The TaxPayers' Alliance - Campaign

Thurrock council's chief executive quits

Yesterday we were contacted by Mike Casey of Your Thurrock – a superb grassroots new media current affairs website – with the surprise that yet another chief executive has left Thurrock council.  What repercussions will this have for Thurrock’s taxpayers? It doesn’t look good considering the soaring salaries chief executives get jumping from one council to another, the culmination being the astonishing £220,000 given to the new chief executive of Suffolk County Council earlier in the year.

Being a Thurrock resident, I was invited last night to discuss the matter, talk a bit about the TPA and the areas in local government we’re watching out for:

If anything, the priority for Thurrock council should be that they keep the chief executive’s salary under control – we simply do not have the economy to pay for ever-increasing public sector salaries.  They must ensure the search to find a new chief executive is cost efficient – Three Rivers council feared searching for a new chief executive would cost so much they decided to give into his demands and let him work a four-day-week on full pay. 

Finally a bit of advice for Thurrock council: don’t go with another chief executive from another council.  Across the country we’ve seen our taxes double and service cutbacks.  The current crop of chief execs, switching posts like they were in a game of musical chairs, just aren’t delivering value for money and quality services.  Perhaps it’s worth appointing a businessman or someone with a record of efficiency and cost cutting, who doesn’t need a six figure salary and who can return some cash back to Thurrock taxpayers’ pockets?  Thurrock council can potentially take the radical step and look outside the box of current officers and work that bit harder to lower council tax next year. We intend to keep a close eye on them to see whether they will opt for innovative change or stick with the wasteful status quo.

TPA at UEA

On Friday I went up to the University of East Anglia to take part in a Question Time event hosted by the University of East Anglia Conservatives which was an open event to all students.  With a packed room – even on Halloween – the audience fired very challenging questions at us.

 

It gave me a chance to spell out current TPA research and campaigns in a response to a question on EU regulation.  Costing British businesses around £150 billion a year, it clearly has a damaging effect on business when we need British business at its best, to grow, employ and prosper for us all.  Below you can see the reactions to some of the government waste stories we've racked up here at the TPA.  There was unanimous disgust in the room when they were told about Moray Council's 'street football coordinator'.

   

The question of the night was a bolt from the blue, and a great one at that.  The issue was the FairTax, an idea in America to replace the income tax with a national sales tax.  It made for great debate and disagreements on the panel.  The main point of divergence being over whether the government should tax work, with the government automatically withdrawing tax from our pay cheques.

 

In all it was an interesting evening, if a late one for me on the last train home, and excellent seeing students embracing the low tax principles of the TPA.

A superb day in Norwich

The sun shines on the righteous, they say, and it certainly shone for us on Friday when our Norfolk TPA branch were campaigning and petitioning Norfolk residents for lower Council Tax.  The only downside was that some hoodlum stole a supporter’s handbag.  Nevertheless, in a morning’s work we signed up well over 200 new supporters.

Petitions are a great way to recruit new people to the campaign.  You have your pitch – arguing for a reduction in Council Tax – which gives the incentive for people to sign and be told further about the campaign.  It’s putting the point across which is important and telling people about our campaign and how we’re fighting for lower taxes and better government.

The one problem that our campaign lives or dies with is to get people to go out and do their bit for the campaign.  You can’t imagine the number of calls I’ve had over my 15 months at the TPA where people call in to moan but when asked what they’ll do to help the issue, the heartbreaking reply comes forth “oh, I’m not a campaigner”.

You don’t have to deliver 10,000 leaflets in one day.  We’re not asking an impossible task.  What we ask is you spread the word, tell people about the TPA and recommend they join up.  It may be cliché, but if everyone does their bit, we get more done while everyone can do a bit less.  Signing up 10 new supporters a fortnight isn’t a hard task, not when poll after poll shows this country is screaming out for lower taxes.  Writing a letter to your paper takes no more than 10 minutes.  But it makes the world of difference to our campaign.

This week Tony Flynn, a man in his 70s, will be recruiting for the campaign.  We have campaigners leafleting as we speak, bringing people into the tent so the forces for lower taxes can grow ever stronger.  So if you want to do your bit, email me at tim.aker@taxpayersalliance.com. 

What the Thurrock are they playing at?

Like manna from heaven for the campaign, but a pain in the neck for Thurrock’s taxpayers, Thurrock Council have decided to turn one job – costing taxpayers £30,000 a year – into 4.  No, it doesn’t mean 4 bureaucrats earning £30,000 between them, it means a whopping £130,000 bill for the Council to employ 3 more health and safety officers at Thurrock Council. 

