Reading a council balance sheet is something of an art, written in a broad-stroke style with little comparative detail.  If you were looking to see what we paid our councillors you would have to know that the accounts call them Members!  They drew a total of £862,000 in 2005/6 and £864,000 for 2006/07.

The number of Council employees (including teachers) whose remuneration was £50,000 or more in bands of £l 0,000 is shown below. Remuneration includes all sums paid to or received by an employee. Payments include salary (including performance related pay), redundancy, expenses and other benefits received other than in cash (e.g. leased car benefit), excluding pension contributions.

During 2006/07 130 employees received between £50,000 to £59,999; 42 received between £60,000 to £69,999;,16 received between £70,000 and £79,999; 13 received between £80,000 and £89,999; 7 received between £90,000 and £99,999; 1 received between £100,000 and £109,999, 1 received between £130,000 to £139,999; 2 received between £140,000 and £149,999, 1 received between £190,000 to £199,999 and 1 received between £300,000 to £309,999.

Interestingly only one person in the salary range £110,000 to £119,999 and one in the £300,000 to £309,999 range left the council during 06/07.

But the good news is that if you would like to read the latest council accounts you may do so from Monday 6th August between 9-30 am until 4-30 pm until 3rd September. On the 6th September you can meet with the councils external auditors to query any account. The auditor will be available at the council offices in the Broadway, Bexleyheath.

Road repairs

I’ve banged on before about the state of Selborne Road in Sidcup. Recently I decided to bring  my old bicycle out of retirement, serviced it and pumped up the tyres and removed the dust.  Having ridden up Selborne expertly missing the rat-run drivers I thought I might offer an invitation to our traffic guru Cllr. Mr Craske and let him ride my bike up the road. I just know by the time he got to the top its repair would be top of his list!  But then I ventured to the central hub of our tiny universe - Bexleyheath and was diverted along a road called Blendon Avenue. If I thought Selborne was bad I think Blendon might win if it were a contest. Or do you think your road is worse?  Let’s start a Worst Road in Bexley contest and see who wins. I will happily be the judge.

Shadow Foreign Secretary

Being in Opposition, whether as a national Member of Parliament or a local councillor must be galling.  If the number in Opposition is small it can have little effect on legislation passed by the ruling party.

It was interesting to hear the Rt.Hon. William Hague talking to the local Conservative Association members when he told them he had visited forty four countries in his capacity as Shadow Foreign Secretary since he was appointed eighteen months ago pointing out ministers in the countries he visited were interested to hear the views of the Conservative Party should they be returned to power at the next election.

He shared a few stories about fellow MPs including a few about his cut and thrust in the Commons at Question Time when he had a brief spell as Leader of the Party. He also explained about the North South divide. He has the responsibility of raising votes in the North and Cameron in the South calling on everyone present to put their weight behind the forthcoming campaigns to elect a new GLA member for Bromley/Bexley James Cleverly.  He, and his team will be crossing the bridge when the Sedgefield Bye-election  gets underway. He is enthused being back on the front bench and being a part of the Cameron team describing his Leader as a terrific “small screen politician” emphasising the importance of television in today’s political world.  What did the Chronicle think of Mr Hague?  He is the epitome of what every Tory mother and father would like to have as a son!

Rocky goes nuts

Rocky our Irish setter went a little crackers one morning  recently when he took offence at the poem published in this issue about punctuation so he took it out on the Daily Telegraph and my spectacles!

Has your dog been mischievous lately?   My review copy of Bruce Fogles latest book,  A Dog Abroad  (the hardback edition) will be given to the best story you send in. Write to;  Dogs Life, Andrew House, Granville Road, Sidcup, Kent DA14 4BN