IMPORTANT DEBATE CUT SHORT, AMENDMENT REFUSED
& TORY LEADER ORDERS HIS GROUP NOT TO TAKE PART
Debate at Thursday's council meeting held to discuss the proposed TDC budget was cut short, amendments were refused and at one point the Conservative TDC Leader ordered his group not to take part in discussions, when Labour members suggested capping leading officers pay at a time when other council workers were to lose their jobs.
A Labour amendment simply called for officers to produce a report examining the proposal that 'No senior member of staff should have an increase to their salaries whilst other members of staff are being made redundant. And that the money saved from this should go to protect the priority services identified during the public consultation'.
At this point Council Leader (Cllr Bayford) ordered his Conservative group not to take part in the debate and shortly afterwards his own Conservative members voted to curtail all debate and end any further discussion.
Labour Leader Cllr Clive Hart was furious at Cllr Bayfords order to his members not to take part in the debate and explained to council members that it was exactly that kind of attitude which allowed leading officers pay to run out of control. He said it was a perfectly reasonable and understandable proposal and that the Conservative Leaders response showed exactly why the Tory Leadership were not fit to run the council.
Following Thursday's meeting Labour Leader Cllr Clive Hart said "tonight's debate clearly exposed the Tory administrations attitude towards frontline staff. Leading officers will be allowed increases whilst others will lose their jobs. A year ago the Labour Deputy Leader Cllr Poole and I met with Cllr Bayford and Cllr Wise - then the cabinet member for finance. In front of the Chief Executive we told them in no uncertain terms that leading officers pay was spiraling out of control and completely unacceptable. They wouldn't listen then and they didn't listen tonight'.
Published by Thanet Labour Group Press Office, 44 Northdown Road, Margate, CT9 2RW.
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