conservative Group – so 16 of them did not vote for this)
4 Councillors voted against. All Lib Dems. These were Chris Black and Ron Oatham (Downhall and Rawreth) Jackie Dillnutt (Sweyne Park) Chris Lumley (Grange)
A number of councillors abstained.These were all Conservatives except June Lumley (Lib Dem, Grange).
June holds a special position on the council as she is chair of the Review Committee which, amongst other things, monitors the cabinet. (Under the Council Constitution this position has to go to a minority party).
I should make it plain that June did NOT get an increase in her own allowance.
The only person who asked for their abstention to be recorded was Hawkwell Conservative Councillor Derek Stainsby. (not in the cabinet)
A number of councillors were absent. These included John Mason (Rochford Resident Councillor from Hawkwell)
Yet again many thanks Chris for this response and your honesty!
However it doesn’t make me feel any easier about this particular issue.
I’m not making any accusations but the “rules” that exist only contribute to allegations of sleaze.
These “rules” do nothing to promote transparent and democratic governance. If the Tories – in fact any Councillor – had nothing to be ashamed of then ALL votes and decisions would automatically be fully recorded and made available for public scutiny. After all (yawn!) we are the tax payers… I’m tempted to put in an application under the FOI Act but this would only cause me more expense!! Maybe The Echo would be publically spirited enough to do this and write a nice investigative journalistic piece?
What with the ASDA debacle etc.. and now this outrage I’m becoming increasingly disillusioned by local politics.
If it wasn’t for this website I wouldn’t have a clue what was going on! Thank You.
TWR, you should come along to the next Full Council on October 28th and have a look at what happens for yourself. (I would really enjoy reading your comments here afterwards).
In the meantime, over the summer break we’ve got some ideas on changing the appearance of the website and hopefully adding an extra feature that will really help onlinefocus readers to be informed and involved.