Simon Hughes MP in Redcar to support Fiona Hall

Fiona Hall Liberal Democrat Euro Candidate and Simon Hughes MP visited shops in Redcar town centre on Tuesday 26th May to carry out a survey on how small businesses are coping with the recession.

Simon Hughes is the Liberal Democrat Shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change and MP for North Southwark & Bermondsey.

Pictured left to right Simon Hughes MP, Cllr Chris Abbott, Cllr Irene Curr, Fiona Hall MEP, Ian Swales Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Redcar, Cllr Josie Crawford and Cllr Glyn Nightingale.

What a pleasure it was to see Simon in Redcar and what a good reception he received. The last thing he did before heading off for another engagement was to "have a look at the sea from our superb beach."

SAVING LIVES - AND REMEMBERING LIVES: A SPECIAL SERVICE OF DEDICATION

The memory of Redcar and Cleveland residents who have lost their lives at sea and the debt of gratitude to those who battle to save lives is being honoured at a special ceremony in Redcar cemetery on Sunday, May 24.

A parade will leave Redcar Racecourse at 2pm for the cemetery, led by the Hartlepool Sea Cadets' bugles and drums, and include ex-servicemen, organised by parade marshall Eric Howden plus representatives from the sea cadets, the RAF, the Army, the Redcar lifeboat crew and the lifeboat itself.

Then at the cemetery, there are plans for a 45-minute service and the unveiling of two commemorative plaques.

The event marks the culmination of three years work by the Friends of Redcar Cemetery that has restored the cemetery's old rose garden and created two facing memorial gardens, with stones and plaques.

The first plaque, to be unveiled by Dave Buckworth, the secretary of the Merchant Navy Association, has an extract from an old 1800s hymn:

"Fierce was the wild billow, dark was the night. Men laboured heavily, foam glimmered white. Trembled the mariners, peril was nigh. Then said the Lord of Lords, Peace: It is I."

The second plaque, to be unveiled by Redcar lifeboat's senior helmsman Mike Picknett, who lost three relatives in a sea tragedy in 1900, uses an extract from a poem, For I am a Lifeboatman, by John Hanvey, the chairman of Seahouses RNLI.

It reads: "When I am called to duty Lord, wherever gales may rage, give me strength to save a life whatever be their age. Help me to brave the tempest before it is too late and save some struggling seaman from the horror of their fate."

The 45-minute service, to be jointly conducted by the vicar of St Peter's, the Reverend Canon John Weetman and Colin Worwick, chaplain to the Mission to Seafarers, will include addresses from the Council's newly-elected Mayor, Councillor Brian Briggs, Redcar MP Vera Baird and Lord Zetland, the Friends' patron. Marske Fishermen's Choir will also perform three sea shanties.

The Friends' chairman Ged Fleming said: "Sunday will be the realisation of so much hard work. We all hope it will a special and memorable day."

The Council's Cabinet Member for the Environment Councillor Sylvia Szintai said: "We have been only too pleased to help, not only with grant aid, but also with the creation of these two memorial gardens."

The £7,000 funding package includes £2,000 from Redcar and Cleveland Council's Community Fund, £1,500 from the Neighbourhood Renewal Fund, £100 from the Freemason Lodge of Philosophy, a personal donation from the Friends' 95-year-old president, Vera Robinson MBE, and money raised from sales and tombolas.

*Anyone wishing to attend the Sunday service is urged to park at the Racecourse car park, via its entrance off Redcar Lane.

TRAVELLERS' HISTORY UNVEILED AT MUSEUM

The story of Britain's 300,000 travellers will unfold in a new month-long touring exhibition at Redcar's Kirkleatham Museum.

The National Education Officer for the Showman's Guild, Valerie Moody MBE, will spend the day at the Museum on Saturday, May 30, from 10am-4pm.

She plans to talk at drop-in sessions about the gypsies, Roma and travellers who have lived, worked and travelled throughout Britain for over 500 years.

Her stories will reveal how the travellers have been almost entirely written out of British history, creating a widespread ignorance about who they are, which has sometimes turned to hatred, fear and misunderstanding.

