Financial Crisis? What Financial Crisis?

Oldham Council wastes money:

A series of seaside-themed sculptures funded by the council have been installed on the streets of Oldham, Greater Manchester, according to the Manchester Evening News.

One of the sculptures, a bucket and spade,cost local residents £1,550.

This decision comes after council staff were told their salaries would be cut by up to £16,000 in a pay review.

I have no problem with a council spending money on sculptures when public finances are plentiful (and it will be many years before this happens again) but to spend this kind of money on a low priority during a time of economic hardship is simply waste.

One commentator mentions on the Manchester Evening News' comments section that he has had to wait seven years for alley gates (which stop people causing trouble in and around an alleyway) only to be told there is no money, saying "now I know why".

Barnet Council wastes money:

North London's Barnet Council also seems to be ignorant of the financial crisis.

Council leader Lynne Hillan's salary rises from £34,909 to £54,227, while cabinet members will receive an increase of £10,126 in their allowances.

This proposal will last for four years. The one Conservative councillor who abstained, Kate Salinger, was stripped of seven committee posts as punishment.

It is odd how there is enough money to pay Lynne Hillian an extra £20,000, but not enough to prevent a 75% cut in the number of wardens in Barnet Council Sheltered housing last year.

As IanKemp comments on the Evening Standard website:

Public sector pay for all senior officials should be capped and regulated where rises are decided by an impartial body and/or voters. Increases should be related to their performance.

The Barnet Times has created a petition opposing the pay rises.

Public anger caused a U-turn on expenses for Croydon council.

One assumes that residents of Oldham and Barnet (what an interesting twinning exercise that would be) will be making their voices heard at the local elections.

I'm sure Grant Shappes, who has condemend the Barnet increases, would agree with this blog post. The Barnet Bugle highights his comments on councillor allowances:

"It is not justifiable for hikes in councillor allowances when public sector workers are facing a two-year pay freeze. We're all in this together, and those who hold public office need to lead by example.

"In an era of localism, councillors will have an increasingly important role to play in holding town halls to account on behalf of their residents. But councillors must remain arms-length volunteers. It will be harmful for local democracy if they become the bankrolled staff of the town hall dependant on the municipal pay packet.

"The new Government will let the sunlight of openness into councillor allowances to allow the press and public to hold elected officials to account more. We all need to do our bit to restore the public finances to good health and ensure taxpayers get better value for money."

No doubt Mr Shapps would feel the same way about spending splurges on sculptures as well.