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SALFORD COUNCILLORS SECRET INTERESTS
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| Star date: 29th July 2015
A MARY BURNS SPECIAL!!!
In an attempt at accountability and openness Salford City Council has a Register of Interest on the council website where councilors can tell the people of Salford of any benefits they may have had from one of their many executive 'meetings' and power lunches. But for some reason most councilors haven't declared anything on the website for up to two years.
Mary Burns Investigates… |
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To make sure councillors aren't trousering, er, benefits from their positions of power, they are all required to declare any financial interests they may have, such as companies they are involved in, shares they hold or any gifts or hospitality they've had over the value of £100. And in the interests of accountability and openness this Register of Interests is online at the Council's website for anyone to view...except that most councillors haven't filled the thing in for up to two years.
The Mayor, Ian Stewart, last declared any gifts or hospitality in the online register in November 2013 (ninety quid's worth of hospitality at The Lowry), while he last signed the register of interests in February 2013. His Deputy, David Lancaster, arrogantly snaps on his un-dated online form that `Any gifts and hospitality is declared through the Salford City Council procedure' and declares nothing.
Stephen Coen, Assistant Mayor for International Relations, doesn't declare any gifts and hospitality on his form – so that photo we've got of him enjoying a buffet in Malaga was maybe a mirage. Meanwhile, Derek Antrobus, Assistant Mayor for Planning, last signed his online form in October 2012, with the gifts and hospitality section left blank; while Assistant Mayor for Transport, Roger Jones, repeats the Deputy Mayor's mantra that `Any gifts and hospitality is declared through the Salford City Council procedure'.
Excuse me, but isn't the official online Register of Interests something to do with `Salford Council procedure'? And if not, what is the `procedure'? Where can we see it? Has anyone ever heard a councillor stand up at a meeting and say `Hi, I'd like to declare a rather nice little trip I had to France...Oh and some free tickets to Salford Red Devils...etc...'? Thought not.
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Paul Wilson wrote
at 10:59:56 on 07 August 2015 |
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| I have been a serving Salford Councillor for the last two year and have not claimed any expenses or received any gifts during this time.
I do receive my allowance for being a councillor which I use to off set time I take off work unpaid, cover the cost of phone calls etc. and I see no reason to claim mileage to visit residents or attend meetings. |
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Winston Smith wrote
at 10:59:27 on 07 August 2015 |
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| Michael F, I've got no problem with councillors claiming what they're entitled to, or receiving a wage for their work (although I'd prefer their lousy party to pay it, because that's who they work for). However, from the website, it does seem that they're not claiming expenses...which sort of makes me wonder why not??? Surely they do at least some travel on council business? |
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Michael F in SalFord wrote
at 17:11:09 on 06 August 2015 |
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| Sarcastic - who me! Enjoy your hangover Winston and welcome the day when Salford Councillors do the work for free in the goodness of their kind hearts. Would love to see 20 candidates stand en-block at Salford local elections, one per ward, with a promise of a no expenses, no pay, no chocolate biscuits - just trust, respect and full commitment to the people in Salford. |
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Ex Lib Dem wrote
at 17:39:50 on 05 August 2015 |
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| what a slur.....you will find that most councillors in Salford don't claim expenses....go on to the council website and you will see it. |
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@Warmsham wrote
at 07:09:18 on 04 August 2015 |
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| SCC procedure...love it, love it, love it. Anyway what's it got to do with you, I'm Salford to the bone I am. |
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Winston Smith wrote
at 16:40:53 on 03 August 2015 |
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| @Michael F: Please clarify - are you saying that no Salford councillor, mayor or elected member (or whatever title they've got these days) has put in a claim for expenses or received any benefits (or any other kind of declarable perk)? Or are my sarcasm sensors not fully functional yet (sorry, I'm a bit hungover) |
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Michael F in SalFord wrote
at 20:12:41 on 31 July 2015 |
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| I congratulate our Salford Councillors for not claiming anything during the last 2 years. |
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Winston Smith wrote
at 16:29:08 on 30 July 2015 |
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| I got a taxi a couple of weeks ago and the driver was telling me about one of the mayoral leeches, who had been a previous passenger, asking for a *receipt* for an evening trip to a restaurant with his missus. It was clear it was just a *personal* night out, but the driver asked whether the requested receipt was for council business. Apparently the arrogant overblown council buffoon got quite irate, almost as though it's a politicians god given right to be able to claim for expenses that aren't work related. This gives another little insight into what they are like and why they avoid transparency... |
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wrote
at 16:28:23 on 30 July 2015 |
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| Just looks like another "get out" clause for arrogant Cllrs to hide behind. Is it legal? No wonder people don't trust their Cllrs any more. Hope you get to the bottom of it. |
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