Ex-Mayor in charity storm.

garinda · 05-06-2008, 18:26

According to the Observer ex-Mayor Tony Dobson has been criticised for his fund raising whilst in office last year. The person who seems most angry is a fellow Conservative, Cllr. Doug Hayes.

I'm not going to type out the whole story, but the link to the Observer is here.

http://www.accringtonobserver.co.uk/...ity_fund_storm

Personally I really can't see what the problem is.

The method may be unorthodox, but so what?

Money was raised for charity, no one appears to have been conned, and I can't really see why his fellow Tories are rounding on him.

flashy · 05-06-2008, 18:30

ive just read that in't tho'obsever too, what does it matter?

garinda · 05-06-2008, 18:35

Quote:

Originally Posted by flashytart

ive just read that in't tho'obsever too, what does it matter?

I've no idea.

Sounds like sour grapes to me.

I don't suppose the beneficiaries will be complaing about all the extra money that was raised.

lindsay ormerod · 05-06-2008, 18:38

Not sure about this; the charities actually made the donation themselves, and then he gave the money back to them with an extra 10 % on top.
Surely he can only really claim to have raised the 10% as the rest was only a "loan " in effect?
Sounds like a con job to me. (no pun intended)

garinda · 05-06-2008, 18:42

Quote:

Originally Posted by lindsay ormerod

Not sure about this; the charities actually made the donation themselves, and then he gave the money back to them with an extra 10 % on top.
Surely he can only really claim to have raised the 10% as the rest was only a "loan " in effect?
Sounds like a con job to me. (no pun intended)

They weren't all charities though, some were schools that raised money for him.

It did seem a little odd asking for money from charities. Perhaps that's what all the fuss is about.

Gayle · 05-06-2008, 18:43

I've read the article but I'm not sure I understand the whole '10% top up' thing.

What was his nominated charity this year? Were all those organisations his nominated charities and where did the 10% come from?

Sorry, don't get it.

mrskitty · 05-06-2008, 18:49

I personally don't see what all the fuss is about-even if it because it was other charities that raised the money, if they were bothered they could have said no.
It was all legal, so i don't think theres a problem.

Bonnyboy · 05-06-2008, 19:58

In the link it says he was the first mayor to operate without forming a charity committee, maybe that’s part of the issue, I don’t know.

I cant say I understand the 10% payback on the donations. How do you raise funds by asking for a donation and returning it with an added 10% ???

Guess that’s why I’m not a business man.

Gayle · 05-06-2008, 20:00

May be he invested it to raise the extra money.

Got to admit I was surprised when i saw how much he'd raised - only because I know that previous Mayors had raised about £12k.

Bonnyboy · 05-06-2008, 20:03

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

May be he invested it to raise the extra money.

Got to admit I was surprised when i saw how much he'd raised - only because I know that previous Mayors had raised about £12k.

I could have lent him a few quid, he only had to ask

jaysay · 05-06-2008, 22:10

I have to say I heard about this last week, but not what the context was, as some of you may realise its very rare I'm on here at this time o night, I do need my beauty sleep

but I've only just returned home, and thought I'd see If anything had been posted on the subect. I'm very disappionted, can't see what all the fuse is about really. I know Tony very well, he is a very successful business man, the only thing I can see is that he and his wife have done the fund raising for the Mayoresses charity in a different way, so what, he did nothin illegal and local cherities and projects benefited, must have been a slow week news wise for the Observer

cmonstanley · 05-06-2008, 22:19

looks like more political skullduggary as dobbo wasnt in the political mainstream and was an and coming councillor and not in the proper cliqe before he became mayor there has been a dirty tricks campaign.remember the banners...im not surprised this has come up .no wonder councillors are becoming independents.but i suppose its making politics interesting in hyndburn might be tempted myself in a few years..

Royboy39 · 05-06-2008, 22:30

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmonstanley

looks like more political skullduggary as dobbo wasnt in the political mainstream and was an and coming councillor and not in the proper cliqe before he became mayor there has been a dirty tricks campaign.remember the banners...im not surprised this has come up .no wonder councillors are becoming independents.but i suppose its making politics interesting in hyndburn might be tempted myself in a few years..

Oh..............Dear.

WillowTheWhisp · 05-06-2008, 22:55

I'm a little confused too about what he actually did - was it a case of the charity gave him some money and he returned it with a 10% increase? Seems a little odd. If it actually benefitted the charities though I don't see any reason for complaint. I'm not particularly keen on people who blow their own trumpets about how well they've done though.

Neil · 06-06-2008, 06:24

Quote:

Originally Posted by Gayle

Got to admit I was surprised when i saw how much he'd raised - only because I know that previous Mayors had raised about £12k.

Only 12k in a whole year, I bet you could raise more than that