Expenses, expenses...

andrewb · 26-02-2009, 12:26

Financial Year 2007/2008

Total
Leader of the Council: £2,189.3
Leader of the opposition: £1,924.95

LGA Conference
Leader of the Council: £204.44
Leader of the opposition: £204.44

Hotels
Leader of the Council: £323.40 (4 nights)
Leader of the opposition: £323.40 (4 nights)

Food
Leader of the Council: £236.95
Leader of the opposition: £0

Travel
Leader of the Council: £622.58
Leader of the opposition: £0

Mobile Phone Bills
Leader of the Council: £797.97
Leader of the opposition: £1,393.11

The major differences here are travel, food, and mobile phone bills. The council leader travels a lot, as he represents the borough externally, and people shouldn't expect him to pay out of his own pocket when representing the council, where as the leader of the opposition does not represent the council.

Quite why the leader of the opposition's mobile phone bills are going on for double that of the man running the show, I really don't know.

Tealeaf · 26-02-2009, 12:30

....maybe Accy web has alot to answer for....

entwisi · 26-02-2009, 12:58

1400 quid on moble bills?

how the heck do they manage that, 75 quid a month buys you 3000 mins, unlimited text, email via blackberry etc.

3000 minutes - 50 hours a monthover 2 hours a day making calls(i.e. not those received from other callers).

Gayle · 26-02-2009, 12:59

Sorry Andrew but you're really clutching at straws there. Perhaps Graham's phone bill is larger because he rings more people from his mobile. Peter has a very nice office with a telephone in it and a secretary to make his calls. Graham has a poky little office that he shares with the rest of the labour group.

Just because the phone bills are different doesn't mean anything once you take the other factors into consideration.

Whatever you think of either of the men's politics, everyone has to concede that both of them work very hard.

emzy · 26-02-2009, 14:22

When I had just moved and was without a phone line (for quite some time) my mobile bill was around the £100 a month mark as I was making a number of calls to 0870 / 0845 numbers which arnt often covered by your inclusive minutes. It is very easily done to be honest and im not representing a political party

accyman · 26-02-2009, 14:55

if somone is out helping people and working for his constituancy then obviously they wont have a landline available so will depend on a mobile more

i would say the higher the phone bill the more that person was out and about getting things done

alot of poeople are on pay as you go and will probably ask to be rang back especialy if that person is hard up and dosnt have free mins etc

g jones · 26-02-2009, 15:14

Well you've shown what a nasty little person you really are Andrew. The thread I posted, I knew you where after this mis-information.

The Council took over my contract and put me on the bottom tarif by mistake to start. I am the ONLY carer for Grandmother who brought me up and who was 95 when she finally passed away in april after a few years of ill health. My personal calls where very high. Not a day went by without a crises, complaint, need or problem to one agency or another.

I could not go away for more than few days but when I did, abroad several times, my bill just rocketed. Throughout I informed the Council who altered my tarif and tried to resolve the problems. I was frustrated about it and kept in constant dialogue with the Managing Director to make sure it didn't continue because it was costing me a fortune and I am out of pocket (compared to my high street account) paying the Council for my personal calls. The Managing Director has apologised. They know as a carer what I have been going through, emotionally and physically.

I don't care if my bill was £5000. Caring for someone you love is more important than money.

I knew you'd drag my personal life into the gutter for your stupid Conservative Party ideals. That is precisely who you are.

You've (Senior Tories) in the past been in my father-in-laws front room trying to fish dirt on me because he's was a loyal Tory. You were told to get out then and he's voted Labour ever since.

It's nice to know you published the only aspect that made The Leader look good and choose to not print the (damaging) rest.

All you ever try to do is bring Labour into the gutter because you have nothing positive to say about yourself.

cashman · 26-02-2009, 15:14

Perhaps Andrew as posted this thread in n attempt to deflect away from the fact that he has ignored completly posting in his mate Jaysays thread "Our Lads Home At Last"

g jones · 26-02-2009, 15:16

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

1400 quid on moble bills?

how the heck do they manage that, 75 quid a month buys you 3000 mins, unlimited text, email via blackberry etc.

3000 minutes - 50 hours a monthover 2 hours a day making calls(i.e. not those received from other callers).

I am disapointed with you enty. You live opposite my Grans and you know the issues I, on my own, have had to deal with.

lancsdave · 26-02-2009, 15:19

As this was supposed to be research for a degree, no wonder our educational standards are falling. what sort of degree is it and how did this information help ?

cashman · 26-02-2009, 15:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by g jones

I am disapointed with you enty. You live opposite my Grans and you know the issues I, on my own, have had to deal with.

bit naive that graham, they are all the same, no matter how they pretend.

entwisi · 26-02-2009, 15:26

why, I have no idea what council business you do on a mobile? I know you through your mums house and what happens there but obviously none of that is council business. Are you saying that some of these expenses are personal calls?

I'm saying that 120/month on a mobile is a heck of a lot of time on one(I should know, my work mobile gets a battering pretty much all day long but I don't cover anything like what you seem to be doing).I don't doubt that you work hard and are 100% comitted to teh role, I can see that each time we speak irrespective of if I agree with you or not on what we are discussing. What I am questioning is are you making teh right decision as to what plan, where you are when you make the calls etc. e.g. if you are sat at home its a lot cheaper to use a landline and claim that call than sat making a 1 hour call on your mobile on your settee at home. YOu and I have often discussed prudence within teh council, I'm questioning if this is an example where we are maybe not as prudent as we shoudl be.

Perhaps if you clarify what you claim, is it your whole bill? do you knock off any personal calls? do you run 2 mobiles( one work one personal?)

I'd happily ask that if anyone knows the answers to these Qs for PB to comment on them as well as I would hate to be seen as one sided in this.

cashman · 26-02-2009, 15:27

Quote:

Originally Posted by andrewb

Quite why the leader of the opposition's mobile phone bills are going on for double that of the man running the show, I really don't know.

well ya know now n ya had the nerve to pm me about my comment in the other thread, well ya just re-inforced my view.

how you have been appointed an " impartial" on here, the mind boggles.

g jones · 26-02-2009, 15:30

Could I add, The Council have got my contract right now. It's £12 a month and I within that on calls or a £1 or £2 over max (obviously my gran accounted for a huge proportion of my personal calls) and I am having problem with £7.50 data bolt on. Last months bill cost me £28.53 in data. So it is still not totally resolved.

Neil · 26-02-2009, 15:32

Quote:

Originally Posted by entwisi

1400 quid on moble bills?

how the heck do they manage that, 75 quid a month buys you 3000 mins, unlimited text, email via blackberry etc.

3000 minutes - 50 hours a monthover 2 hours a day making calls(i.e. not those received from other callers).

I think both mobile bills are excessive.

How many of those calls are made while sat at home I wonder?

Most people get free local calls on their home phone these days or can add it for a monthly charge that could be claimed back.

People should be trying to reduce mobile phone usage due to possible health side effects of having it stuck to the side of your brain for hours a day.

Andrew why have you posted expenses only and not the full cost of Councillors to us Council Tax payers by including all allowances and expenses claimed?

Also why have you only posted Graham and Peters expenses and not all the Councillors?