Then the Museum becomes the latest venue to host a small exhibition of photographs and examples of Roma crafts, during Gypsy, Roma and Traveller History Month, from Tuesday, June 2 to Friday, June 26.

"Fight harder for the economic regeneration of our area" - Ian Swales

Lib Dem Parliamentary spokesman for Redcar Ian Swales is urging the Government to do everything it can to generate new jobs in the area following the Corus announcement.

He said: “I really hope the closure of Corus can be stopped or delayed but the steel industry on Teesside has been in decline for many years. We need a more diversified economy to cope with changes. The Government could do a lot to improve prospects for local people. They have been promising for years to move well paid civil service jobs to the area

"The need has never been greater than now. It was also disappointing to see Hitachi looking at sites in Gateshead last week for a new factory building train rolling stock. There would be ample space for such a facility here on Teesside and the skilled work force to make it happen. Once again Tyneside seems to dominate wherever One North East is concerned

"I hope our local politicians will now fight harder for the economic regeneration of our area. They should also press for Corus to start the environmental restoration of their huge site. This will be a big undertaking and would itself generate a number of jobs.”

MYPLACE CENTRE DREAM BECOMING A REALITY

A group of young people, who helped secure a £5million lottery win, are now turning their dream into a reality and drawing up final plans for the new beachside 'MyPlace' arts and media centre at Redcar.

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council supported the 16-strong young people's steering group drawn from youth organisations across the Borough, giving them the responsibility to shape the new Coatham 'MyPlace' centre.

The new centre - an iconic seashell design - will provide a large flexible arts and media space, a stage and music recording studio along with access to support services, including health advice and information about education and work opportunities.

Following design and consultation, the building work is due to commence in 2010 and it is hoped this building work will take place alongside the new Redcar leisure centre and swimming complex, providing a whole range of fantastic new beachside facilities for young people and residents throughout the Borough.

In securing the funding for the new building, the group's background work has included seeking the views of over 3,000 young people, talking to arts groups and service providers, organising promotional events and recording a DVD to accompany their successful bid for the £4,946,280 cheque.

The partnership supporting the young people and funding bid includes the Council, police, health services, Tees Valley Arts and Redcar and Cleveland Voluntary Development Agency, who will now continue to work with group during the summer months to finalise business plans for the beachside location.

The aim will be to prepare a business case for September, with a hoped-for completion, after 12-18 months construction work, in 2011.

LIB DEMS REFUTE LABOUR'S £4 MILLION ICELAND SAGA WHITE WASH

Liberal Democrat members of Redcar & Cleveland Council's Audit Committee are concerned that the Labour Council is failing to address the serious issues raised by their investment of £4 millions in Icelandic banks last October. Public money was deposited in an Iceland bank ignoring warnings about its poor financial standing.

The Council's claimed investigation was far from independent. It was merely a report from a finance officer to the Audit Committee. Until a more independent enquiry takes place, the only judgment that can be seen as impartial is that of the Audit Commission.

It was only Labour members of the Council's Audit Committee who voted to dispute Government inspectors' judgment of negligence on the Council's £4 million investment.

Councillor Glyn Nightingale said: "The Labour Council has a duty to take care of the public's money. This was breached when they ignored clear warnings about Icelandic banks. The writing was on the wall months earlier. In May 2008 the outlook of Icelandic banks was rated as "negative". Labour has damaged the Council's financial position with the potential loss of £4 million of public money and the actual loss of interest earnings.

If Labour believe this is not negligence, what is it? It is far from prudent. Local people would be right not to trust Labour with their money. They will pay for Labour's mistakes and mismanagement."

Councillor Mary Ovens said: "For the sake of losing interest they rushed to plough a massive amount of money into a bank which they should have known was on the brink. Common sense should have told them not to go ahead in what Council officers admit were 'turbulent' times."

Lib Dem Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Ian Swales said: "We can hardly be surprised that Labour Councillors have decided that they were not negligent in their handling of Icelandic bank deposits. This latest judgement by them means little and until a full independent enquiry takes place the Audit Commission judgement of "negligent" must be the most accurate assessment."

