If you’re not aware of the story, it has recently been reported that despite making huge cuts to services provision, budgets and soon jobs too, Mike Bird and his pals at Walsall Council see nothing wrong with voting to increase their allowances. Yes, you read that right – the very people warning us of cuts to libraries, social care and meals on wheels, not to mention leisure, third sector support and education – are just preparing to award themselves a massive pay rise because, apparently, managing all these cuts is really, really hard work.
There have been a couple of really good blog posts on this subject since the story broke on Monday. The Plastic Hippo and The Mushroom both took highly principled and thoughtful positions on this. They did a splendid job, so I’m not going to mess around with intellectualising this.
The people in charge of our council do not care for you or the place in which you live. They do not care about the suffering or hardship caused by their plans to cut lifeline services to the vulnerable and elderly. They simply cannot be bothered to fight for Walsall and it’s borough towns, accepting meekly the cuts they are encouraged to make without a whimper. Quite plainly, they’re not in it for you, for the public or for the good of the community. They are, however, in it for any pay rise they can get, which they are unashamedly justifying without a hint of irony, embarrassment or self awareness. These ignorant, self-interested people do not deserve our respect, support or encouragement.
I hope to god that those of us who are awake and disgusted remember this when it’s time to vote…
There is absolutely no evidence that Marie Antoinette, at the height of the bread riots during the French Revolution, ever suggested that baguette-less citizens should eat brioche let alone cake. Reports of her mocking cruelty were pure invention unlike in Walsall where there are sticky fingers kneading the dough. Needing to save £65million even before the coalition government cut local authority funding, the ruling elite at the council house wou … Read More