Usually it’s time to turn the fire on councillors, but not in this instance.  It appears this new recruitment of non-jobbers was entirely devised by the Town Hall officer corps.  From the article in the Thurrock Gazette, you’ll see that it was unelected, completely unaccountable apparatchiks who have put together plans to fatten the Town Hall pen-pushing class. 

First the ‘head of public protection’ presented a report by the ‘acting team leader for safety, nuisance and licensing’ requesting the need for these new health and safety officers.  Then the Chief Executive Angie Ridgewell – earning a sig figure salary herself – defended the new taxpayer-funded employees, saying "my corporate management team feel that we really need this to meet the Council's responsibility. We want to make sure the health and safety of our own employees is maximised at all times."  Look Angie – put signs up saying ‘no running in the halls’, don’t use taxpayer money to top up the public payroll.

The chilling thing is these bureaucrats can get things done even when the elected councillors oppose the plans.  Not one councillor is mentioned in the article calling for or even supporting these new bureaucrats.  Yet, they’re the ones elected to make these decisions…or so we’re led to believe.

Do feel free to send a letter to the Thurrock Gazette expressing your outrage at this waste of taxpayer’s money.  Email one over to them by emailing the editor at neil.speight@nqe.com. 

Norwich TPA Council Tax Protest

Barbara Lockwood, a longstanding TPA campaigner and Council Tax protester, was in court yesterday charged with non-payment of half her Council Tax bill.  Barbara maintains that her Council Tax has soared well above her ability to pay and as a result she’ll only pay for what she is getting from the Council.  Would you pay an increased price for a service that’s been cut in half whilst it pays its bureaucrats more and more?  Well, Barbara isn’t going to pay, so she was taken before the courts.

The say started early, but with excellent coverage from Anglia TV filming Barbara and our Norfolk Organiser Tony Callaghan (who deserves a medal for arranging so much media coverage ).  In addition to this, BBC Radio Norfolk interviewed Barbara and held a phone-in, receiving numerous calls of support. 

Then it was to the Courthouse where we were met with Barbara’s supporters, numbering about 20 in all (though some had to leave early).  In the court, Broadland Council brought forward non-payment charges to 374 taxpayers within the Broadland borough.  Only one – Barbara – was there to protest and appeal the charges against her.  Such are the ruthless rigidity of the rules, Barbara wasn’t allowed to make her defence – despite the council springing another £200 charge in ‘backdated’ non-payments of Council Tax.  On her summons, however, the Council fail to disclose what specific amounts are demanded from previous years.  The 373 other taxpayers’ cases were dealt with all at once, and with the stroke of a pen, all were handed liability orders as well as a £56 charge for being taken to court in the first place.

Tony Callaghan spells out his shock at the Magistrates who, with the stroke of a pen, were able to judge on cases without even hearing the details of the charges.  It seems if the Council is right, then the people are wrong:

If from one borough, on a Monday morning, 374 people had outstanding Council Tax payments – then what about the rest of the country?  Borough after borough must have hundreds, even thousands, of people who can’t or won’t pay their Council Tax.  My question is – where are these people?  Stand up and be counted like Barbara.  Join the campaign and make your voice heard!

Steve Peers on Brown's stealth taxes

If you take the Sunday Times, you’d have noticed senior TPA Campaigner Steve Peers and his family in the Money section being interviewed on the damage government stealth taxes are doing to families all over the country.

You can read Steve's comments in the article here.

This is just one of the ways where, by being a TPA Activist, you can get involved in our national media campaign, putting the point across that big government and high taxes are damaging your and your family.  It’s your money we’re campaigning to save, it’s your campaign.  So what are you waiting for – get involved today!

Norfolk TPA: working for lower Council Tax

Norfolk TPA campaigners met with senior members of Norfolk County and South Norfolk District Councils yesterday to discuss how the County and District can achieve tax cuts for hard-working families across Norfolk next year. 

Our senior campaigners Tony Flynn, Barbara Lockwood and Tony Callaghan met with Cllr Daniel Cox (Leader of Norfolk County Council) and both Beverley Spratt and Cllr Martin Wilby, the Deputy Leader of South Norfolk District Council.  Tony Flynn gives his report of the meeting here:

After introductions and some small talk, we established the purpose of the meeting. It was agreed that taxation at its present high level was now creating enormous problems for the majority of the people of Norfolk, the average income for most people being well below the average income for London and the South East of England.

All present put the case for lower taxes, showing examples of other councils having cut their Council Taxes and that we need to work together for lower taxes.  We know lower taxes work and that the people support them.  Part of the reason we turned up was to show the strength of feeling for lower taxes. 