Coatham Links development - MP's disassociate themselves from objectors campaign tactics

The following has been posted on Redcar and Cleveland Council's web-site:

Coatham Enclosure

Statement published by Vera Baird MP (6th May 2009)

"I know that most Redcar people support the Coatham Links development and want it to start as soon as possible. I have had doubts in the past about the number of houses to be built there, versus the amount of leisure facilities. But things like the fantastic new "MyPlace" seafront youth centre have tipped the balance. Coatham Links should be a great boost to Redcar, bringing more new people here and giving us all a leisure centre, swimming pool and many more facilities of which we can feel proud. The political parties on Redcar council oppose each other as they should in the interests of democracy, and if anything had been done wrong as this development evolved one political party or another would certainly have said so. But they are all, to a member, committed to Coatham being built as speedily as possible, in the interests of the people of the Borough.

"A very small group of protestors have got attention over the years. They have made serious allegations against the council and recently against me but these are untrue. They showed the MP for Scarborough, Robert Goodwill, an edited version of their protest film "Coatham - A Common Concern" to persuade him to show it in Parliament and then yesterday, having obtained his consent, showed in Parliament a longer version of the film that he had not seen that contains the nasty allegations and which he has totally disowned.

"The long legal campaign waged by these few protesters paid for through legal aid - has also held up this much needed and much desired community development.

"I look forward to sitting by the new pool with you - as soon as we can."

Statement issued by Robert Goodwill MP (6th May 2009)

"On Monday, I arranged for a group who call themselves the Friends of Coatham Common to show a film in a room in Parliament about Redcar Council's proposed development at Coatham. I had insisted on seeing the film in Scarborough before agreeing to book a room in Number One Parliament Street near the Houses of Parliament but as it was shown yesterday I realised that ten or more extra minutes had been added.

"I would not have agreed to show the film if I had know that in that ten minutes there were at least three allegations of financial corruption or conspiracy against the Council and its officers. There were also allegations that the local MP had been aware of this corruption and chose to ignore it. I immediately distanced myself from these new allegations to the audience when the film was over.

"Whilst I am sure that there are lessons to be learned from the whole Coatham Enclosure saga and the way a few local residents still feel dissatisfied with the way their objections were discounted, I refuse to endorse allegations of dishonesty against the Council and I have discussed what was said about her with Vera Baird, the local MP, and I am satisfied that it is untrue.

"This is the end of my involvement with the Friends of Coatham Common."

Coatham Links ..... the facts
A seafront destination forming a key part of the regeneration of Redcar, Coatham Links will be a mixed use development which will provide:

• A new state-of-the-art leisure centre with 6 lane 25m pool, leisure pool, dance floor/performance space, 8 court sports hall, junior gym, 75 station fitness suite
• 357 new dwellings offering a range of new homes for first-time buyers, families and retirement
• New public spaces, lighting and landscaping
• Combined public sector and private sector £millions investment
• The creation - either directly or indirectly of up to 200 new jobs
• New public house and restaurant
• LifeStyle Sports Village
• Health Village
• Childrens Nursery

The Need For Change
Redcar has a history of being an extremely popular seaside resort - attracting visitors from the industrial heartland of Teesside and the north of England and lowland Scotland. Up until the 1960s the town prospered. Over the last 40 years, with changing holiday and visitor patterns and a decline in the traditional industrial base, spending within the local economy has declined.

Redcar annually attracts over 1 million visitors a year it is the Boroughs main retailing and commercial centre serving a wide catchment area as well as being a popular seaside resort for day visitors.

Facing the north sea, subject to the mood and landscape of an ever changing coastal light, with mile after mile of beaches, Redcar really is a jewel on the East Coast. There is no better place to feel the salt air, experience the fury of a winter storm or see the rising or setting of the sun turning the waves into beautiful back-lit artworks. Its stark relationship with the sea makes the town a special and unique place. Sitting or walking on the beach on a warm summers day there can be no better place to be. But visit the town in the winter months and it is all too apparent that its natural setting is let down by the quality of the streets, buildings and spaces with very few things for visitors to do. As a result there has been a lack of investment and deterioration of many buildings, streets and spaces within the town. This has contributed to a lack of quality and negative perception, which inhibit revitalisation and diversification.

