Jeremy Miles for Beaconsfield

Yesterday the Conservative administraion on Bucks County Council announced that the salaries of council staff will be frozen for the next financial year as part of a “big effort” to cut back on costs. Councillors are also introducing a freeze on their pay but at the eleventh hour voted themselves additional special responsbility allowances so that more than half the council now benefits from enhanced payments, in contravention of government guidance. This is a clear example of Conservative councillors making sure they are allright before pulling up the drawbridge and freezing the pay of employees.

Today I wrote to Council Leader David Shakespeare to ask him to join me in calling for councillors to give up the pay increases they voted themselves just before imposing the freeze, so that voters faith isnt eroded further by their actions and that councillors carry their fair share of the burden they are so quick to demand that workers and service users carry:

Dear Mr Shakespeare

In announcing the freezing of Bucks County Council employees salaries yesterday you invited residents to applaud your “big effort” in cutting costs even though these measures will impose real burdens on Council workers.  Residents in Beaconsfield and no doubt throughout Buckinghamshire will contrast the sacrifices which Councillors are demanding of others with Councillors awarding themselves an early Christmas present at the end of last year with SRA pay increases in breach of national guidelines.

The Council rightly hailed the hard work and commitment of road gritters during the heavy snow and is quick to demand that voters curb their expectations as to the level of services they expect from the Council - don’t you agree with me that this rings rather hollow when Councillors themselves have put their own financial interests above those of Council employees and residents?

Voters’ trust in elected representatives is now at an all-time low and the last thing that is going to help restore that trust is one rule for Bucks councillors and another for employees and residents.

Will you join with me now in calling for Councillors to forgo the guideline-busting pay increases they awarded themselves last year just before introducing the freeze, so that the Council doesn’t further undermine residents trust and so that Councillors carry their fair share of the burden?

Yours

Jeremy Miles
Labour PPC - Beaconsfield