The agenda for Wednesday's Council meeting (6th March), which will set the council tax, also includes a recommendation to approve the Council's Pay Policy, a document now required under the Localism Act. It sets out the structure and levels of pay and also the ratio between the highest and lowest earners, currently running at 1:13, ie the lowest paid workers receive a thirteenth the salary of the highest paid employee.
Councillors might like to note that within the report there is a reference to 'Returning Officer Fees', the subject of a recent complaint (see previous posts here and here) about the council's financial management to the Wales Audit Office by Jonathan Edwards MP.
Therefore this is clearly 'on the agenda' and will, I trust, be open to debate and comment when the item is under discussion.
Not on the agenda, I notice, is the recommendation to webcast meetings.
As the horsemeat saga gallops off into yesterday's news, here are the Executive Board Minutes for the 18th February, which are due to be 'approved' at Wednesday's meeting;
"The Chair (Kevin Madge) referred to current national, and European, concerns regarding the issue of some processed beef products having been found to be contaminated with horse meat. He advised that the Council’s meat suppliers to schools and care homes etc had provided full authenticity and traceability of their products, and there was no question of any contamination."
This was followed on the 19th Feb by a similarly confident council press release which has now, as you will guess, been removed.
And then, on the 28th February;
Email from Head of Public Protection, Philip Davies to Councillors;
"The FSA has informed the Council that a sample of minced meat from Welsh Bros, a company which supplies our schools and social care establishments, had tested positive for horse DNA."
Councillors might like to note that within the report there is a reference to 'Returning Officer Fees', the subject of a recent complaint (see previous posts here and here) about the council's financial management to the Wales Audit Office by Jonathan Edwards MP.
Therefore this is clearly 'on the agenda' and will, I trust, be open to debate and comment when the item is under discussion.
Not on the agenda, I notice, is the recommendation to webcast meetings.
As the horsemeat saga gallops off into yesterday's news, here are the Executive Board Minutes for the 18th February, which are due to be 'approved' at Wednesday's meeting;
"The Chair (Kevin Madge) referred to current national, and European, concerns regarding the issue of some processed beef products having been found to be contaminated with horse meat. He advised that the Council’s meat suppliers to schools and care homes etc had provided full authenticity and traceability of their products, and there was no question of any contamination."
This was followed on the 19th Feb by a similarly confident council press release which has now, as you will guess, been removed.
And then, on the 28th February;
Email from Head of Public Protection, Philip Davies to Councillors;
"The FSA has informed the Council that a sample of minced meat from Welsh Bros, a company which supplies our schools and social care establishments, had tested positive for horse DNA."
5 comments:
GOOD LUCK AND BEST WISHES , JACQUI !
Hardly had the ink dried on the "no horse meat here" press release, than my son started reporting sudden changes to his school dinners.
It will be interesting to see what new tactics can be found to prevent any discussion of returning officer fees. A self-combusting order paper, perhaps.
anon 12.32 Thank you.
Cneifiwr; strategically fired tranquilliser darts could be another option.
Cneifiwr 13.00
Here here. We've seen it all before. Tactics! Hope it doesn't wash this time.
Should the fees be discussed if they are being investigated by the audit office? Respect the process?
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