Purpose
Although Redcar has made dramatic steps to reverse its decline, apart from residential development on the south of the town and the new Regents Walk Shopping Centre in the heart of Redcar, the pace of regeneration has been slow and we now need a step change in our approach. The Coatham Links Scheme forms a part of a multi-million pound regeneration investment programme for Redcar. It will bring a whole new community to Redcar and increased visitor numbers, which will help to raise economic prosperity and raise the quality of the immediate environment to compliment the tourism experience.

Position
The Coatham Links site covers an area of 35 acres at a seaside location on the west side of Redcar. In 2002 the Cleveland Golf Club was relocated to accommodate the development, the remaining parts of the site have been previously developed.

Today the site offers a unique opportunity to regenerate a run down area at a coastal location.

GREEN LIGHT TO DESIGN THE NEW REDCAR LEISURE CENTRE

Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council is ready to give the green light to start the design and construction of the new £13.8 million Redcar Leisure Centre

The Council's Cabinet will meet on Tuesday, May 12 with a recommendation to approve the award of a contract to a preferred contractor for the first stage of the detailed design build contract for the new sports and leisure centre.

If the recommendation is approved this will allow the detailed design stage to start and, following a period of consultation, it is then expected this stage will be completed by November with the publication of the final designs.

The Council's development partner, Persimmon Homes Ltd, have recently completed the tendering process for the design and build contract for the new sports and leisure centre, this is an essential next step in the project plan for the whole Coatham Links development.

Persimmon Homes Ltd, were granted planning permission in May 2007 for the scheme. The new sports and leisure centre is to be provided as part of the first phase of the Coatham Links development.

The new sports and leisure centre will have a six-lane 25metre swimming pool, a leisure pool, a children's pool and a sports hall, including badminton courts.

There will also be a fitness studio and separate junior gym, performance space including a dance floor to replace the current dance floor, beauty therapy treatment, party function room, bar and kitchen.

The scheme also includes provision for two outdoor five a side pitches, high quality changing facilities, reception and cafe area with work planned to start in the late summer."

COATHAM LINKS - PUTTING THE INTERESTS OF THE BOROUGH FIRST

The leaders of all the political groups on Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have joined forces in condemning the tactics being used by a minority of protestors opposed to the Coatham Links re-development project. This follows the distribution of a leaflet and production and screening of a film by protestors.

In a joint statement, Cllr George Dunning, Leader of the Labour Group, Cllr Chris Abbott, Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group, Cllr Valerie Halton, Leader of the Conservative Group, and Cllr Steve Kay, Leader of the East Cleveland Independent Group, said: “Right across the political spectrum and in the seven years covering three different administrations, as a Council we have always put the needs of the Borough first in promoting the Coatham Links re-development project.

“The Coatham Links re-development project will deliver a massive improvement in the sports and leisure facilities available within the Borough, including a new competition-level swimming complex, a dance floor, indoor and outdoor sports facilities, and a space for the performing arts alongside a further development following the announcement of a £5millon Big Lottery Funded world-class youth, arts and media facility.

“The protestors’ allegations have now been investigated by the Police, Courts, Audit Commission, the local Member of Parliament and the Ombudsman – all of which has confirmed that the Council has done nothing wrong. Given this, a minority of protestors has decided to promote a fantastical conspiracy theory which is untrue. We urge the public not to be taken in.

“All that has ever motivated all of us at the Council is to do what is best for the Borough. We do have our political differences but on this issue we are all in agreement – the re-development project at Coatham Links is an opportunity to provide new facilities and benefits to the Borough and, as a Council, we are determined to deliver this to our residents.

“Throughout the development of the Coatham Links project, across all political parties, we have taken much time to listen to both supporters of, and objectors to, the scheme - as have our hard-working Council officers. We are convinced that the scheme is the right thing for our Borough and that it is widely supported. The latest tactics by a minority of protestors are a sad reflection on the way some people behave if they don’t get their own way - to accuse innocent people of wrongdoing because you can’t win the argument on merit is extremely reprehensible.

