Comments on: What Cost To The Taxpayer? http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/ Cllr Iain Lindley - Salford City Councillor for Walkden South Ward Mon, 08 Sep 2008 03:32:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.1 By: Iain http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-176 Iain Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:53:33 +0000 http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-176 Chris, I'm very disappointed that you think our election office staff were slacking off over the summer, and the non-election made them "catch up". Our elections staff are thoroughly professional and I am sure that my Labour and Liberal Democrat colleagues on the Council would echo that. The simple truth is that our elections staff spent huge amounts of time for over a month preparing for an autumn election that was heavily trailed by the Labour Government and then called off at the last minute. That was staff time they could have spent getting on with their jobs, and will have to be made up through overtime (on top of the overtime already incurred due to election preparation - which I didn't even include in my cost estimate!) or the employment of temporary staff. I have every confidence in the Shadow Chancellor's sums, but as you selectively quoted Osborne's argument out of your post and I don't have access to a copy of the full article, I can't really respond to it. Chris,

I’m very disappointed that you think our election office staff were slacking off over the summer, and the non-election made them “catch up”. Our elections staff are thoroughly professional and I am sure that my Labour and Liberal Democrat colleagues on the Council would echo that.

The simple truth is that our elections staff spent huge amounts of time for over a month preparing for an autumn election that was heavily trailed by the Labour Government and then called off at the last minute. That was staff time they could have spent getting on with their jobs, and will have to be made up through overtime (on top of the overtime already incurred due to election preparation - which I didn’t even include in my cost estimate!) or the employment of temporary staff.

I have every confidence in the Shadow Chancellor’s sums, but as you selectively quoted Osborne’s argument out of your post and I don’t have access to a copy of the full article, I can’t really respond to it.

]]> By: Chris paul http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-175 Chris paul Wed, 24 Oct 2007 10:27:36 +0000 http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-175 But it is NOT a marginal cost, that's the point. They're already being paid and if the possibility of an autumn election caused them to catch up with their work that is no bad thing. It will make it easier when the next call comes. Nothing I see to justify the fibber George Osborne's bizarre tax claims? But it is NOT a marginal cost, that’s the point. They’re already being paid and if the possibility of an autumn election caused them to catch up with their work that is no bad thing. It will make it easier when the next call comes.

Nothing I see to justify the fibber George Osborne’s bizarre tax claims?

]]> By: Aled http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-174 Aled Wed, 24 Oct 2007 07:05:42 +0000 http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-174 And it isn't just salaries - there are overheads too. And it isn’t just salaries - there are overheads too.

]]> By: Iain http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-171 Iain Tue, 23 Oct 2007 17:00:23 +0000 http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-171 I know what proportion of time the election office staff spent on preparing for an autumn election, which was considerable. Obviously I am not aware of the staff salaries, hence the "conservative estimate". I know what proportion of time the election office staff spent on preparing for an autumn election, which was considerable. Obviously I am not aware of the staff salaries, hence the “conservative estimate”.

]]> By: Chris paul http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-168 Chris paul Tue, 23 Oct 2007 15:19:04 +0000 http://www.iainlindley.co.uk/2007/10/22/what-cost-to-the-taxpayer/#comment-168 This "conservative" guess of yours? Can you explain how you reckoned it up please Iain. £10,000 is an awful lot of overtime for a small group of staff to run up? Or are there some other marginal costs? Obviously this is not a party political matter anyway. While we don't have fixed term elections this can happen. And as a percentage of Town Hall expenditure it would be negligible even if it is a true marginal cost and not some accountancy exercise. And while you have your calculator out can you please help George Osborne out? He <a href="http://chrispaul-labouroflove.blogspot.com/2007/10/sir-george-gideon-oliver-osborne-mp.html" rel="nofollow">claimed yesterday</a> that we'd all - specifically Manchester people but it'd have to be similar for Salford - be £50 a week more taxed this year and another £50 a week the next and so on for five years. This following Mr Darling's speech. Can you explain please? Apparently by 2012 each household in Manchester will be paying an average of £13,000 more tax each. I think George must just be fibbing to try to fool voters, what do you think? This “conservative” guess of yours? Can you explain how you reckoned it up please Iain. £10,000 is an awful lot of overtime for a small group of staff to run up? Or are there some other marginal costs?

Obviously this is not a party political matter anyway. While we don’t have fixed term elections this can happen. And as a percentage of Town Hall expenditure it would be negligible even if it is a true marginal cost and not some accountancy exercise.

And while you have your calculator out can you please help George Osborne out? He claimed yesterday that we’d all - specifically Manchester people but it’d have to be similar for Salford - be £50 a week more taxed this year and another £50 a week the next and so on for five years. This following Mr Darling’s speech. Can you explain please?

Apparently by 2012 each household in Manchester will be paying an average of £13,000 more tax each.

I think George must just be fibbing to try to fool voters, what do you think?

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