A senior Southport councillor is calling for a slim down of Sefton Council.

The Council is presently advertising for a new Executive Director to help Chief Executive Margaret Carney keep the show on the road

https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/656...tive-director/

https://sefton-gov.becruiter.net/job...x?jobid=614921

http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/document...pendix%204.pdf


But Councillor Southport Councillor Tony Dawson feels that the Council needs to look hard at its priorities for spending in the tough times we face today.

"I was on the panel who appointed the present two Executive Directors Charlotte Bailey and Sarah Kemp," said Councillor Dawson, "and we agreed, across Party, that the candidates we chose brought talent to the Council. But I said at that time, that the Council might not be able to afford to keep both these positions going for too long."

" I was worrying then about possibly having to make one of these senior staff redundant. But, now that one is leaving, I think the Council may need to seize the opportunity to pull in its belt."

"I am not saying that these posts are not useful but the question has to be asked:: 'Is appointing a replacement in this job worth the £150,000 of cuts that will have to be made to pay for it?'. The people of Southport may have a different view on this to Sefton Council's bosses."

"The two top new posts were brought in when the Council was making a major management upheaval, appointing a whole raft of previous third-in-line officers to new positions where they had far wider responsibilities and only the Chief Exec above them. It was argued then that these extra two posts were needed to help Margaret Carney manage the Council through the transition. There can be no doubt that both staff members have been very useful, but I think the Council may have to bite the bullet and face the reality of hard choices."

Over the past six years, the Council's Labour group have repeatedly defended top managers' jobs while cutting frontline jobs and services. Eventually, after years of resisting, they eventually make the decisions years after they were first asked to do, meaning that million upon million of lost savings have gone down the plughole.

Former Chief Executive Graham Haywood lost his job in 2002 after proposing a very modest set of senior staff cuts which Labour and Tory bosses would not wear and decided he would have to go. It was Councillor Dawson who first obtained the independent legal advice that the Council's sacking of the previous chief executive
was illegal which led to the infamous three months of Sefton's Labour-Tory coalition, the only such arrangement ever seen in England.

https://sefton-gov.becruiter.net/job...x?jobid=614921

Although a reasonable challenge who exactly is the "senior" councillor "calling" or is this article the extent of it.

I don't believe Cllr Dawson is longer "senior" given his suspension from the Lib Ds so without substance to what he's going to do this feels like another slight on the opposition that we can add the wasteful local politics cost of noisy and disruptive politics.

Interesting that he only highlights the "useful people" as the ones he was involved in hiring.

The council would work so much better for the people if they were all independent however I guess it'll be a massive shift to get cllr Dawson cooperating for non-libs as much as a mess that party is locally.

The job advert is full of ******** bingo as usual: "stakeholders", "exciting", "vision" and, most laughably, "world renowned" (Really?).... We need a severe cull of councillors and senior staff and a freeze on recruiting more wastrels like this.

Originally Posted by dav

The job advert is full of ******** bingo as usual: "stakeholders", "exciting", "vision" and, most laughably, "world renowned" (Really?).... We need a severe cull of councillors and senior staff and a freeze on recruiting more wastrels like this.

Totally agree, if Margaret Carney can't manage on her own maybe she should be replaced by someone younger who is more efficient and is paid less. L

Of course there should be a cull. I cannot believe the salaries that are handed out. It's all such hypocrisy!!! A labour council that rewards a select few with that amount of money...and doesn't listen to the residents. Hardly what you expect!

Perhaps he should lead be example and resign himself given that he no longer represents the party that people voted for when he was elected.

Originally Posted by Ralphy Rylance

Perhaps he should lead be example and resign himself given that he no longer represents the party that people voted for when he was elected.

Under our system at both local and national polls the electors do not vote for a party but an individual candidate. His election is in his own right regardless of which party he chose to be associated with at the time. (Not that I'm a fan of this particular ego maniac.)

Originally Posted by dav

Under our system at both local and national polls the electors do not vote for a party but an individual candidate. His election is in his own right regardless of which party he chose to be associated with at the time. (Not that I'm a fan of this particular ego maniac.)

I realise what the system is but people vote for those individuals based on the fact that those individuals represent the values of the party that those individuals are standing for. And after all the ruling party is the one with the majority of elected individuals.

Originally Posted by roving-eye

A senior Southport councillor is calling for a slim down of Sefton Council.

The Council is presently advertising for a new Executive Director to help Chief Executive Margaret Carney keep the show on the road

https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/656...tive-director/

https://sefton-gov.becruiter.net/job...x?jobid=614921

http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/document...pendix%204.pdf


But Councillor Southport Councillor Tony Dawson feels that the Council needs to look hard at its priorities for spending in the tough times we face today.

"I was on the panel who appointed the present two Executive Directors Charlotte Bailey and Sarah Kemp," said Councillor Dawson, "and we agreed, across Party, that the candidates we chose brought talent to the Council. But I said at that time, that the Council might not be able to afford to keep both these positions going for too long."

" I was worrying then about possibly having to make one of these senior staff redundant. But, now that one is leaving, I think the Council may need to seize the opportunity to pull in its belt."

"I am not saying that these posts are not useful but the question has to be asked:: 'Is appointing a replacement in this job worth the £150,000 of cuts that will have to be made to pay for it?'. The people of Southport may have a different view on this to Sefton Council's bosses."

"The two top new posts were brought in when the Council was making a major management upheaval, appointing a whole raft of previous third-in-line officers to new positions where they had far wider responsibilities and only the Chief Exec above them. It was argued then that these extra two posts were needed to help Margaret Carney manage the Council through the transition. There can be no doubt that both staff members have been very useful, but I think the Council may have to bite the bullet and face the reality of hard choices."

