LET’S hope our local government elite are feeling rested and, more importantly, enriched after their horizon-widening stay in Manchester which was funded by loyal council taxpayers like thee and me.
Yes, it was the annual Local Government Association jaunt which attracts the Tory inner circle from County Hall in the same way bluebottles are drawn to, well, stuff. Strangely, however, you never ever hear much about what the councillors learn at these events which is shame since we are paying for them (£495 was the full conference delegate fee this time). This year’s party included chief executive, Dr Blantern, Norman Hacker, Heather Smith, Gonzo, Aufona’s Most Valued Player, Robin Brown, Bill Parker and Catherine Boardman together with Labour’s John McGhee, his deputy Bob Scott as well as Professor Glynane from the Lib Dems. There were also a few over from the Guildhall including Chief Dave, The Mack (for part of it – Chancellor George was in Northampton after all) and his new deputy, a possibly star-struck Mary Markham making her debut at what will doubtless become a regular fixture in her calendar.
Questions remain: Do they mix at all or does it remain fiercely partisan? Do they share interesting ideas such as whether Councillor X has switched off the street lights or speed cameras yet or, in a nifty volte face on the Cobblers situation, a council has gone cap in hand to, say, Manchester United, to get a loan to pay staff? Do Lib Dems really eat muesli? Do Tories eat kidneys or kedgeree for breakfast? Do Labour really like Ed Miliband anymore? And so on...
One thing is sure: These things cost. Not only the delegates fee, but the choice of accommodation. On that, all our Northampton councillors were agreed: It was the famous, nay world famous Midland Hotel: £149 per night bed & breakfast. Manchester’s top gaffe, the place where Becks wooed Posh. Outstanding choice. When Aufona spoke to a delegate as conference was winding down on Thursday, they were asked: “So that’s £300 per person for a couple of nights?”. To which the reply was: “I suppose so, only I’ve been here since Monday {read £450} and very nice it’s been too”.
Don’t expect to find out what goes on at conference and those doubtless fascinating fringe meetings, but it’s good to know they won’t be bored...
Elsewhere on the party scene, Aufona was taken by a tweet by Nadine Dorries on Friday: “Great night with my friends Brian Binley and Nigel Evans in Northamptpn” (sic). Yes, she of Jungle fame and quite a lot else besides, not least being a Tory unlikely to be on the PM’s Christmas card list, was a guest at a soiree hosted by Northampton South HQ at the White (but grey?) Lodge in Billing Road. Mr Evans, meanwhile, is the deputy speaker currently under the spotlight for matters of an entirely different nature.
Either way, quite a guest list...
ONE of the great privileges of being a journalist is being able to avoid the £16 cover price demanded by the WNDC planning quango for a copy of its annual accounts to March.
Which is good because we certainly wouldn’t have found out Norman Hacker – that most “plural” of municipal giants (his briefs include NEP, WNDC Silverstone, Derngate, although no longer Geddington Volunteer Brigade apparently) – attended just 17 per cent of WNDC meetings in 2012-13. Board membership attendance - barring a 50 per center from South Northants councillor Mary Clarke - was 100 per cent. But don’t expect that to have any impact on the £11,968 which Norman pocketed for his contribution to Northampton’s planning quango last year. By the way, WNDC employs 25 full-time staff and splurged £1,470,000 in wages. It will close on March 31 next year when The Mack (well, Northampton Borough Council) takes over planning again.
No word yet if they’ll be charging £16 for their valedictory set of accounts.
WE are assured Bran Eldred hasn’t wasted his money and gone off for a holiday on a Spanish beach, missing out on the current heatwave. However, the cabinet member for community engagement has been strangely disengaged from the community over the storm over Far Cotton Rec (car park and fair) and Eastfield Park (fair). We’re hoping that if he has got a nice tan, he’ll be showing it off at full council on Monday night.