Here at the TPA we try our best to represent millions of ordinary taxpayers and particularly our tens of thousands of supporters. In order to help us do a better job it would really be helpful if you could fill out our short survey, with questions about your views of British politics and the TPA and a little about your own circumstances. It won't take more than a few minutes but we know you're busy. In order to thank you for taking the time, one person who fills out the form, chosen at random, will get a bottle of champagne. Five more will get copies of the TPA book How to Cut Public Spending (and Still Win an Election). There's been success for a long-running TPA campaign this week. Ten councillors have been removed from the Tories' list of approved candidates in the East Riding of Yorkshire after their part in a series of large payouts to departing senior officers in 2008 was exposed by us. Months of campaigning and protests have led up to this week's events, which are reported on the front page of the Yorkshire Post and the front page of the Hull Daily Mail here: Yorkshire Post: East Riding council leader in row over pension fund cast into wilderness Hull Daily Mail: Council leader faces fight for survival after Tory colleagues move to oust him TaxPayers’ Alliance National Grassroots Coordinator Andrew Allison was also interviewed by the BBC about the story. Two years ago these ten East Riding of Yorkshire councillors were among those who approved inflation-busting pay rises for a few of their senior staff. Three of those senior officers left their posts shortly afterwards (with an enhanced final salary pension), and large discretionary payments were made to their pension funds. One of the most notorious was the discretionary payment of £364,205 made to Sue Lockwood (former East Riding Council corporate resources director). Andrew was vocal in his opposition against these huge pay outs, and organised two protests earlier this year, which he blogged about. The protests attracted media attention and raised awareness of the issue, gathering interest and momentum for a campaign to get the council to listen to taxpayers who were expressing their disapproval. Two years on Ms Lockwood may still have her money, but payments like this will not take place again and this is largely through the pressure we have put on the East Riding of Yorkshire Council. Andrew also wrote a blog about the move here. On Tuesday our Director Matthew Sinclair and Research Director John O’Connell appeared before the Public Administration Select Committee (PASC) in Parliament. They were looking for evidence on quangos, and after completing the most comprehensive surveys of the quango state we were in a good position to offer evidence. Questions focused on the 'bonfire of the quangos' from October that many people thought was more of a damp camp fire. Matthew and John were quick to say that lots more could have been done, like abolishing bodies such as the Equality and Human Rights Commission and the Carbon Trust. Also, much more accountability is needed, and quangos should appear before their Select Committee every year to ensure their budgets are not misused and that they do not start performing functions out of their remit. The Local Government Association (LGA) is like a trade association for councils, who pay a yearly subscription to them with taxpayers’ money. This week it was revealed that their Chief Executive has received a £70,000 pay increase, taking his remuneration above £300,000. Our Policy Analyst Chris Daniel was quick to slam the move. He also gave the background to the TPA, our work in West Yorkshire and answered many questions from a very sympathetic audience. It was also an opportunity to distribute TPA literature. New supporters were found, a number of people signed up for the national weekly bulletin, and it looks as though we will have invitations shortly for two more presentations to other groups in the area. Grassroots: East Riding councillors to vote on augmented pensions - Andrew Allison on East Riding council's pensions review Campaign: Robert Halfon's Early Day Motion on the Open Internet - Dominique Lazanski tackles the confusion in Government over net neutrality Burning our Money: Non-job of the week - Andrew Allison with a particularly galling non-job this week - a 'Rewards Mananger', complete with equally offensive salary Economics 101: David Laws calls for tax cuts - Rory Meakin agrees with David Laws MP that our tax burden will become increasingly unacceptable as public finances recover Campaign: Getting your five a day will soon cost you more - Josh Mead on the inconsistencies of the Government's approach to healthy eating
TaxPayers' Alliance Bulletin - 26th November 2010
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Councillors deselected in the East Riding of Yorkshire in repsonse to TPA campaign
TPA give evidence to PASC
You can LISTEN TO THE SESSION HERE.Write to your local council and tell them to stop funding the LGA
After this, 30 council leaders from across the country wrote to The Times calling for him to receive at least a 10 per cent pay cut. The LGA then announced that they wereslashing his pay to under £100,000 – although he’s leaving the post on New Year’s Eve. An extraordinary climb-down maybe, but what on earth were the remuneration committee thinking in the first place?
Councils should end their subscriptions to the LGA and use the money to cut council tax, pay off debt or for services that residents actually want. WRITE TO YOUR COUNCILLORS HERE and let them know you want them to stop funding the LGA.West Yorkshire branch
Nigel Shaw, Secretary of the West Yorkshire Branch, gave the branch's first public presentation last Friday. It was to The Bingley Rotary Club, where about 30 members heard Nigel demonstrate how unnecessarily complex the British Tax System is by bringing a selection of the vast number of documents and books which detail the regulations. He also explained how we have one of the most complex (and no doubt costly) systems in the world! Best of the Blogs
Friday, 26 November 2010
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