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Letter - new approach to cuts
On March 8, I wrote to Sir Merrick Cockell, leader of Kensington and Chelsea Council (RBKC) suggesting that consideration be given to a consultation aimed at reducing the number of councillors by a third - from 54 to 36.
This would produce worthwhile savings in the estimated annual cost of councillors of £1.2m.
This approach is already being taken by other councils, including Bucks County Council and Telford and Wrekin Council.
The chief executives of several councils are also taking voluntary pay cuts.
With the chief executive of RBKC costing the taxpayer £256,000 pa, I suggested that a similar gesture would be appreciated by borough residents.
Despite a reminder, Sir Merrick has yet to reply. Perhaps this is not surprising as RBKC seem determined to protect themselves from the effect of the recession and cuts by increasing charges for their services.
In October 2010, RBKC decided to increase charges and fees by 3.1%. This was followed by substantially higher increases for parking charges.
This is a clear example of the public sector protecting itself at the expense of the taxpayer.
Gordon Taylor,
Chairman West London Residents' Association
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The oddity of all this is that Eric Pickles and Grant Shapps both stridently condemned Town Clerks/Chief Executives refusing to take pay cuts. Despite these calls Derek Myers refuses to make even the most modest of gestures. His salary (and costs) of nearly £800 a day far exceed our Prime Minister's salary, and that of the President of the US!
Curious too is the Royal Borough's refusal to scrap the ill read council newspaper: most of the content is absolute tripe aimed at boosting the fragile ego of the Leader. But worse, these 'newspapers'( I use the term advisedly) threaten the existence of genuine news carriers such as the Chronicle. A Conservative Council should behave as one.
yes i agree with Doctor Gordon Taylor on the excesses of the RBK&C hierachy and councilor need for cutting their ranks and powers too!
in my experience they with their TMo have been ineffective in managing their responsibilities in a proffessional manner in this borough. The technical and envoromental depts are bassically 'INEPT'in their practices, wholley unproffesional in their execution of their duties!
i'd prefer a system of Tenants and resident Initaitive led controls and m,anagement of their own estates!
but as i live on an estate that has been trying desperatley to disengage from this beaurocratic regime for the last 20 years, I fear thety won't let go of their power -base that easily!
dbt. residents who have English as as 2nd or 3rd language still manage to put their comments through a spell-checker!