Give your bonus to needy, bosses told
Feb 22 2008
by Dave Black, The Journal
BUMPER “golden handcuffs” pay rises to three senior county council officers have been branded scandalous by members of a rural parish council in Northumberland.
Hartburn Parish Council has called on the three officials to hand back their controversial 20% salary increases and donate the money to employ more carers for elderly and disabled people.
County chief executive Mark Henderson, deputy chief executive Jill Dixon and finance director Steven Mason were awarded the retention payments last October to ensure they do not leave to take up new jobs during the transition process to unitary local government in Northumberland next year.
The decision to boost their pay was taken unilaterally under delegated powers by council leader Peter Hillman, without being referred to the ruling Labour group or the full county council for approval.
It has been widely condemned by local MPs, opposition councillors, trade union officials and members of the public at a time when the Prime Minister is calling for tough controls on public sector pay. Now Hartburn Parish Council, which discussed the issue at its recent meeting, says it is united in its condemnation of the pay rises. The three officers were already on performance-related annual salaries of about £150,000, £110,000 and £100,000 respectively.
Parish council chairman Ernie Coe said the decision was “nothing less than scandalous” when police were battling for the Government to honour their 2% pay rise, other public sector workers were having their wages cut and the county council was making £4.7m in budget reductions.
“We feel sure there are county council employees who are perfectly capable of carrying out the work of these three figureheads. No one is indispensable. There is only so much work that one person can do, no matter how much they are paid.
“Perhaps Mark Henderson, Jill Dixon and Steven Mason might regain a certain amount of public respect by donating their pay increases back to the council to fund the posts of three or four full-time carers for the elderly and disabled.”
Coun Coe said parish council members were shocked that Coun Hillman was able to make a decision of such magnitude without the approval of the county council. “We sincerely hope that lessons will be learned and legislation put in place in the formation of the new unitary authority so that errors of judgment such as this can never be made again.”
Coun Hillman said he had used appropriate powers under the council’s constitution to sanction the payments. He said he had decided to approve them for “business critical reasons” to ensure the required knowledge and know-how was in place at the top of the authority during the huge challenge of switching to unitary local government.
“I took this decision in October in order to secure at an early stage the services of these three officers. These are time-limited retention payments, not permanent pay rises.” The payments mean Mr Henderson’s earnings will go up £28,200, Ms Dixon’s £21,099 and Mr Mason’s £18,989 – more than many people’s annual salary.
Friday, February 22, 2008
Wednesday, February 20, 2008
The Journal Febuary 2008, Labour all women shortlists
Labour in move for all-women shortlists
by Dave Black, The Journal
PROMINENT male councillors could find themselves squeezed out in the battle for seats on Northumberland’s super council because of a controversial Labour Party drive to get more women members on the new, all-purpose authority.
Labour officials in Blyth Valley have agreed to women-only shortlists from which to choose candidates in seven of the constituency’s 17 electoral divisions on the unitary council due to take over next year.
The decision has already helped cast a major doubt over the future of former county council leader Bill Brooks, whose Blyth Newsham ward is one of those affected by the all-women lists.
It emerged yesterday that Coun Brooks – who held the top political post from 2005 to 2007 – has been excluded from the list of potential Labour election candidates for May’s elections, but is appealing against the decision. However, even if his appeal is successful, he would then have to secure a nomination in one of the 10 remaining ‘open’ wards in Blyth Valley if he wants to contest a seat on the new authority.
The same prospect is facing fellow Labour county councillors David Montgomery and Ivan Hayes – whose Hartley and Cramlington West wards have also been earmarked for all-women lists.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Wansbeck, the drive to get more female councillors on board is causing serious friction, with constituency party members and potential election candidates said to be firmly opposed to bringing in all-women shortlists. If the row cannot be resolved, the result could be women candidates imposed on individual Wansbeck wards by regional or national Labour Party officials.
Only five of the 35-strong ruling Labour group on the current county council are women and party officials want to see a greater female involvement in the political decision-making process.
Yesterday Coun Brooks, who has 16 years experience in local government, said: “The situation is that I have been excluded from the list of Labour candidates by my peers, and I am appealing against that. However, even if I win the appeal, it is odds-on that my ward will have an all-women shortlist. I live in Newsham and want to represent the people of Newsham.”
Blyth Valley constituency Labour Party chairman, Dave Stephens, said the general management committee had agreed last weekend to make seven of the 17 local divisions women-only shortlists.
“This has not been an easy process but we have had several meetings about it, thrashed it out thoroughly and agreed that all-women shortlists is the best option to take,” he said.
“I don’t think that anyone is really in favour of all-women lists but we have to take a decision in order to encourage more women into council seats.”
Wansbeck constituency Labour Party chairman, David Nicholson, said he did not want to comment on the issue of all-women shortlists as discussions were still taking place with regional officials.
He said: “The constituency party’s view is that it is for local members to determine who will be their local Labour candidate.
“We want not only the best people, but people who will properly represent their community, whether that is by experience, expertise, gender or any other factor.”
by Dave Black, The Journal
PROMINENT male councillors could find themselves squeezed out in the battle for seats on Northumberland’s super council because of a controversial Labour Party drive to get more women members on the new, all-purpose authority.
Labour officials in Blyth Valley have agreed to women-only shortlists from which to choose candidates in seven of the constituency’s 17 electoral divisions on the unitary council due to take over next year.
The decision has already helped cast a major doubt over the future of former county council leader Bill Brooks, whose Blyth Newsham ward is one of those affected by the all-women lists.
It emerged yesterday that Coun Brooks – who held the top political post from 2005 to 2007 – has been excluded from the list of potential Labour election candidates for May’s elections, but is appealing against the decision. However, even if his appeal is successful, he would then have to secure a nomination in one of the 10 remaining ‘open’ wards in Blyth Valley if he wants to contest a seat on the new authority.
The same prospect is facing fellow Labour county councillors David Montgomery and Ivan Hayes – whose Hartley and Cramlington West wards have also been earmarked for all-women lists.
Meanwhile, in neighbouring Wansbeck, the drive to get more female councillors on board is causing serious friction, with constituency party members and potential election candidates said to be firmly opposed to bringing in all-women shortlists. If the row cannot be resolved, the result could be women candidates imposed on individual Wansbeck wards by regional or national Labour Party officials.
Only five of the 35-strong ruling Labour group on the current county council are women and party officials want to see a greater female involvement in the political decision-making process.
Yesterday Coun Brooks, who has 16 years experience in local government, said: “The situation is that I have been excluded from the list of Labour candidates by my peers, and I am appealing against that. However, even if I win the appeal, it is odds-on that my ward will have an all-women shortlist. I live in Newsham and want to represent the people of Newsham.”
Blyth Valley constituency Labour Party chairman, Dave Stephens, said the general management committee had agreed last weekend to make seven of the 17 local divisions women-only shortlists.
“This has not been an easy process but we have had several meetings about it, thrashed it out thoroughly and agreed that all-women shortlists is the best option to take,” he said.
“I don’t think that anyone is really in favour of all-women lists but we have to take a decision in order to encourage more women into council seats.”
Wansbeck constituency Labour Party chairman, David Nicholson, said he did not want to comment on the issue of all-women shortlists as discussions were still taking place with regional officials.
He said: “The constituency party’s view is that it is for local members to determine who will be their local Labour candidate.
“We want not only the best people, but people who will properly represent their community, whether that is by experience, expertise, gender or any other factor.”
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