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Lib Dems in local government - what a mess!
Islington Lib Dems Rocked by Resignation
Lib Dem Islington is blowing thousands of pounds on planes, taxis, alcohol and highly-paid consultants - its own Lib Dem executive member for finance has admitted. Cllr Andrew Cornwell has resigned from the cabinet, claiming the Lib Dem Leader is not supporting him in clawing back the wasted money.
In his resignation letter he said the council "remains characterised by waste and inefficiency" with "excessive spending on refreshments, conference venues, travel costs and consultants", "unacceptable" redundancy payments to senior officers - and an increasing number of highly-paid managers. At £200,000 a year, chief executive John Foster is paid more than the Prime Minster.
The council spent £1.6million on private consultants in 2006-7 - and £18.9million on temporary staff. It spent almost £23,000 on taxis during 2007 - despite exhorting its own residents to use bicycles - and £83,535 on travel outside London in 2007-8. A further £3,096 went on more than 100 flights between May and September this year - including £900 on planes to Newcastle. And £164,700 was blown on food and drink in 2007-8 - including £3,711 at the annual leader's bash last Christmas. Cllr Cornwell said moves to make Islington greener have also "ground to a halt. It is not the first time the Lib-Dems have been lambasted by one of their own. Speaking after a disastrous performance at the May 2006 elections, outgoing Mayor of Islington, Councillor Jonathan Dearth, said he had "noticed an arrogance creeping in".
Councillor Cornwell's criticisms also threaten the Lib-Dems' hold on the borough. They currently have 24 seats to Labour's 23 and the Green Party's one. As such, they often have to use the casting vote of the Lib-Dem Mayor to force through changes. But that could be scuppered if Councillor Cornwell starts voting against his party. (Source: Islington Gazette, 12 November 2008)
Lib Dem Parsnip Police
Swoop on Gardener
A hobby gardener who leaves surplus vegetables outside his front gate with an honesty box for payment has been targeted by trading standards officers from Lib Dem run Northumberland County Council. They insist that his few loose vegetables and honesty box contravene EU rules on weights and measures and he should be selling the leftover parsnips, spinach and leeks by metric weight. The Lib Dem council sent Mr Cookson four pages of guidance on how to comply with the EU laws but Mr Cookson is baffled by why they would pursue him over this matter. “We sold five parsnips from the stall last week and there was £1 in the honesty box” he said. Labour Minister John Denham is due to issue guidance ordering councils not to take traders to court for essentially minor offences. (Source: The Sunday Telegraph, 7 December 2008)