After some discussion, we know we have to keep up the pressure and inform the council as to how we can help them cut taxes.  Then moving on, it was decided that we form an agenda along these lines and meet again at South Norfolk House on Wednesday May the 21st at 11am. This meeting will be to agree the agenda and then to agree a date and time for a Public Meeting for lower taxes, also at South Norfolk House to include all eight MPs representing Norfolk. As the instigator of this approach to Politics and Local Democracy, I take it upon myself to encourage all Members of Parliament to attend.

Dispatches from the frontline: Hatfield and Envelopes, many, many envelopes

This week I saw two sides of the grassroots campaign.  The first was in Hatfield last weekend where our Hertfordshire campaigners got a stall together at the monthly Farmers Market. 

We handed out bumper stickers, leaflets and our playing cards to recruit people to the campaign, which we did in spades.  Thanks to Richard Griffiths for organising the enjoyable day – if you ever get the chance to try an ostrich burger, see that you do – and to Martin Thornhill, Steve Peers and his family and Victoria Parker for turning up.  This is our grassroots campaign, placards, leaflets and ideas.  That’s all you need.  If you want a leaflet day like this in your area, I can get the message out and supply you with all you need to make it a successful recruitment day.  Simply email me and we can start the work!

The other side of the campaign was concealed by a mountain of envelopes, a fraction of which you can see above.  As a diverse campaign, we like to reach all of our supporters, whether online or not.  Sometimes this takes a lot of effort – such as stuffing thousands of envelopes – but when I get a call from someone who wants to thank us for making the effort to contact them, it’s heart-warming.  Besides, it’s the least we can do.  You are out there, in snow, wind and rain, putting the low tax message across.  You’re challenging those clinging to their taxpayer-funded vested interests and arguing for transparency and smaller government.

I was helped this week by some wonderful staff, campaigners and supporters.  Many thanks to Neil Lock, Richard Jackson, Victoria Parker, Ray Adams, Johanna Kaschke, Matt Sinclair, Fiona McEvoy and Alison Grainger. 

Dispatches from the frontline: Protest in St Albans

14 TPA Activists gathered on Monday morning to protest with Steve Peers, who was taken to court over £65 non-payment of Council Tax.  This isn’t the first time he’s withheld council tax either.  He was sent to prison back in January, on his 40th birthday no less, for non-payment of £40.  You can read coverage of our protest here in the local St Albans media.

We were joined by TPA supporters from as far away as Norfolk, even, as Steve’s case was heard.  It’s a sad reflection of the Council Tax regime that Steve wasn’t the only one in court for non-payment of Council Tax.  Dozens filled the list to be called in and, like Steve, given a liability order – meaning the Bailiffs are coming.

 

Nonetheless, Steve continues to campaign on this as a matter of principle.  You can see from our many reports that our money is being wasted.  Below is a message from Steve.  Heed his words; it’s all well and good complaining, but it’s the doing that gets results.

So stand with us.  Join us by registering here.  Recommend us to your friends, neighbours and colleagues.  Email me to get some leaflets so you can recruit in your area.  We know you’re over taxed, but the question is – what are you going to do about it?

Lobby Suffolk Council to stop Chief Exec pay hike

Suffolk County Council is coming under mounting pressure to vote against giving its chief executive a massive £70,000 pay increase.  You can read the story here.

What’s important is the ruling Tories are starting to recognise the amount of discontent this lavish waste of taxpayers’ money is causing.  So this is where you step in.  Below you will see the list of Suffolk County Councillors and their contact details.  We have until Thursday’s vote to lobby them.  Send an email, make a call, do whatever you can to show Suffolk’s county councillors that we want our money put to the frontline.

