Council budget cuts

[paulb]

i agree its not even just this lady. she is paid a wage that should cover transport costs. if you look at her expenses they are 7k higher than the other chairs. sure she has to get to meetings at silly times but then so do lots of other folks. i can understand the need if she has to travel to site visits. but the council meetings are planned. she is chair of the audit committee surly she should be showing restraint in her claims.

[skaterboy]

Has anybody noticed the cat tied up at the east shore marina in Scalloway, we are paying a grand (please feel free to correct figures if you think I'm wrong) a week for it to lie there just in case it is needed to replace the Foula ferry. If we do have to use it then we have to pay even more.

this very expensive marina decoration is owned and operated (or more often not operated) by the Flo's sons, It is only my opinion but this is yet another example of how much Flo costs us.

[Rasmie]

Mmm should one get travel expenses to attend work? If allowed that would surely be a taxable perk.

As someone said most of us are responsible to make our own way to work, out of our salaries.

I can see if your home is on one of the isles there should be an island allowance or something but it definitely that should be capped to encourage individuals to be prudent with our money.

 

For instance if you had a capped amount you would make sure you didn't waste your journeys by e.g. going to the Co-op etc on the way home.

 

perhaps a scale could be applied for those living in distance bands from the toon hall and then take into consideration any travelling expenses from the utter isles.

Something more up front would be good

[MuckleJoannie]

Being a councillor is not strictly speaking a job but rather a committee member. I've been a member of committees where there is provision for the payment of travel expenses to avoid people being disenfranchised due to not being able to attand a meeting.

[paulb]

yes that would be fine but she recieves a salary of £17,755.92 on top of that she gets

subsistance allowance of £516.54 what is this made up of im thinh of the pie gate scandal.

telephone and ict of £332.66 fair enough but are there any phone packages that would give free calls.

other expensese £13,524.63

making a total of £32,129.75 is this tax free

 

so if she was just getting the expenses that would be fine but when they start getting a wage its not.

as an example here is just a random chairs expenses

A Wishart Chairperson - Infrastrucutre Committee up to September 2009 £17,996.21 £20.00 £31.25 £263.26 £495.80 £810.31 £18,806.52

14k diffrent that can not be justified

[breeksy]

But this isn't travel expenses to attend work - this is travel expenses to attend work-related meetings from their place of work, which any employee of the SIC would be entitled to receive. Their primary workplace is their homes I would think, the place where they have their office and answer calls and letters from the people of Shetland.

 

Mountain/molehill?

 

Although I do agree that the taxi fares are out of order. Maybe there should be a caveat that travel expenses are capped at mileage and/or public transport charges for travel within Shetland for normal council business.

[paulb]

were is the council business carried out. she gets extra as a chair. that would make a lot of sense capping it at the mileage allowance.

[unlinkedstudent]

Was it the SIC that decided the level of salary to be paid or the Scottish Parliament?

[gavva]

I am led to believe that this is not just one taxi into Lerwick per day but a taxi into town for a morning meeting a taxi home for lunch and another back into town for an afternoon meeting..... Talk about taking the piss!!!!!

[paulb]

i would hope your wrong. but nowt would shock me.

[islandhopper]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/scotland/north_east_orkney_and_shetland/10175923.stm

 

... when they really decide to close half of Shetland's schools they will have a few pennies left for a moderate increase of their expences in 2011 ...

[MuckleJoannie]

Was it the SIC that decided the level of salary to be paid or the Scottish Parliament?

 

It is decided by the Scottish Parlaiment. The relevant regulations are here

 

http://www.scotland.gov.uk/Publications/2007/04/remuneration

 

Councillors pay will be frozen next year

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/scotland/8486023.stm

 

The salaries of Scotland's councillors are to be frozen for the next year.

 

However, the Convention of Scottish Local Authorities (Cosla) rejected an earlier plan to freeze pay for two years.

 

The decision, which was backed by council leaders and will apply for the financial year 2010-11, was agreed at a meeting in Edinburgh.

 

It will affect Scotland's 1,222 councillors, most of whom are paid £15,000 a year.

[paulb]

how about expenses.

[jaydee67]

The blueprint seems to not address the level of expenditure at Hayfield House, just direct cuts to school services.

 

Abolish knitting and appoint a dialect co-ordinator for 3 years at a MUCH higher cost!

[gavva]

The blueprint seems to not address the level of expenditure at Hayfield House, just direct cuts to school services.

 

Abolish knitting and appoint a dialect co-ordinator for 3 years at a MUCH higher cost!

 

Not only appointing a dialect co ordinator but appointing a dialect co ordinator from South (not a native of Shetland in any shape or form!!!!)