Simon's nice little earner

Years ago councilors did the 'job' for no pay whatsoever. It was considered a 'community' thing. The real truth of course was that such people had enough intelligence to know that being at the 'top' put one in the 'know'. From the 'know' came the information to be one step ahead of the competition which in itself got one 'ahead'. Most came from well to do families and thus had the clout to put themselves in the lime-light and hence into local politics - and the rest was history. It had the effect of 'local' people helping themselves and hence the town to show itself off in its best light and of concentrating the money and power behind the towns commerce. Such is not the case today whereby the 'job' is 'paid' and unless one has a 'tie' (either social or commercial) the same 'need' to keep things in-house and thus benefit locally does not arise.

How you change and acquire 'local' people with a 'stake' in working for themselves and the town, so that the result remains in the town and to the town's benefit I don't know. The John Bright's and Molesworth's of this world are long gone. That - is the only way you will ever get 'councillors' to really work on yours and the town's behalf.:roll  

We can see in the news today that many members of parliament claim for some of their gas and electric bills to be paid for as expenses.

Simon Danczuk claimed £392.38 for electricity and gas bills.

http://www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/83471/simon-danczuk-mp-claims-energy-bills-on-expenses


It's pleasant to think about Mr. Nadhim Zahawi, of Stratford-on-Avon, who claimed £5,822.27 for Electricity and "other fuel", having yet another lovely warm shower and then cooking himself dry at the taxpayers expense.

http://kwout.com/cutout/u/wf/vh/rwd.jpg
Looks like he uses an electric head polisher.

I'm not sure how MP's expenses got onto here but - hey - what's new -?

MP's are allocated a certain figure to pay their expenses which I assume are spent within the context of their daily work as an MP. How and on what is surely up to them providing they remain within budget. If heat ing and cooking expenses are taken then one assumes that something else, say secretarial work or postages, have by consequence to be less in order that the budgets are not exceeded???? I don't see the problem here - other than a swipe at the rest of the poor buggers who are not as well heeled or similarly protected with their fuel bill payments??? So what's new pussycat -?

I just wonder how much our local MP claimed for heating expenses while some poor pensioner has had to go cold in their own homes worrying how they are going to pay their heating bills? I should go and ask him at his next cake and meet session while some pensioner may be going with out food to pay for the next heating bills for next Christmas.

After it was publicised that M.P. Nadhim Zahawi was claiming thousands of pounds on expenses for electricity to run his own private business, he apologised and claimed it was a mistake. Maybe.

It highlights the method used by many businessmen 'in the know' about how government finances work, to set up and run their own private businesses by diverting and using public money one way or another. It's very common and a blurred area that is systematically taken advantage of. They probably teach it in business school.

Not implying that Mr. Danczuk would do that, from his expenses claim he is not, but it's not difficult to think of other setups where something on those lines does go on. It's become a rather embedded practice, and very easy for a trained accountant to hide.

Everyone should know by now that for every pound granted of government money (aka Our money) at least 50% is hived off for administration of one kind or another - applies also to European monies (aka Our money).
It goes to seminars, meetings,consultants,general expenses and many other kinds of operation reputed to be 'necessary' for the projects success etc. Been going on since Adam was a boy (whomsoever he might be).