Mayor or Leader
Clearly the publics appetite for politics is at an all-time low whether national or local.
The Councils results to their 'widespread' advertising, over many weeks in the News Shopper drew only 99 responses. of which 81% said they would prefer to stick with the present Leader plus councillors cabinet system rather than vote for a Mayor and a cabinet. We requested sight of the online survey but the council said it was anonymous! The Chronicle wonders how many councillors responded to the survey? Our own enquiry showed 85% of respondents who did return a coupon confirmed they would prefer to have an elected Mayor and Cabinet. The Bexley Magazine (the political rag of Bexley Council) and local papers were clearly disinterested to draw their readers attention to the choice open to them. Perhaps a case of 'Those who pay the Piper call the tune'!
Kent traffic cops are great!
Congratulations Michael Fuller (Chief Constable, Kent) you have two of the politest, well mannered, helpful policemen we have met.
On a busy commuter choked M20 on a Friday evening at about five we had a flat in the rear of my wifes Micra. I pulled well over on the hard shoulder, found the implements to change the wheel and discovered just how useless the scissor jack was and the tool for trying to get the punctured wheel high enough off the ground without having a heart attack! With the rush hour traffic literally going past at goodness knows what speeds and the huge camions almost sucking one from the hard shoulder into the motorway I had to give in and call the AA for some help.
They said someone would be with us within the hour. A few minutes later a Volvo estate police patrol car came cruising down the road stopping a decent distance behind us and a young policeman asked what the problem was. I explained and he said "let's see if we can get you on your way" and promptly finished taking the wheel off and put on the replacement. We were amazed. Readers know I have sometimes been critical of policemen in Bexley (London) but these two traffic cops did a fantastic job of public relations for a couple of ageing motorists. Michael, your guys were simply wonderful.
Stealth taxes
Reading my Gas bill (ouch) I noticed British Gas left it's rate of VAT at 5%. 20% of taxes has already been charged by the Government for production yet they charge tax on tax but did not pass on the percentage reduction when VAT was reduced to 15%! The Chronicle estimates the utilities should have been charging only 4.28% or less. Are we all due a credit note on our next accounts?
Pick a pocket or two!
I guess were are all fed up with the way our MPs have claimed their expenses with accusations of wrongdoing and downright dishonesty. I wonder what Judge Quentin Purdy would make of it all? He said at the summing up in the Ian Clement trial "The public is entitled to know who is claiming its funds and they are doing so legitimately". MP's who have claimed 'second' homes as their' first' were clearly making a tax free gain when selling. Interestingly the letter MP Derek Conway received said that he owed nothing.
Tories to hike wages
When those of us in full time employment are having to tighten our belts swallowing a whole range of price rises with no hope of a salary increase The Chronicle has discovered that the ruling Bexley Tory council are giving themselves more money from next April.
The Leader will receive a massive 5.16% increase from £25,096.90 to £ £26,391 plus an additional £9,357 for being a councillor.
Fifty four of the sixty three members on the present council are Conservatives. All councillors will receive a 1.025% increase from next April plus any special responsibility allowance.
Most of the councillors are in full time employment!
BNP
What a pity Question Time wasn't the programme it normally is just because the head of a minority political party was on board. I would have been more impressed to have listened to Nick Griffins' answers to questions rather than listening to what was really just trial by television - with panel members, the chairman and audience playing to the lens.
Top Viewing figures for Question Time:
• May 2003 - Declaration of War on Iraq - 3.4 Million.
• May 2009 Expenses Row: 3.8 million.
• October 2009 - BNP appearance - 7.9 Million.