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Thursday, 11th March 2010

Chief executive defends comments on Portsmouth budget

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Published Date: 09 February 2010
Portsmouth's most senior council official has defended his comments on Lib Dem plans to freeze council tax and give pensioners £50 cash back.
Chief executive David Williams was reported to have 'attacked' the ruling Lib Dems' budget yesterday.

He said the £1.7m it would cost to keep tax at its current level could 'do an awful lot to support local people'.

The comments angered senior
Lib Dems, who told The News the chief executive had overstepped his role by publicly commenting on their budget plans.

But Mr Williams said senior officers had a duty to advise.

He was not available to speak directly to The News, but in a statement said: 'The council's chief financial officer is required by law to make a report to Portsmouth City Council when considering its budget and council tax.

'It is not discretionary and it is not 'an attack' on the administration's proposed budget. Rather, it is an absolute requirement so that members of the council will have authoritative advice available when they make their decisions.

'The comments do not suggest that the budget proposals are illegal or improper. Similar statements will be made on any budget proposals coming from the Conservative or Labour groups.'

As reported in The News last week, the zero per cent increase will mean people living in a Band D property will pay £1,149 a year for Portsmouth services, as well as fire and police precepts.

City finance boss Roger Ching already warned the Lib Dem administration that not increasing council tax this year could have a 'severe effect' on services in future.

Lib Dem leader Gerald Vernon-Jackson said it was worth it to keep tax down.

The proposals were due to be discussed today.

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  • Last Updated: 09 February 2010 9:49 AM
  • Source: The News
  • Location: Portsmouth
 
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1

Lockeridge1,

Portsmouth 09/02/2010 11:46:52
When Vernon-Jackson says "it is worth it to keep tax down" what he really means is, its General Election year and Hancock wants to keep his gravy train and so does Vernon-Jackson as Leader of PCC then they can slash services later when they're safely re-elected.
2

Smileydee,

Southsea 09/02/2010 14:17:10
Last year 39 percent increase in wages/allowances.... this year an election year status quo and promises promises! I agree Lockeridge1.

Grassing over rose beds to save money ... I just can't believe that was even a consideration. We are not that easily fooled!
3

Wrinkley,

PORTSMOUTH 09/02/2010 14:49:06
When you consider the number of mistakes that have cost us dear and, in some cases we are still paying for, this proposal has to have been thought up in an asylum and introduced by the patients!

With the cost of everything else increasing, this has to be an example of hairbrained thinking that would never have been considered by anyone if there were not a General Election just around the corner!

I suggest that ALL council tax payers should start putting money in their piggy banks because it is a stone cold certainty that we will ALL be paying for this next year - if not before!

4

Scourge,

Portsmouth 09/02/2010 15:36:58
0% rise in council tax to try and get re-elected at the local elections in May, because, if they get thrown out, most of the LibDem councillors are unemployable. We are not fooled, after double the rate of inflation council tax rises, throughout the entire time they have been in power + 39% increase councillors voted themselves last year. With regards to the Chief Executive, he should and does know better. As I have already said on these pages, the best way to keep council tax down is get rid of whole layers of unecessary layers of management within PCC and cut the obscene levels of pay of the overpaid, under-performing senior managers, like the Chief Executive and the strategic Director for finance. They are running an inefficient, bloated and poorly performing organisation and should pay the price, reduce their pay by at least half; they will not leave because there is nowhere for them to leave to.
5

Neo Conservative Hants,

Portsmouth 09/02/2010 16:49:29
Since when has the Chief Executive been an elected official might I ask?

Has he never heard of democracy or do they have the same ideology in common with the Liberals namely called "Dictatorship?"
6

veryenglishbob,

Portsmouth 09/02/2010 17:21:35
""Pair arrested for Portsmouth councillor protest""
Free speech, the right to protest, all not allowed here in this town run by pi&& pot dictators.

Even the News, cowardly paper that it is, doesn't allow a comment on these pathetic arrests, shame on you.
7

Gosport Con,

09/02/2010 19:28:19
Neo Conservative Hants makes an important point.

The Chief Executive is NOT elected.

He is effectively a civil servant albeit a very well-paid one.

As such he should advise councillors in private and should not enter the realms of party politics by commenting in public on the policies of democratically-elected councillors.

The Liberals may indeed be pushing through a bad budget. Nothing new in that! However, in a democracy the voters can remove the Liberals at an election.

The voters do not have the chance to remove the Chief Executive.
8

,

09/02/2010 22:15:08
Comment Reported Unsuitable By User
9

More lies,

Portsmouth 10/02/2010 03:34:44
Mr Williams should concentrate on getting his house in order. He has stated in a meeting attended and called by myself that the council does not have the funds to enforce planning conditions, felt it was acceptable for the head of planning to attend the meeting without knowledge of the development that was being discussed (the meeting took a number of weeks to arrange so no excuses!) and refused to provide me with minutes of the meeting. His lack of understanding of the data protection act was laughable.

I understand no one can be an expert on all issues pertaining to council policy, however, if unsure he should at least take the appropriate advice. After all, it would appear he is more than willing to air his views on matters outside his remit to anyone willing to listen.

As Gosport Con rightly states Mr Williams is a civil servant and is therefore paid an over inflated salary by the tax-payer. Once again ill considered statements from the Chief Executive.



10

Tory Gal,

10/02/2010 15:42:28
Gosport Con hits the nail on the head just as Neo Conservative did before him.

Council Chief Executives should not meddle in party politics.

They are not democratically elected. They are there to give advice and nothing more.
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