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Questions over Christmas lights
THE decision of Salisbury's District Council's cabinet to splash out over £170,000 on a Christmas spectacular, complete with new lights, has been branded "excessive" by its own scrutiny panel.
After last year's show failed to impress the cabinet voted to spend £99,700 on new lights and to nearly double last year's budget for the switch-on event and putting up the lights from £37,000 to £72,000.
But yesterday the council's resources overview and scrutiny panel considered members' decision and has recommended either using existing lights instead or meeting additional costs for the scaled-up event from the city council tax precept rather than that of the whole district.
Last year's event was marred by sound problems and a fake ice rink proved to be disappointing to many people who turned up to use it, and the cabinet has admitted the occasion was not the success they had hoped for.
Council leader Paul Sample has said he hopes this year's switch-on will be "one of the best events in the city's history".
1:19pm Tuesday 13th May 2008
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CommentPosted by: Global Templar, Marlborough on 2:36pm Tue 13 May 08
Will the council please note that any new lights or themes for salisbury should reflect Christmas and not some PC winterval mishmash of cultures imported to the UK, hard working families and taxpayers want to see their country/town promote our culture and traditions, please do not ignore our culture and history!
Will the council please note that any new lights or themes for salisbury should reflect Christmas and not some PC winterval mishmash of cultures imported to the UK, hard working families and taxpayers want to see their country/town promote our culture and traditions, please do not ignore our culture and history!
Posted by: Paul Sample on 4:13pm Wed 14 May 08
It is a fair point and I'll ensure that it is taken on board. Of course, what the article failed to mention is that, BEFORE Cabinet voted on this issue, I asked the Opposition Councillors sitting at the back if they had anything they wanted to say about the matter (or if they had any concerns?) and there was a total silence. Either they hadn't read the papers or they hadn't worked out they could make political capital out of the decision.
It is a fair point and I'll ensure that it is taken on board. Of course, what the article failed to mention is that, BEFORE Cabinet voted on this issue, I asked the Opposition Councillors sitting at the back if they had anything they wanted to say about the matter (or if they had any concerns?) and there was a total silence. Either they hadn't read the papers or they hadn't worked out they could make political capital out of the decision.
Posted by: Derek Brown, Salisbury on 5:30pm Wed 14 May 08
Somebody else's fault again! Since when have the Conservatives been part of this Cabinet although the District would be better served were it so?
Quite properly the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Panel recommended a far better thought through solution rather than the Cabinet's preferred largesse with District money. The only certainty is that the current Administartion presided over the most appalling shambles last year and any improvement this year would be welcome.
Somebody else's fault again! Since when have the Conservatives been part of this Cabinet although the District would be better served were it so?
Quite properly the Resources Overview and Scrutiny Panel recommended a far better thought through solution rather than the Cabinet's preferred largesse with District money. The only certainty is that the current Administartion presided over the most appalling shambles last year and any improvement this year would be welcome.
Posted by: Conductor, Bulford on 7:09pm Wed 14 May 08
The following is taken from the Constitution of the Council: [italic][quote]quote[/quote] Overview and scrutiny panels also monitor the decisions of the Cabinet. They can 'call-in' a decision which has been made by the Cabinet but not yet implemented. This enables them to consider whether the decision is appropriate. They may recommend that the Cabinet reconsider the decision[quote]quote[/quote] .[/italic]
Scrutiny panels are drawn from all political parties – Lib Dem, Labour, Conservative and Independents. There is no political bias.
Councilor Sample has always shown scant regard for the procedures of the council. Shouting requests for comment or question at cabinet meetings is not the way business is or should ever be conducted. Cabinet publishes its forward plan, officers prepare reports, cabinet discusses and Scrutiny can call items in for consideration.
In this case scrutiny called the matter in and has seen fit to comment on yet another inappropriate decision by cabinet. It is not the place of Members who are in the audience to respond to questions from the Leader of the Council or other Cabinet members. They know as does Cllr Sample the proper place is Scrutiny not some ad hoc free for all.
Cllr Sample can spin this however he wants but the truth is that the all party scrutiny is questioning the decision of the City Centric cabinet to spend the whole districts money preparing Salisbury for next year when as a Parish Council it will not be able to pillage our money. We now know his agenda is Salisbury first in everything and let the rural areas beg for the scraps on the plate after his City has plundered the bulk of the funds.
This administration has lied about Bourne Hill, refused until forced by public opinion to extend the consultation on the Local Development Framework (12,500 new houses) and now tries to accuse the opposition members of wrongdoing for using the proper procedures to scrutinise cabinet decisions.
[bold]SAMPLE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A MODERN DAY HIGHWAYMAN AIDED AND ABETED BY THE NODDING DOGS THAT ARE HIS CRONIES ON THE CABINET.[/bold] Unitary – bring it on!
The following is taken from the Constitution of the Council:
quote
Overview and scrutiny panels also monitor the decisions of the Cabinet. They can 'call-in' a decision which has been made by the Cabinet but not yet implemented. This enables them to consider whether the decision is appropriate. They may recommend that the Cabinet reconsider the decisionquote
.
Scrutiny panels are drawn from all political parties – Lib Dem, Labour, Conservative and Independents. There is no political bias.
Councilor Sample has always shown scant regard for the procedures of the council. Shouting requests for comment or question at cabinet meetings is not the way business is or should ever be conducted. Cabinet publishes its forward plan, officers prepare reports, cabinet discusses and Scrutiny can call items in for consideration.
In this case scrutiny called the matter in and has seen fit to comment on yet another inappropriate decision by cabinet. It is not the place of Members who are in the audience to respond to questions from the Leader of the Council or other Cabinet members. They know as does Cllr Sample the proper place is Scrutiny not some ad hoc free for all.
Cllr Sample can spin this however he wants but the truth is that the all party scrutiny is questioning the decision of the City Centric cabinet to spend the whole districts money preparing Salisbury for next year when as a Parish Council it will not be able to pillage our money. We now know his agenda is Salisbury first in everything and let the rural areas beg for the scraps on the plate after his City has plundered the bulk of the funds.
This administration has lied about Bourne Hill, refused until forced by public opinion to extend the consultation on the Local Development Framework (12,500 new houses) and now tries to accuse the opposition members of wrongdoing for using the proper procedures to scrutinise cabinet decisions.
SAMPLE IS NOTHING MORE THAN A MODERN DAY HIGHWAYMAN AIDED AND ABETED BY THE NODDING DOGS THAT ARE HIS CRONIES ON THE CABINET. Unitary – bring it on!
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