Cllr Kathy Pollard (LD) - kathy.pollard@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07889 123702
Cllr Jeremy Pembroke (Con Leader of the Council) - jeremy.pembroke@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07887 633805
Cllr Peter Beer (Con) - peter.beer@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07774 128857
Cllr David Grutchfield (LD) - david.grutchfield@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 822883
Cllr Richard Kemp (Ind) - richard.kemp@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01787 378149
Cllr David Wood (LD) - david.wood@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07889 389443
Cllr David Yorke Edwards (Con) - david.yorke-edwards@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 313159
Cllr Selwyn Pryor (Con) - selwyn.pryor@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01787 227518
Cllr Jack Owen (Labour) - jack.owen@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01787 377451
Cllr Colin Spence (Con) - colin.spence@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07968 580636
Cllr Bill Bishop (Con) - bill.bishop@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07743 383119
Cllr Bill Sadler (Con) - bill.sadler@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01638 666912
Cllr Roger Pendleton (Con) - 01638 715862
Cllr Lisa chambers (Con) - lisa.chambers@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07745 263243
Cllr Colin Noble (Con) - colin@colinnoble.co.uk / 0845 803 5969
Cllr Russell Harsant (Con) - russell.harsant@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 273029
Cllr Harold Mangar (Labour) - harold.mangar@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07762 065228
Cllr Keith Rawlingson (Labour) - keith.rawlingson@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 218393
Cllr Bryony Rudkin (Labour) - bryony.rudkin@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07752 870697
Cllr Bill Quinton (Labour) - bill.quinton@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk  / 01473 720014
Cllr Susan Maguire (Labour) - susan.maguire@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 279853
Cllr Sue Thomas (Labour) - sue.thomas@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07939 005769
Cllr Kevan Lim (Labour) - kevan.lim@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07773 126363
Cllr Sandy Martin (Labour) - sandy.martin@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07769 720644
Cllr Andrew Cann (LD) - andrew.cann@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 286657
Cllr Inga Lockington (LD) - inga.lockington@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 213444
Cllr Tony Lewis (Labour) - tony.lewis@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk  / 07889 338836
Cllr Graham Manuel (Labour) - graham.manuel@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 740881
Cllr Julia Truelove (LD) - julia.truelove@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01449 678652
Cllr John Field (LD) - john.field@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07950 487974
Cllr Charles Michell (Con) - charles.michell@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01379 870280
Cllr Guy McGregor (Con) - guy.mcgregor@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01379 668434
Cllr Anne Whybrow (Con) - anne.whybrow@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07876 555146
Cllr Jane Storey (Con Deputy Leader of the Council) - jane.storey@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07714 427097
Cllr Penny Otton (LD) - penny.otton@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07801 587803
Cllr Eddy Alcock (Con) - eddy.alcock@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07989 971702
Cllr Jeremy Clover (Con) - jeremy.clover@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01449 720424
Cllr Joanna Spicer (Con) - joanna.spicer@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01359 230800
Cllr Jane Midwood (Con) - jane.midwood@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07778 765007
Cllr Frank Warby (Con) - frank.warby@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07818 455472
Cllr Stefan Oliver (Con) - stefan.oliver@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01284 706172
Cllr Phillip French (Con) - phillip.french@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07768 920626
Cllr Tim Marks (Con) - tim.marks@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01440 709975
Cllr Karen Knight (Con) - karen.knight@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01799 584877
Cllr Rebecca Hopfsensperger (Con) - rebecca.hopfensperger@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07876 683516
Cllr Terry Clements (Con) - terry.clements@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07960 760880
Cllr Paul Hopfsensperger (Ind) - paul.hopfensperger@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07887 711333
Cllr David Lockwood (Labour) - david.lockwood@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07860 416143
Cllr Ron Ward (Con) - ron.ward@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01728 454519
Cllr Rae Leighton (Con) - rae.leighton@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01502 724534
Cllr Peter Bellfield (Con) - peter.bellfield@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 735259
Cllr Graham Newman (Con) - graham.newman@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07802 397905
Cllr John Goodwin (Con) - john.goodwin@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07734 806040
Cllr Colin Hart (Con) - colin.hart@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01728 663284
Cllr Steven Hudson (Con) - steven.hudson@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01473 785402
Cllr John Klaschka (Con) - john.klaschka@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07843 392855
Cllr Patricia O’Brien (Con) - patricia.obrien@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01394 448085
Cllr Claire Aitchison (Con) - clare.aitchison@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01394 383759
Cllr Rosemary Clarke (Con) - rosemary.clarke@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01394 412178
Cllr Ben Redsell (Ind) - 01394 383402
Cllr Mark Bee (Con) - mark.bee@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07932 650085
Cllr John Taylor (Labour) - john.taylor@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07828 261603
Cllr Morris Rose (Con) - morris.rose@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01986 782579
Cllr Keith Patience (Labour) - keith.patience@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07711 933972
Cllr David Thomas (Ind) - david.thomas@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07768 605491
Cllr Wendy Mawer (Con) - wendy.mawer@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07788 892838
Cllr John Goldsmith (Con) - john.goldsmith@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01502 722422
Cllr Jane Hore (Labour) - jane.hore@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 01502 587569
Cllr Julian Swainson (Labour) - julian.swainson@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07771 810037
Cllr Allyson Barron (Labour) - allyson.barron@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07986 512932
Cllr Malcolm Cherry (Labour) - malcolm.cherry@councillors.suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07702 189098
Cllr Roger Bellham (Labour) - roger.bellham@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07885 852729
Cllr Ken Sale (Con) - ken.sale@suffolkcc.gov.uk / 07801 324006

Keep up the pressure.  Your lobbying has already forced Sutton Council into a corner, as reported in the Wimbledon Guardian here.  With only a handful of Conservatives needing to rebel, you can save Suffolk’s taxpayers thousands of pounds by giving 5 minutes of your Easter weekend to lobby for lower taxes and better government.