Call for cut in number of councillors

jaysay · 12-01-2011, 10:25

Call to cut number of councillors for East Lancashire (From Lancashire Telegraph)
There is a call for the number of councillors in places like Hyndburn Rossendale, Burnley and Pendle. I agree to an extent, I have long been in favour of a Unitary Authority here in Hyndburn, and a complete streamlining of the council and what would be a better time to do it than now

Neil · 12-01-2011, 11:50

I thought the general opinion was Hyndburn is to small on its own to be a Unitary Authority

Ken Moss · 12-01-2011, 16:03

Rather than type it out again......

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ken Moss

I have to come in as defence for Hyndburn Council here and point out that there are remarkably few paper shufflers at Scaitcliffe House. In terms of manpower, from what I can see there really isn't an awful lot of room for manouevre in terms of slashing manpower.

What can be cut drastically is the number of small amounts which are frittered away on bits of nothing. It goes on all the time and to be honest it would count for a very large amount of what we're being told to save.

£1,000 here, £2,000 there....there are innumerable awards ceremonies and buffet lunches to cut for a start. Tatty bye, I can make my own butties and give myself a pat on the back without it costing thousands of pounds of public money. In terms of personal luxuries, being a councillor isn't the cushy life some people might think but those perks don't come with other jobs so I don't see any reason why we should have them.

As far as too many councillors are concerned, please don't reduce the number any more or I'm out. Looking after 3,300 homes is damned hard work and I don't fancy widening the radius of the houses I have to keep informed of events. All three of us are responsible for all 3,300 homes in Rishton and I'd find it much harder to communicate with every resident without the support of Cllr Grayson. We've both been out seeing residents this evening and posting Christmas cards with helpline numbers on plus have over a dozen other people still to see before weekend. It isn't easy but it is enjoyable, although piling more work on would push me towards standing down. I simply don't have the time, neither would many people who work so you end up left with the option of the retired or the unemployed and close the door to those who want to make a difference but can't.

The phone never stops ringing and my email inbox is always full. I'll take the fact that I am getting more and more calls as a sign that people feel they can come to me with a reasonable chance of getting a decent response but I've got other work to do as well.

At the moment you have 35 people representing over 80,000 residents in Hyndburn, I don't think that's over-egging the pudding too much.

jaysay · 12-01-2011, 18:43

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

I thought the general opinion was Hyndburn is to sbeuracricymall on its own to be a Unitary Authority

It would have to merge with say Rossendale or Ribble Valley, but a two tier system is out moded, the fact that out of every pound we pay in Council Tax around 83 pence go to county and the police, I would sooner see every pound raised here spent here and cut out one raft of local government.

Neil · 12-01-2011, 18:53

I suppose the first saving would be no County Councillors

walkinman221 · 12-01-2011, 18:56

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

It would have to merge with say Rossendale or Ribble Valley, but a two tier system is out moded, the fact that out of every pound we pay in Council Tax around 83 pence go to county and the police, I would sooner see every pound raised here spent here and cut out one raft of local government.

Dont think thats going to happen goverment and goverment bodies thrive on plenty of layers of mainly inept management

jaysay · 12-01-2011, 19:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by Neil

I suppose the first saving would be no County Councillors

Have you ever been to county hall neil

jaysay · 12-01-2011, 19:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by walkinman221

Dont think thats going to happen goverment and goverment bodies thrive on plenty of layers of mainly inept management

Blackburn and Blackpool are on their own why not here

JCB · 12-01-2011, 19:14

The average councillor in Hyndburn represents 2027 .

In Bolton it's 4300 , and on Manchester City Council 5092 .

If we are all in it together , and there have to be cuts all round , bankers excepted , the number of councillors should be cut .

walkinman221 · 12-01-2011, 19:17

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Blackburn and Blackpool are on their own why not here

Ok big sams gone at b/burn but i think olly is doing a good job at blackpool

jaysay · 12-01-2011, 19:21

Quote:

Originally Posted by JCB

The average councillor in Hyndburn represents 2027 .

In Bolton it's 4300 , and on Manchester City Council 5092 .

If we are all in it together , and there have to be cuts all round , bankers excepted , the number of councillors should be cut .

Think you'll find both Bolton and Manchester are unitary authorities JCB

Tealeaf · 12-01-2011, 19:34

I quote from post # 3 on this thread:

"..We've both been out seeing residents this evening and posting Christmas cards.."

Could someone please explain why it is neccessary for elected councillors to spend time pounding the streets shoving junk mail through respectable peoples' front doors?

Surely if this is the best defence that Hyndburn councillors can come up with, then the sooner they are reduced in number, the better.

jaysay · 12-01-2011, 19:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

I quote from post # 3 on this thread:

"..We've both been out seeing residents this evening and posting Christmas cards.."

Could someone please explain why it is neccessary for elected councillors to spend time pounding the streets shoving junk mail through respectable peoples' front doors?

Surely if this is the best defence that Hyndburn councillors can come up with, then the sooner they are reduced in number, the better.

Well apart from May its the only time councillors see their electorate Tealeaf

JCB · 12-01-2011, 19:41

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Think you'll find both Bolton and Manchester are unitary authorities JCB

I was just going off the figures in The Telegraph , Jaysay .

We vote for an MEP .
We vote for an MP .
We vote for a borough councillor .
We vote for a county councillor .

A few too many I think .

JCB · 12-01-2011, 19:45

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Well apart from May its the only time councillors see their electorate Tealeaf

Not in Spring Hill .

They are never at our doors , May or Christmas .