“But the protestors should know that as a united Council on this project we are not going to be turned away from doing the right thing by this hateful behaviour. We are going to continue to put the needs of the Borough first - because it’s the right thing to do.”

SCRUTINY PANEL TACKLES THE BENEFITS OF BONDS

Redcar and Cleveland Council has set up a new scrutiny panel to investigate the value of Local Government Bonds as a potential to raise funds

The process will allow the Panel, under the chairmanship of Councillor Philip Thomson, to make recommendations to the Main Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Cabinet, the Council and to any other relevant body or individual.

The members will be inviting experts to come and talk to them in order to collect a body of information over the following weeks on which to base their recommendations.

BENEFIT FROM HOME COMPOSTING

Redcar and Cleveland Council is offering advice on home composting as part of Compost Awareness Week next week

The Council's Community Waste Liaison Officer Barbara Webster will hand out leaflets to shoppers in Redcar High Street on Wednesday, May 6, from 11am-1pm and visitors to the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Warrenby, from 3pm-3.30pm.

She will also be at Guisborough library on Thursday, May 7, from 11.30am-1.30pm and at the Household Waste Recycling Centre, Dunsdale, from 2.45pm-3.15pm.

The week's theme, Food for Thought, is about learning how to make a difference with compost - composting household kitchen and garden waste or making the ‘greener choice’ of peat-free composts containing recycled materials.

To find out more by clicking here or call 0845 077 0757.

Lib Dems condemn "true" Independent for joining Labour

Liberal Democrats on Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council have condemned former Independent Councillor Liz Beadle for joining the Labour group.

Following the Liberal Democrat success at the Dormanstown by-election, Labour and their Independent colleagues lost their majority on the Council.

But today it appears that Cllr Beadle, elected as an Independent in Eston in 2007, has now joined the Labour group.

Lib Dem Group Leader Councillor Chris Abbott said:

“I am disappointed that Cllr Beadle has joined Labour.

“Another so-called 'true' Independent is now propping up a failing Labour administration which has dragged the Council down from 4-stars to 2-stars and which has been branded “negligent” by the Audit Commission for putting £4 million of public money, out of a total of £6 million into failed Icelandic banks after warnings had been given.

“Labour has now lost three out of four by-elections since last September. It’s time they got the message.”

Dormanstown victory is the first in living memory

Picture - Winning Team left to right: Cllr John Hannon, Cllr Margaret Wilson, Amanda Proud, Cllr Glynis Abbott, Pat Swales, new Cllr Ken Lucas, Ian Swales (PPC for Redcar), Chris Abbott Group Leader, Steven Abbott, Cllr Mary Ovens, Cllr Madge Moses, Wilf Phillips.

Posted by Chris:

The Liberal Democrats' victory in Dormanstown is the first time in living memory that Labour has lost a seat in the Ward. The nearest coming 10 years ago when the Lib Dems lost by 8 votes.

In more than 30 years fighting local government elections Labour's desperate campaign of smears, lies and outrageous distortions was the worst I have ever come across. Their campaign amounted to little more than repeating over and over again distorted remarks about the pay rise an Independent Re-numeration Panel (IRP) gave to an Independent Deputy Mayor FIVE years ago. It was from around 500 to about £3000 in a Council with an annual budget of around £330,000,000.

Leaflet after illiterate leaflet spouted out that it was a Lib Dem 557% rise, not mentioning the small amount involved. They even claimed that the recent increase the IRP gave to the Labour Leader of the Council was a £7000 Lib Dem rise which the Leader turned down. What it had to do with the Liberal Democrats I don't know but that is what they claimed to the electors.

The crazy thing was they did this in the face of a report from the IRP, which pointed out that several leading Labour Councillors had been interviewed by them and had all requested that the Leader of the Council should have an increase in allowances. Clearly asking for it then turning it down was nothing more than a publicity stunt.

You would think with a £330m budget, they could have found a few more intelligent issues to debate in the by election than the increases in allowances recommended by the IRP, FIVE years ago, in a report that they instigated in the first place and have been receiving themselves ever since.

