We Are All In This Together But Some Of Us Are More In It Than Others

Conservative politicians, don't you just love 'em. In the process of organising society changing cuts they have claimed 'We are all in this together'. It's a nice sentiment coming from a cabinet of 29 people of whom 26 are millionaires. However I suspect George Osborne might have to have a word with some of his Conservative comrades.

Firstly Boris Johnson's Mayoral term has seen an increase in the number of senior staff at City Hall earning more than £100,000 from 15 to 21 (once the two currently advertised posts are filled). Ironically (or perhaps the word should be insultingly)one of those paid over £100,000 is Nicholas Griffin (no, not that one) who is responsible for cutting costs at City Hall. For this tough, 29 hour a week job, he gets paid £102,750.* Nice work if you can get it.

I'm going to be generous to Boris who claims that the reason for this 6 job jump is the restructing of the GLA. I'll ignore, for the moment, his claim that he was: "...elected on a promise to provide Londoners with better value for money from their taxes."**

But even so it doesn't make a good case for us all being in it together does it?

However the Tories I'm not prepared to be generous to are the fine councillors of Barnet. Barnet has tried to make itself a 'flagship council' for the Tories. As Mike Freer, then leader of Barnet Council and now - unfortunately - MP for Finchley and Golders Green said "Some things will be cheap and cheerful and in other areas we will provide complete services"

You'd think these bastions of the 'cheap and cheerful' would be loathed to increase costs to the taxpayer. But you'd be wrong.

Last night they voted themselves a whacking great pay rise. This rise means that Councillor Lynn Hillan, who leads Barnet Council, could see her allowance increased from £34,909 to £54,227, which is a nice increase in these difficult economic times.

These increases were justified by ignoring - although I believe the official phrase is 'dispensing with' - the local, independent renumeration panel and accepting the London Council's reports recommendations, which were condemned by, er, Con-Dem Local Government Minister Grant Shapps.

Minister Shapp's condemnation was ignored by Barnet Council who have now impressively feathered their nests. In some cases - i.e. Cabinet members - the increases are potentially almost 50%.

Nice work if you can get it Part II.

Remember that Tory watchword WE ARE ALL IN THIS TOGETHER. It appears to have an Animal Farm style BUT SOME OF US ARE MORE IN IT THAN OTHERS addendum.

Fat cat Counciller Brian Coleman is quoted as saying: "I think residents will be delighted at a sensible scheme within Barnet. The London Councils scheme recognises the work councillors of all parties do."***

Perhaps Brian might want to recognise the work that - oh let's pick Firefighters at random - when talking about pay rises.

I'll leave the last word to John Burgess, UNISON's Barnet branch Chairman as quoted in Hendon+Finchley Times***: “It's disgusting. We were lectured last night about how we have to help cut council services. I've sat in here and listened to how they just voted themselves a massive pay increase and I think council workers are going to go mental. I can't believe what I've just heard.”




* Figure courtesy of Evening Standard who, since Lebedev has taken over have become much more even handed in their handling of Boris.

**Daily Telegraph, 8th May 2008: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/1938171/Boris-Johnson-vows-to-end-corruption.html

***http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8270489.Coleman_defends_new_council_allowance_pay_packets/