It’s Not Big & It’s Not Clever

19/03/2009 by Steve Tierney.

It’s Not Big & It’s Not Clever
I’ve got to get this off my chest.  But before I do, I need to make a few qualifications.  First of all, I strongly believe there are way too many people employed in the public sector, that some of them get too many perks and that some of them get too much pay.  It needs to be dealt with and I hope a future Conservative government stops the waste, particular on the infamous government ‘non-jobs’ (Co-Odinator in charge of Street Football et al.) which can be done by other departments and most especially the unelected, overpowered Quangos which are the bane of the country.  That said, the current trend of every jumped-up oik demanding to know the detail of every public sector employee’s pay negotation is irritating.  Some people just want to find a scapegoat they can use to divert the public attention from whatever nefarious thing they are doing (Gordon Brown is a case in point.)  Others are just trying to make themselves look important.

Just look at the headline on this week’s Fenland Citizen.  “Anger over perks silence”.  What we have here is an independent (the only independent) on the District Council who seems to think that he needs to up his profile.  Maybe he’s worried that, yet again, the local District Council is being hailed as one of the best in the country?  You’d think, being a member of it, he’d be proud… but it seems not!  Maybe he doesn’t like the fact that it keeps winning awards?  It’s almost entirely Conservative, you see.  The people in his area (Manea) may notice the fact that their Conservative District Council is actually rather excellent and choose to “complete the set” at the next election. 

Here’s the thing.  You don’t get to be rated one of the best councils in the country by employing people for tuppence.  You have to pay a fair market rate when you are going to ask a senior official to juggle millions of pounds and be responsible for an army of staff.  It’s not like you can just employ somebody from Burger King to do it (no offense to Burger King, I love ‘em) I’m all for making savings.  Hell, we need to do it now more than ever!  But it is patently false economy to make savings by trying to pick a fight with your best people, who have a track record of performing admirably year after year.  I guess that’s the job of an independent.  Make some trouble, bask in the dubious ‘limelight’ of the local press.

Rob Bridge, the council’s new Corporate Director, has replied to Mr, Archer, quoting the Data Protection Act as a reason for not answering questions about Mr Taylor.   In an email Mr. Bridge states: “In relation to the contractual and financial information about Mat Taylor, unfortunately because of the council’s Data Protection Act responsibilities I cannot give you the information you have requested. I believe that to do so would breach the second principle of the Data Protection Act.”  Don’t take my word for it.  This comes straight from the report in our fine local newspaper, the Fenland Citizen.

So that response is pretty clear, isn’t it?  Never mind that the law prevents the information being revealed and that this has been explained to Mark Archer, patiently and clearly.  Let’s not let that get in the way of a newspaper crusade which might get him a little exposure.  Call me a cynic, but I can only see this as blatant self-promotion.  Which would be okay if it was helpful.  It’s not.

Posted in Fenland District Council, Election, Conservatives | 1 Comment »