Judging by the appalling personal attack on me by the Cabinet Member for Resources, just after the result was announced, it is clear Labour in this area are never going to learn. It is also clear which Party Labour fear most in Redcar. Watch out for the General Election in Redcar Constituency, when it comes, we might have a surprise to spring.

Liberal Democrats WIN the Dormanstown Ward By Election

Liberal Democrats have won the Dormanstown Ward By Election on Redcar and Cleveland which could put an end to Labour control.

The result was as follows:

Ken Lucas (Lib Dem) - 809 (42.4%; +17.3%)
Marion Fairley (Lad)- 667 (35.0%; -17.1%)
Lynn Payne (BNP) - 305 (16.6%; +16.6%)
Barry Hughes-Mundy (Con) - 125 (6.6%; -16.2%)

Majority 142
Turnout 36.83%
LD gain from Lab
Percentage change is since May 2007

Composition of the Council now is:

Labour - 26
Liberal Democrats - 15
Conservative - 11
East Cleveland Independents - 2
Independents - 2
Independents supporting Labour - 3

Call for Independent Inquiry into Council's Icelandic Banks Calamity

Around 127 Councils put money into Icelandic Banks. Only 7 in the country, including Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council have been described as negligent for putting money in just before they collapsed ignoring warnings.

Ian Swales Liberal Democrats Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for Redcar said:

"It's unbelievable that our Council put more money into Icelandic Banks even after they were specifically warned. How can they be trusted to look after our money?"

Leader of the Lib Dem Group on Redcar and Cleveland Council said:

"The Council's actions were clearly negligent. They claim that an internal inquiry absolved them of blame. What Inquiry? It is all spin and bluster. The Council failed to act on advice given and this will eventually have a big impact on the Council Tax and on the services we provide. We insist that there must now be an independent inquiry into this calamity."

FOUR IN FIGHT FOR DORMANSTOWN

Four candidates have been nominated for the Dormanstown By-Election on 2nd April they are:

Marion Fairley - Labour

Brian Hughes-Mundy - Conservative

Ken Lucas - Liberal Democrat

Lynne Payne - BNP

Lib Dems slam Redcar and Cleveland Council's loss of two stars

"How can Redcar and Cleveland Council be an 'improving Council' when it has gone from four to two stars?" asks Liberal Democrat Councillor Glyn Nightingale, former Cabinet Member for Corporate Resources.

"The Liberal Democrat-led Coalition in 2007 achieved a Four-Star Excellent rating from Government inspectors. Now the Labour Rulling Group has relegated the Council down to Two Stars. It's only adequate - that's one step away from inadequate.

"What a difference 22 months of Labour rule makes. Labour is quite good at talking, but fails to do what needs doing. People want a cleaner, tidier borough where they are safe from crime and anti-social behaviour. Like all previous Labour administrations it's is now presiding over local job losses and a situation where families are cutting back on spending.

"Labour's use of resources is in a mess. It has produced the riskiest possible budget where it relies on luck to save £2.2m on staff vacancies, puts more money into its "back office" bureaucracy and takes £8 million out of front line services. Just one example illustrates this - Labour is taking £1m away from urgently-needed school building repairs in Nunthorpe and Guisborough.

"Labour is cutting back on "clean and green" improvements, closing care houses for the elderly and putting off employing more wardens."

Lib Dem Group Leader Councillor Chris Abbott said: "How can they trust a ruling group that goes back on its promises and can't even get the basic needs of people right?"

Council Tax rise is excessive say Lib Dems

Liberal Democrats on Redcar & Cleveland Council today opposed the Labour Council’s plans to increase Council Tax by more than inflation.

The Council today voted to raise Council Tax by 3.75%, taking Band A bills above £1000 a year for the first time ever.

Local Liberal Democrats voted against the rise, calling it “excessive” during a recession.

Councillor Chris Abbott, Leader of the Liberal Democrats at the Council, commented:

"When people are losing jobs, struggling to make ends meet and the country is in the deepest recession for 60 years, a Council Tax rise above inflation is insulting and will do nothing to help struggling households. Money in people’s pockets is the best way out of a recession.

