The Labour group on Caerphilly County Borough Council has hit back at rivals Plaid Cymru for their support of workers faced with a reduction in car allowances.
Labour leaders have hit back and called Plaid “opportunistic and hypocritical”. The reduction in the rate has been proposed as part of a savings package aimed at cutting Caerphilly Council’s 2014/15 expenditure by £14.5 million.
Caerpilly Council’s eader, Cllr Harry Andrews, said: “What sickening opportunism this is from Cllr Colin Mann, the leader of Plaid councillors – who haven’t made a single proposal for savings towards realising the £14.5m savings required.
“Our Labour-led council is protecting our lowest-paid workers by continuing to pay the Living Wage – one of only two authorities in Wales to implement the Living Wage.
Cllr Andrews added: “Cllr Mann seems to have conveniently forgotten that when Labour introduced the Living Wage in Caerphilly, he first said he supported the proposal – then went to the press to question its affordability.”
Caerphilly Council’s Deputy Leader, Cllr Keith Reynolds, said: “If the Nationalists want to protect the current mileage rate they must have the courage to identify where the £250,000 necessary will be found.
“This is rank hypocrisy from Colin Mann, who yet again has shown that when big decisions have to be made Plaid are nothing more than a protest group who have absolutely nothing to offer.
“What a shame he did not raise any concerns about the proposal to increase by £1 per meal the price of Meals on Wheels for the elderly and most vulnerable of our residents – a proposal which was rejected by the Labour Cabinet. He and his Party should really consider their priorities.”
Cuts have to be made and it seems Labour have it right regarding the mileage allowance. The current allowance is on the generous side and whilst I appreciate that if you are used to receiving 55p per mile you are not going to be happy with a reduction, 50p per mile seems reasonable. The self employed are allowed only 45p per mile, this is not a payment they receive but are allowed to claim tax allowance on this, so either 20% or 40%, dependent on profit, of 45p.
Right, that's the tinkering around the edges dealt with. Now how about Plaid and Labour getting together to scrap the recently introduced pay structure for the top officers? That will bring in appreciable savings which can be used to protect the salaries of the low paid or retain services that would be otherwise lost.
It is about time Labour started coming out with these statements and defending themselves. There's two sides to every story and I have heard enough of Plaid's comments and the press should start balancing the comments from each party to enable the public to make an informed decision on who is right in these matters. Councillors get 45p per mile and I think Officers should get the same.
The first time I've heard/seen Caerphilly Labour say anything on the issue, and its just an attack on the opposition. Nothing new then. Not even sure why I bothered reading!
David Rees is a very impartial commontater. He's a paid up party member and chief apologist for Plaid Cymru. He, like so many Plaid supporters on this page, will never critisise Plaid Cymru no matter what they've done.
In answer to Cllr Reynolds reference to how can the savings be identified to protect the current millage allowances
I suggest the unlawful pay scandal and millage buy out are reversed and the money reclaimed. This would not only protect the current millage allowance but also have less of an impact on other proposed cuts to services etc.
Moreover, council tax is due to rise by 3.9% which I believe is to help fund the increasing cost of wages etc for the senior officers currently under investigation. It,s likely other senior officers will also be suspended on full pay as the investigations progress, additional oncosts for cover of those officers during suspension will no doubt increase the costeven further, which are currently running into millions.