Around 18 months ago, the Salford Star had a run-in with Charlie Winstanley, the sidekick of Salford City Mayor, Paul Dennett, who, on social media, called one of our journalists a 'wretched liar' and then told some gross untruths in the Salford Star's own comments section (see here).
Who was this Mayor's sidekick? We suspected he was being paid from public money, but how much and from which budget? No-one was saying, and we still don't know. Apparently the Mayor was entitled to a paid political, spinning, untruthing, horrid little sidekick.
Now comes news that there could be two more such creatures arriving at the Council, with an item on next week's remote Council meeting about the 'Appointment of Political Assistants'.
Apparently, all political parties with at least ten per cent of the total number of councillors are entitled to employ a political assistant paid for out of local public money budgets under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989.
A Government order specifies the amount to be paid to each political assistant as £34,986 plus on-costs (NI, pension etc). They are paid by Salford City Council out of revenue funds which also pay for front line services...
The Council report states that "there is no existing budget provision for these roles. If both political parties choose to create these roles the maximum cost will be £69,972 plus oncosts.
"Due to the significant financial impact of COVID19, the council's 2020/21 revenue budget and medium term financial strategy will need to be reassessed which may involve the prioritisation of budget areas" it adds.
"If members identify these posts as a priority budget area it will be included within the reassessment of the budget which will inform the council's budget position for 2020/21 which will include restating budgets, identifying any funding gap and options to bridge the gap" it continues.
In other words, something else could be cut to pay for the political assistants. But there are also possibly a few ethical questions about these appointments.
They are paid from Council funds and are employed by the Council, but are infinitely 'political'. The Council report states, "Unlike other Council employees in politically restricted posts, Political Assistants are permitted to speak or write in a way which is designed to affect public support for a person or political party..."
The only thing they are not allowed to do is to undertake party political campaigning or party activity outside the Council's business. But they will have access to the same information as elected councillors, and will also have access to 'exempt and confidential documents'...
"Given the unique nature of the role within the Council and the level of access which the Political Assistants will have to sensitive information the Political Assistants will be expected to maintain the highest level of confidentiality and discretion at all times during the course of their work" the report states.
They can attend meetings, do research, draft speeches and motions, er, 'monitor the local media' and, basically, spin stories, all under the wing of the 'group leader'. The Labour Party Group Leader is Paul Dennett, who already has a sidekick, or political assistant. Will he now have two political assistants? Meanwhile, Conservative Leader, Councillor Les Turner, told the Salford Star that the Tories will definitely be going for a political assistant...
"I discovered that we were entitled to one and my group said that it would make things a lot easier with the Mayor ranting and raving at every Council meeting; we'd have someone working on our behalf getting the true figures" he said "I believe that it will be good for scrutiny, that we could do our job better with help, and also the city will benefit because we would have closer links with the Government which is likely to be there for quite a while, whether they like it or not."
The report will be voted on at next Wednesday's full remote meeting of Salford City Council.
Meanwhile, the same meeting will see a new Cabinet membership list announced – with the same old names still there...the only change is that Councillor Tracy Kelly, while keeping her role as Lead Member for Housing, is now also Statutory Deputy City Mayor, with Councillor Paula Boshell kicked out to a new role as Lead Member for Anti-Poverty, Neighbourhoods, Financial Inclusion and Equalities.
The full new Cabinet line-up under City Mayor, Paul Dennett, is ...
Statutory Deputy City Mayor/Lead Member for Housing - Councillor Tracy Kelly
Deputy City Mayor/Lead Member for Children's and Young People's Services - Councillor John Merry
Lead Member for Anti-Poverty, Neighbourhoods, Financial Inclusion and Equalities - Councillor Paula Boshell
Lead Member for Finance and Support Services - Councillor Bill Hinds
Lead Member for Environment and Community Safety - Councillor David Lancaster
Lead Member for Planning and Sustainable Development - Councillor Derek Antrobus
Lead Member for Adult Services, Health and Wellbeing – Councillor Gina Reynolds.
The line-up of 'Executive Support Members' who are also paid extra allowances, is...
Executive Support Member for Education and Learning - Councillor John Walsh
Executive Support Member for Planning, Housing and Sustainable Development - Councillor Mike McCusker (wasn't he supposed to be up in front of the Standards Committe for swearing etc?)
Executive Support Member for Social Care and Mental Health - Councillor Jim Cammell (the only new appointment)
Executive Support Member for Transport - Councillor Roger Jones
Executive Support Member for Culture, Leisure and Sports - Councillor Stephen Coen
Executive Support for Equalities, Communities and Social Impact - Councillor Sharmina August
Executive Support for Workforce and Industrial Relations - Councillor Barbara Bentham
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