All aboard the expenses gravy train.

[[TW]Fox]

So you don't think the primary focus should be the outcome for the taxpayer?

Yes, let's pay them all min wage as well. After all, the only thing that matters is money right?

High level positions come with higher level travel and accommodation both public and private sectors. Get over it and stop dressing your bitterness at not getting as far as they have as fake concern for tax payers. If the package sucks you attract the wrong person.

 

[GAC]

well mu local council hasnt provided details, thats nice of them.

guess they have something to hide, which we all know anyways as they have been blowing cash on stupid things for years. just none of the councilors or mp's do anything as there in the coffers as well getting treats.

as for senior execs using fancy hotels maybe someone should remind them they are public servants not royalty, a travel lodge will give you just as good a nights sleep as anywhere else.

 

[Danthus]

Yes, let's pay them all min wage as well. After all, the only thing that matters is money right?

High level positions come with higher level travel and accommodation both public and private sectors. Get over it and stop dressing your bitterness at not getting as far as they have as fake concern for tax payers. If the package sucks you attract the wrong person.

Yes, this is all about bitterness.

 

[PMKeates]

Yes, this is all about bitterness.

There's a fair chunk of it involved tbf. Having cocaine binges on the taxpayer would probably be a bit off, but staying in a 5* hotel and flying first-class isn't.

 

[Danthus]

There's a fair chunk of it involved tbf.

No there isn't.

 

[Basher]

So you don't think the primary focus should be the outcome for the taxpayer?

Of course it's about the taxpayer. We want the best people doing the job, and to get that, they need a package with is consistent with their seniority.

To expect such senior individuals to stay at a Travelodge is stupid. It's not all about cost, and the sooner the fascination with this goes, the better.

 

[PMKeates]

No there isn't.

I disagree, and my opinion is more important than yours.

 

[[TW]Fox]

Yes, this is all about bitterness.

It is at least partially this. There is a huge element of 'They have something I don't, WAAAAAAA' about much of the expenses/tax/blah whinging that goes on.

You don't send Senior Executives on business in coach class and put them up in a cheap motel, end of story really.

If the photcopier fixit guy was staying at the Crowne Plaza after his First Class flight then fair enough but board level staff? Get real. Dumb down the package and you dumb down the staff.

 

[PMKeates]

I've just gone through Essex CC's list and they have lots of flights from Ryanair and easyJet! Even with my lowly position I don't have to fly with such carriers!

 

[[TW]Fox]

Actually I think OldCoals has a point. We should sell off the council chambers and use portacabins and lets face it, whats wrong with a Kia Rio Diesel for the Mayoral car?

 

[GAC]

i still dont understand why people spout utter driville about needing good pakages to attract the best people.

our local chief exec for example is on £140k and is brainless, iv been in meetings with her and she seems to have the opion of lower staff as they are here to do as there told and not to make suggestions. she's due to go soon anyways as she was looking for a new post at a bigger council.

a lot of these so called senior people move council to council and generaly get the jobs on experience worked at other councils. the last 4 (excluding the current one as she was promoted) have all come in for 2-4 years and then moved on to another council.

if they are so highly skilled that they deserve private sector money shouldnt they be able to get a job in the private sector ? rather than bouncing council to council.

 

[Werewolf]

No there isn't.

Yes there is.

I've seen people all but foaming at the mouth about the fact that someone at the BBC claimed a couple of hundred for a hotel room at a major broadcasting event, apparently it wasn't right that "public money" should have been spent giving someone sent on a job a room within a reasonable distance of where he was working.
Or why someone was able to claim for parking costs when sent to meetings.

A lot of people don't seem to understand that if you want someone with the necessary skills and experience to do a job, you generally have to offer them pay and conditions that are at the very least within shouting distance of what they could get elsewhere, be they in the "public sector" or "private sector".

Unfortunately a lot of people seem to hold the attitude that "they're already getting paid more than me, why should they be able to claim for expenses", ignoring the fact that in any job regardless of your pay level the HMRC allow you to claim for out of pocket expenses (the MP's took the micky because they basically were exempt from any outside overview and set their own rules - something that was unique for them in the UK), and that in any half decent job if your boss expects you to do something that is going to cost money, you shouldn't be the one out of pocket.

 

[Danthus]

I love how everyone knows that I am bitter.

 

[[TW]Fox]

i still dont understand why people spout utter driville about needing good pakages to attract the best people.

our local chief exec for example is on £140k and is brainless,

If she's so dumb and you are not, why are you not taking her place? If it's so easy to get, where is your £140k salary?

 

[Basher]

I love how everyone knows that I am bitter.

Well, given your lack of structured arguments outlining why senior execs don't deserve senior exec packages, what else are we to think?

 

[Danthus]

Well, given your lack of structured arguments outlining why senior execs don't deserve senior exec packages, what else are we to think?

I haven't questioned there salary at all, or their ability to do their job.

 

[[TW]Fox]

I haven't questioned there salary at all, or their ability to do their job.

Entitlement to a certain standard of travel and accomodation is part of the package.

 

[Glaucus]

I love how everyone knows that I am bitter.

What is wrong with a Travelodge?

Well if you post such stuff that confirms your bitterness or total lack of understanding, what do you expect.

 

[GAC]

because im not a council office bod, as i said in the rest of my post around here councils seem to hire from other councils expecting to get experienced staff.

from what iv seen it normaly ends up with more of the same.

now i dont know what happens are larger councils just at the local ones around here, but from things iv heard it seems the northwest is a breeding ground for managers and executive staff who move on to larger councils or aim to with there yesrs of experience up here.

 

[Werewolf]

I've just gone through Essex CC's list and they have lots of flights from Ryanair and easyJet! Even with my lowly position I don't have to fly with such carriers!

Aye it reminds me of the BBC expenses, the papers cherry picked expenses with a high cost such as engineers getting a first class flight*, but ignored the fact that the BBC is notorious for being stingy**.

The papers tend to go for the one or two unusual or high claims, but never give any context about when/why they were claimed, which usually makes a huge difference.


*Apparently the baggage allowance is significantly higher, and it can work out cheaper to go first class and take advantage of a large baggage allowance, than budget and pay the excess fees (and ignored the fact that a lot of the time news crews travel at short notice which means little choice in what is used).

**IIRC the DM highlighted a £500+ hotel fee at a major convention in Los Vegas, but ignored the fact that the BBC normally only allow £100 a night in London, or £70 outside of London (basically Travel lodge).