“It is also unnecessary. Gordon Brown’s Government should be making sure no council is forced to put up Council Tax this year by giving councils enough money to provide the services people need.”

Councillor Glyn Nightingale, Lib Dem Finance Spokesperson, added:

“The budget is highly risky and speculative. To make savings Labour are relying on staff vacancies not being filled, but how can they be certain that the vacancies will arise? Can they be sure that services will not be affected? It’s a dodgy budget.”

Even Labour’s Cabinet Member in charge of finance admitted the budget was “a big ask”. The Lib Dems think it’s too big an ask. At some stage during the next twelve months Labour will be forced into a re-think. Then local people will be called upon to pay the bill for Labour’s risk taking.

Lib Dems force climb down on Labour Leaders pay hike

Within minutes of the press statement published below and sent to the local media on Tuesday 24th February the Labour Leader of Redcar and Cleveland Council let it be known that he would not accept a hike in his pay that would almost double his Special Responsibility Allowance (SRA).

All well and good you might say, so he should. But what was it all about?

In opposition the same Labour Leader spent four years telling anyone who would listen to him that Councillors allowances were too high and he often used words like obscene to illustrate it. He never missed an opportunity to bring the subject up. The Labour Manifesto for the elections promised to freeze Councillors basic allowance and reduce SRA. Last year they froze Councillors allowances but did not reduce SRA.

This year they have increased all allowances by 2.45% and still tried to claim it was in line with their manifesto promises. They decided not to increase the Labour Leaders pay to the level recommended by the Independent Renumeration Panel (IRP) and in a petty tit for tat move they deleted the SRA for the secondary opposition group leader (the Tory leader). But why did they ask for the increase in the Labour Leader's pay in the first place and then turn it down the moment there was a whiff of opposition. Clearly it was a publicity stunt to make the Labour Leader look good.

They are now claiming that they did not ask for this proposed increase but the IRP's report to the Council says differently:

Elected members, Partners and Officers were invited to the 'drop-in' session which resulted in 'face to face' meetings with the Leader of the Council, Chair of standards Committee, Chair of Main Overview and Scrutiny Committee' Leader of the Conservative
Group, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Communities Manager. Some the attendees at the 'drop in' had dual roles...

...The view of the interviewees was that the current assessment of SRA for the Leader should be higher as it was seen as a full time position. Similarly they also felt the current assessment for the Deputy leader should be higher. Some respondents also thought that the current assessment for cabinet Members should be higher. The positions of Leader, Deputy Leader and Members of the Cabinet were considered to be full-time and parity with other Local Authorities in the Tees valley should be considered.

Report of the Independent Renumeration Panel of Redcar and Cleveland Borough Council. Review of Members Allowances and recommendations. January 2009.

Huge pay rise for Labour Council leader - New Poll

Liberal Democrats on Redcar & Cleveland Council have condemned a proposal to raise the pay of the Council’s Labour leader by 33.8%.

The recommendation to raise the Leader’s special responsibility allowance from £12,550 to £19,710 comes in a report from the Independent Remuneration Panel, to be discussed by the Council on 2 March.

But local Liberal Democrats are horrified by the proposal to increase allowances so much during a recession.

At a time when people are losing jobs, struggling to pay bills and the country is in the deepest recession for 60 years, we should not be even considering giving the Leader of the Council such a massive pay boost.

If Labour vote this recommendation through next week it will be highly insensitive and a slap in the face to hard-working families in our borough.

It is also particularly galling that the Labour leader himself was such a critic of increases in Councillors’ allowances when in opposition and now in control he wants to almost double his own special allowance.

Reading the report it is clear that this was more than a recommendation from the Independent Panel. It was, in fact, requested by the Labour leader himself and his colleagues on the cabinet.

The Independent Remuneration Panel is recommending a rise in the basic allowance (paid to all Council members) from £9,290 to £9,520 (roughly in line with inflation). But should the Labour Leader be allowed to almost double his special allowance? Please see our new poll on the right.