Most of us know that NPT Council, like all others in Wales, has to make enormous cuts and adjustments to its budget in order to try and balance its books.
A couple of years ago a Plaid Cymru Councillor, Linet Purcell, raised the matter of whether the Mayor should remain. Such sacrilege was immediately stamped upon by other Councillors (Labour) who promptly kicked the idea not just into the long grass, but to death.
So maybe it's time to take a more forensic look at the Mayor of NPT Council. I have got hold of some interesting figures which I've sifted and collated for you. All statistics relate to financial year 2014/2015. Full figures for 2015/2016 not yet available.
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Have a read of this fairly recent brief report on the Mayor's department, prepared by someone in NPT. Some interesting bits - something like 500 events a year, charity funding raised £18K - £20K, department reorganised in 2014 and efficiencies of over £70K realised by removing areas of duplication.
Why is it only when we are in the deepest hole that you find this saving of £70K?
How many years has such duplication been going on? You could fund a small, local library with that!
https://democracy.npt.gov.uk/documents/s16956/RC%201516%20-%20Mayoral.pdf
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The budget for the Mayoral function for 2014/15 was £126,690, actual spend £134,979, so an overspend of £8,289 or 6.5%. These figures DO NOT INCLUDE the salaries paid to the Mayor and Deputy which in that year were £21.5K and £16K respectively.
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Some other interesting figures, which are of course included within the global ones above, are:
Salaries for Admin and Chauffeur: Budget £78,140 Actual £88,597
Vehicle Lease Hire and Maintenance: Budget £25,340 Actual £19,085
Civic Events and Hospitality: Budget £15,000 Actual £22,173
How are those salaries so amiss? Did someone mess up the budget figure or did someone get a lot of overtime during that year?
Can someone explain to me why we hire a car at close to £20K a year when I could buy a decent car outright at that figure, with a free service (maintenance) package?
How do we have such a massive overspend on civic events and hospitality? WTF are these gannets eating and drinking?
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Some other facts and figures:
The Mayor's diary included 39 birthday parties for major birthdays 90+. Also 7 wedding anniversaries. Why would anyone want a Mayor to attend a birthday party or anniversary? Does he help blow the candles out, cut the cake or what? If I get to 90 I don't want some gilded lily I've never met having any of my cake. I want family and friends around me and if that's not possible I'll blow the bloody candles out myself. Or hire an escort to help me!
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There was lots of interaction (meaning visits and freebies) in other council areas and places, including (but not exhaustive):
Joint Civic Heads Dinner, Bridgend/Merthyr/RCT
Civic Heads Dinner, Pembrokeshire CC
Civic Heads Dinner, Powys
Civic Heads Dinner, Swansea City Council
Afternoon Tea, Vale of Glamorgan
May Fair, Hereford City Council
Royal Garden Party, Buckingham Palace
Haverfordwest Town Council Springfields Fair
Pembroke Town Council St Michaelmas Fair
Swansea Lord Mayor Christmas Reception
Swansea Lord Mayor's Charity Garden Party
Royal Welsh Agricultural Show
Civic Services and Civic Sundays in the following authorities:
Monmouthshire, Carmarthenshire CC, Newport, Torfaen, Vale of Glamorgan, Merthyr Tydfil CBC, Powys CC, Bridgend CBC, RCT (2 no), Blaenau Gwent, Cardiff Lord Mayor's St David's Day
And of course, like kids in primary school, if you go to their party I suppose they must be invited to yours. What a waste of public money across Wales.
But closer to home:
NPT Mayor's Civic Service
Neath Town Council Civic Service
Briton Ferry Town Council Civic Service
Coedffranc Community Council Annual Dinner
Briton Ferry Town Council Annual Dinner
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Finally, look at these "official" functions below.
Aberavon Labour Party Constituency Dinner
Neath Constituency Dinner
Aberavon Labour Party Gala Dinner
Reception for Aberavon Labour Party prior to Annual Dinner, Mayor's Parlour
These are naughty. Very naughty indeed. It's clear to me (but I'm happy to be corrected) that a mayor is meant to be a non-political appointment. You get a Council Leader elected by the ruling Group, which obviously is a political position. So why are we picking up the bill to send the Mayor to these? And what's that about a reception for Aberavon Labour Party in the Mayor's Parlour? This is so, so typical of the contempt in which Labour holds the people who put them in power. These are blatantly political functions and in my opinion are a clear abuse of public money. Non-Labour Councillors who are considering where budget savings can be made should pounce on this straight away.
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Let them eat carrots, I say. Enough of this largesse while public services are slashed. Whilst by law Councils are obliged to have a Civic Head (or Chairman) that is the Mayor, many of these "events" the Mayor undertakes are unnecessary and sheer indulgence, as well as a few that smack of a bloody good feed and piss up for the Labour Councillors. It's got to stop.
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