Councillors dine out on chief exec hunt
The decision on who will be Tunbridge Wells Borough Council's next chief executive will be made over a lavish meal – paid for by the taxpayer.
The true price of picking Sheila Wheeler's successor will also include a three-hour slap-up meal for each of the 48 councillors at posh function venue High Rocks.
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POSH NOSH: High Rocks will host the gathering PV0305062/12
The entire council has been invited by leader Roy Bullock to a meal at the high-end venue on December 14 so they can meet the short-listed candidates for the £109,000 position.
And with sample menus including paupiettes of smoked salmon and a medallion of fillet steak costing up to £29.75 per person, it could provide the council with the perfect alternative to an official Christmas party they have vowed not to hold.
But we spoke to Cllr Sean Holden, who represents Cranbrook, who said he was "disgusted" with the idea and vowed not to attend.
He said: "It is wholly inappropriate, at this time more than ever, that taxpayers' money should be spent on tipping food and drink into councillors and officials.
"We've had six months of MPs being lambasted for this kind of excess – or has that not been noticed?
"If we are going to meet the candidates there is no reason it can't be a businesslike encounter over a cup of tea in the council chamber. Why should our people be footing our dinner bills?"
The evening meal is due to last for around three hours.
The size of the next chief executive's salary has provoked anger from The Taxpayers' Alliance who say it is an "insult to hard-pressed taxpayers" who suffered a 4.9 per cent hike in council tax this year.
The post seeks applicants with "outrageous ambition" to join the "far-sighted and creative" borough council.
And the advert said the successful candidate must be "passionate about local government, with the vision and energy to make great things happen, despite the difficult economic situation we now face."
Taxpayers' Alliance chief executive Matthew Elliott told the Courier: "To accompany their 'outrageous ambition', their new chief executive will pocket an outrageous amount of taxpayers' money."
In comparison the average Tunbridge Wells resident earns £36,000. Even shadow chancellor George Osborne earns less than the council chief, at £64,766.
Cllr Holden also criticised the process for choosing the replacement. He said: "This rushed timetable makes it impossible for the council to make an informed decision to approve a chosen candidate. "The final interviews are on December 15 and the council is asked to approve the person the next day. We need to have a proper opportunity to consider the person, the contract, and the salary."
"Mrs Wheeler's not leaving until February so we should also have a discussion about whether or not we could save a large salary by not having a chief executive for a period."
Council leader Roy Bullock said: "So that all the councillors have an opportunity to meet with, and ask questions of, the final short list of candidates and then give an indication of their preferences or for that matter, reservations on the candidates, all councillors have been invited to a dinner at the High Rocks when candidates will spend approximately twenty minutes at each table, meeting the councillors.
"This technique was used at the time the present chief executive was appointed, and I am sure on both occasions backbench councillors who have been involved in and, contributed to, this very important appointment will appreciate that involvement.
"The cost, if all 48 councillors attend, will be less than £1,000."
22 Comments
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by Brian Elliott, Tunbridge wells
Saturday, December 05 2009, 8:39PM
“Just backtracked to this page¿
Hold on there matey!
If I have offended, I unreservedly apologies. I had rather a nasty experience of sleeping rough and went to a soup kitchen for sustenance, only to find all the people there were on social, and lived in council flats. I later saw them outside the local Weatherspoons drinking and smoking. It rather got my back up. Also, I put comments on this site to open peoples eyes. Not to wind people up.
Again I apologise unreservedly.
My personal beef is; If people have something to say, why not put your name!”
by Anon, Kent
Wednesday, December 02 2009, 5:28PM
“Well said Steve Kings Hill. All Mr Elliott is on here for, is to stir up trouble, he does it all the time, just ignore him.”
by steve, kings hill
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 6:21PM
“I am disabled and unemployed. Do they have any work? I could not serve the food as I walk with a walking stick but I'm sure that I could work in the kitchen but then I would lose my £62 a week job seekers allowance.
Disgusted! steve, Kings Hill
Go on have a go try work! If you are on jobseekers allowence you should be looking for work!What are you disgusted about? You probably do not pay council tax being unemployed or rent which is paid by the council. To repeat what gives you the right to feel disgusted?
Have you missed something here?. YES THE PLOT!
ITNPW
Yes.
I pay council tax.
I do not have a mortgage,
I pay income tax.
I am disabled through military service.
I am disgusted about people like you who have no life but from putting silly, absurd and demeaning comments on websites such as this.”
by dmh, Susseex
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 5:18PM
“Brian Elliot
Google "climategate" and "CRU emails" if you want the truth about the scam that is
climate change/global warming.
By the w\ay what has the climate change scam got to do with TWBC wasting money?”
by C, TWells
Tuesday, December 01 2009, 10:08AM
“Brian, what is annoying me is that the council (whom I give rather a lot of my hard earned pennies too each month) don't seem to care about the impresssion they give regarding spending our cash.
They dont need a get together at the High Rocks to interview candidates, they have a perfectly good Town Hall in which they should be performing council duties, e.g interviews.”
by Brian Elliott, Tunbridge Wells
Monday, November 30 2009, 8:34PM
“It really seems to me all you lot are really concerned about is your pennies and halfpennies. If you really want to be concerned about something, then start looking at the bigger picture!
My children are doing a project on climate change and, as such have pointed me to this; http://cugerbrant.co.uk/
If you did not know what COP 15 is; read and learn, if not for you, then your offspring.”
by Brian Elliott, Tunbridge Wells
Monday, November 30 2009, 8:23PM
“Come on people! What do you expect? For them to work on starvation wages and dress in sack cloth and ashes?
This is all getting slightly ridiculous is it not? Ask yourself, why are you getting so a bitter and twisted? What really is annoying you?
Get a life!!”
by C, TWells
Monday, November 30 2009, 11:45AM
“O dear, they just don't get it do they.
Come on Mr Bullock isn't it about time the council stopped wasting our money?
Will your £30K viability study on weather TWBC should move out of the Town Hall recommend that meetings be held in local restaurants? Or that a Christmas do should be dressed up as something else?
If you can't even use the Town Hall for meetings of the Counil then by all means sell it and make some money for the council rather than waste is on jollies.
I remain Disgusted of Tunbridge Wells.”
by junkster, TW
Monday, November 30 2009, 11:33AM
“I find it most intriguing to see the uproar this has caused.
Do all of you really think this expense is an exception, rather than the norm?
If you were to review the regular expenses from behind the closed doors that the courier have not got their paws on I'm convinced you will find many more claims of greater value.
The responses do seem somewhat naive.”
by Sharon, Tunbridge Wells
Monday, November 30 2009, 10:23AM
“How many councillors does it take to choose a new council chief? Apparently 48 very well wined and dined ones! At a time when everyone has to
make cutbacks it's obscene that the fat cats at the town hall have found a way to get round their maybe rash decision not to have a Christmas party. What do they have the town hall for? Surely there must be room in that great big building for a few sandwiches to be made along with tea and coffee - before it is sold (if the rumours are true)? There are many taxpayers in Tunbridge Wells who would love to be able to afford a meal out including many elderly who have paid into these funds for over 50 years and who still have to struggle to make ends meet. Think on Tunbridge Wells councillors, you¿re a disgrace to the people you represent!”