Over the past six years, the Council's Labour group have repeatedly defended top managers' jobs while cutting frontline jobs and services. Eventually, after years of resisting, they eventually make the decisions years after they were first asked to do, meaning that million upon million of lost savings have gone down the plughole.

Former Chief Executive Graham Haywood lost his job in 2002 after proposing a very modest set of senior staff cuts which Labour and Tory bosses would not wear and decided he would have to go. It was Councillor Dawson who first obtained the independent legal advice that the Council's sacking of the previous chief executive
was illegal which led to the infamous three months of Sefton's Labour-Tory coalition, the only such arrangement ever seen in England.

https://sefton-gov.becruiter.net/job...x?jobid=614921

There are many savings the council could make without affecting the local people. I believe that they spent out thousands of pounds to an agency just to provide ideas to improve the town planning - a meeting with local people would have been far more beneficial and effective. The council spend out £millions to construction companies for various work around the town - where I know for a full fact that they are well overcharged. Why not make use of local companies and engineers at a far lower cost? Why do we need so many councillors? What do they actually do apart from preen themselves in front of the camera? The council appear to make a far greater effort in spending than they do on enterprise and creating profits. The only way that the council can think of to make money is by increasing the cost of everything. Why is it that all these councillors cannot act to attract industry to Southport? Why can't they act introduce more attractions to town? Why is there no-one who can stand up and say - "Southport must maintain an individuality in the North West, this is what has got to be done and this is what is going to be done!"

Originally Posted by said

The council spend out £millions to construction companies for various work around the town - where I know for a full fact that they are well overcharged. Why not make use of local companies and engineers at a far lower cost?

For example?

Originally Posted by said

There are many savings the council could make without affecting the local people. I believe that they spent out thousands of pounds to an agency just to provide ideas to improve the town planning - a meeting with local people would have been far more beneficial and effective. The council spend out £millions to construction companies for various work around the town - where I know for a full fact that they are well overcharged. Why not make use of local companies and engineers at a far lower cost? Why do we need so many councillors? What do they actually do apart from preen themselves in front of the camera? The council appear to make a far greater effort in spending than they do on enterprise and creating profits. The only way that the council can think of to make money is by increasing the cost of everything. Why is it that all these councillors cannot act to attract industry to Southport? Why can't they act introduce more attractions to town? Why is there no-one who can stand up and say - "Southport must maintain an individuality in the North West, this is what has got to be done and this is what is going to be done!"

How can this be so when 'Projects' go out to tender and the routine stuff is done on a 'cost book' basis which was subject to competitive tender?

Originally Posted by Alikado

How can this be so when 'Projects' go out to tender and the routine stuff is done on a 'cost book' basis which was subject to competitive tender?

and tenders cannot by law be restricted solely to "local" contractors.

Originally Posted by roving-eye

A senior Southport councillor is calling for a slim down of Sefton Council.

The Council is presently advertising for a new Executive Director to help Chief Executive Margaret Carney keep the show on the road

https://jobs.theguardian.com/job/656...tive-director/

https://sefton-gov.becruiter.net/job...x?jobid=614921


http://modgov.sefton.gov.uk/document...pendix%204.pdf


But Councillor Southport Councillor Tony Dawson feels that the Council needs to look hard at its priorities for spending in the tough times we face today.

"I was on the panel who appointed the present two Executive Directors Charlotte Bailey and Sarah Kemp," said Councillor Dawson, "and we agreed, across Party, that the candidates we chose brought talent to the Council. But I said at that time, that the Council might not be able to afford to keep both these positions going for too long."

" I was worrying then about possibly having to make one of these senior staff redundant. But, now that one is leaving, I think the Council may need to seize the opportunity to pull in its belt."

"I am not saying that these posts are not useful but the question has to be asked:: 'Is appointing a replacement in this job worth the £150,000 of cuts that will have to be made to pay for it?'. The people of Southport may have a different view on this to Sefton Council's bosses."

"The two top new posts were brought in when the Council was making a major management upheaval, appointing a whole raft of previous third-in-line officers to new positions where they had far wider responsibilities and only the Chief Exec above them. It was argued then that these extra two posts were needed to help Margaret Carney manage the Council through the transition. There can be no doubt that both staff members have been very useful, but I think the Council may have to bite the bullet and face the reality of hard choices."

Over the past six years, the Council's Labour group have repeatedly defended top managers' jobs while cutting frontline jobs and services. Eventually, after years of resisting, they eventually make the decisions years after they were first asked to do, meaning that million upon million of lost savings have gone down the plughole.

Former Chief Executive Graham Haywood lost his job in 2002 after proposing a very modest set of senior staff cuts which Labour and Tory bosses would not wear and decided he would have to go. It was Councillor Dawson who first obtained the independent legal advice that the Council's sacking of the previous chief executive
was illegal which led to the infamous three months of Sefton's Labour-Tory coalition, the only such arrangement ever seen in England.

https://sefton-gov.becruiter.net/job...x?jobid=614921

I fully support Councillor Dawson. It is obscene that money can be spent at this level whilst council services are cash starved.
Perhaps if the elected councillors were to assume a greater responsibility for the running of the town rather than allow the civil servants to have their own way on how our town is run, we would benefit from their local knowledge.

Originally Posted by duncet

Perhaps if the elected councillors were to assume a greater responsibility for the running of the town rather than allow the civil servants to have their own way on how our town is run, we would benefit from their local knowledge.

Civil Servants don't work for the council.