Bums on Seats

Now being an elected Councillor in the Royal Borough is such a difficult job these days, what with all the cuts imposed by Dave Nicey-Nicey and Little Nick, Gorgeous George and My Cousin Vinnie. As if that wasnt enough to contend with, its a difficult question whether to wear the blue tie or the orange one, take the Jimmy Choos or the Massimo Dutti off the shoulder number...

What you, the dear reader, may not know is that immediately following a full council meeting in this borough our casework-ravaged members all enjoy some slap up posh nosh, courtesy of you, the taxpayer! How very generous you are!

We are not talking a case of getting the boy Marshall to nip round to the Sticky Bowl for a takeaway...   ...oh no, its proper sit down dining, three courses washed down with some fine wine, followed by coffee and the cheeseboard all served up on silver platters by the council's waiting staff.

Oh how very 1875 - Buffy Buckmaster must think its back to his Colonial days!

But wait...   ...all is not lost. The Powers That Be have decided this perk simply cannot continue, despite it being enjoyed for many years and they have made the commendable (but ridiculously late) decision to axe the tucker and give the catering staff at the Town Hall (the nest) those nights off.

But come on, this is the Hornets Nest, so you know there is going to be a sting in the tail dont you....    oh you are so right!

On the one hand its bye bye to the slap up grub, but councillors will instead receive a new £200 year allowance for attending full council meetings.

And here is Hornet thinking thats what they each receive £10,402 a year for (some considerably more!), and lets face it if you put yourself up for election and happen to win, attending a meeting kind of goes with the territory...   ....although to some dealing with constituents and attending meetings is considered an unwelcome irritation.

If falling attendance really is an issue, then Hornet agrees the best way is some sort of financial incentive, but how about deducting £200 from their generous annual allowances for each meeting they fail to attend?

Hornet is sure that approach will definitely address the bums on seats issue.