Turkeys reluctant to vote for Christmas – Councillors fail even to discuss restructuring own payments

Helensburgh Councillor James Robb is disgusted with his fellow councillors after not one of the 35 of them put his initiative to control payments to Councillors on the agenda for discussion. He sees this as evidence of party and group whips at work, acting against the public interest and protective of privilege.

Councillor Robb’s view is that it is important for all sectors of the working world in Argyll to share the pain of the financial retractions now necessary in recovering from the UK’s overwhelming debt level. He had hoped to see Councillors come together at least to discuss and, potentially, agree to a restructuring of their expenses regime.

What Councillors are paid is set by statute and cannot be varied. The proposal was to look at ways of controlling additional payments and perks.

As far as he is aware, James Robb is the only councillor not to have other paid employment, a pension, a business or some combination of the three.

In spite of this, he has been willing to see curtailed the additional payments to councillors described above.

He feels that this protectiveness of their own position when members of the electorate are genuinely suffering from the cuts will play badly for Councillors at the local government election in May 2011, saying: ‘I am sure the residents of Argyll & Bute will remember this ‘I’m all right Jack’ attitude when these same councillors are voting to close local schools and care homes, and reduce services to all residents – and particularly to the vulnerable’.

However, a hopeful aspect of this situation is that, thanks to the new cross-party political grouping in the Council, Argyll First, the competent motion they have put down for the full meeting of the council in August now allows Councillor Robb to place his amendment for discussion before the council on the day.

He had not had a seconder for his proposal and, without the Argyll First motion, it could therefore not be presented to the council in any form.