At the last full meeting of Salford City Council a recommendation to appoint Political Assistants for both Labour and Conservative political groups, as set down by law, was proposed and seconded by Conservative councillors with no formal dissent.*
However, the Labour Group on the Council, which opposed the idea at that last meeting, brought the decision back to a full Council meeting this morning, councillors arguing that they were 'misled' by original legal advice that there didn't have to be a vote, and wanted the issue re-visiting.
The Conservative opposition, which had already, with the help of Salford Council's HR Department, advertised a graduate trainee post for their Political Assistant at a wage of £17,364 - half the recommended wage - were furious...
While accepting that the move to revoke the previous decision was constitutional, given the current legal advice, Councillor Robin Garrido opposed the spirit of it...
"I think the constitution is being manipulated for political purposes as far as I'm concerned, and I think that this resolution to suspend standing orders actually brings the Council into disrepute" he fumed "I think it's a total disgrace and as far as I'm concerned it's a slippery road to dictatorship...
"The motion at the last Council meeting was properly moved and seconded" he added "...to bring this back again and use the constitution to back it up is total misuse of power and the slippery slope, and I hope that the people of Salford now realise that we are heading towards a dictatorship in Salford where if they don't like a result or vote they will just use the constitution to rule things out of order...."
In response, Deputy Mayor, Councillor John Merry, argued that if the issue hadn't been brought back to today's meeting, the Council would have been acting "illegally and not in accordance with the legal advice it received...
"We were advised and inadvertently misled" he insisted "This gives us a chance to reconsider in light of new advice."
Indeed, Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, reiterated that the Labour Group was not in support of employing Political Assistants, particularly in light of austerity and COVID-19 financial pressures, arguing that the re-vote was a "Fantastic example of democracy in action, giving each member of the Council a vote on this matter..."
He also argued that there were two different pieces of legislation regarding assistants. There was his own Assistant, Charlie Winstanley who is paid £34,986 from public money, coming via one piece of Mayoral legislation, while employing Political Assistants comes under a different law.
The Conservatives argued that, as Leader of the Labour Group as well as being City Mayor, ruling councillors do already have an assistant... "He has an army of helpers at his disposal" said Councillor Turner "As far as the cost, our intention was to employ a graduate on half the salary that the Mayor's pa receives, so it seems that the Leader of the Labour Group is happy to take £34,000 plus through austerity and COVID for his pa but wants to use COVID in order to stop my group from having one..."
Three votes were taken; the first to suspend Rule 17 that states Council decisions can't be reversed for six months (passed); the second on whether to take a vote on Political Assistants (passed) and the third on whether the Council should employ Political Assistants (defeated). Therefore Political Assistants will not be employed for political parties in Salford – although the Mayor still has his under different legislation...
* For a full background see previous Salford Star articles – click here and click here and click here
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