Puss Got It Right About Council Fat Cats
'Puss' got it right - the feral moggie who took up residence in the basement of Lambeth Town Hall over Christmas correctly spotted that the place was full of 'fat cats.' The spin doctors denied that 'Puss' was acquiring 'squatters rights' and shortly after 'Crisis at Christmas' shut up shop until December 20 2007, Puss mysteriously disappeared.
The rumour is that 'Puss' accepted a redundancy package with a compromise agreement to prevent the tabby mog selling out to the tabloids with an exclusive on 'town hall nights.' Puss is now being advised by Unison officials and may will take the council to an employment tribunal for high rights abuses, bullying, and constructive dismissal.
With tax bills rising above inflation, Labour Lambeth is paying huge wages to loads of its staff - eight of them earn over GB pounds 100,000 a year plus generous holidays and gilt-edged pensions. And Lambeth is the worst borough in London according to the Audit Commission. With half the borough's children living in poverty, and 85 per cent of those in poverty in single parent families, you need to draw a deep breath at this pay bonanza for a failing council.
All this comes on top of budget proposals from the New Labour majority on the council, which will see services to poor, elderly, and disabled people cut. Labour has sparked widespread anger by considering charging for home care services and removing respite help for carers in an attempt to balance its budget, while increasing council tax bills by the maximum allowed by the government of 4.99 per cent.
The rumour is that 'Puss' accepted a redundancy package with a compromise agreement to prevent the tabby mog selling out to the tabloids with an exclusive on 'town hall nights.' Puss is now being advised by Unison officials and may will take the council to an employment tribunal for high rights abuses, bullying, and constructive dismissal.
With tax bills rising above inflation, Labour Lambeth is paying huge wages to loads of its staff - eight of them earn over GB pounds 100,000 a year plus generous holidays and gilt-edged pensions. And Lambeth is the worst borough in London according to the Audit Commission. With half the borough's children living in poverty, and 85 per cent of those in poverty in single parent families, you need to draw a deep breath at this pay bonanza for a failing council.
All this comes on top of budget proposals from the New Labour majority on the council, which will see services to poor, elderly, and disabled people cut. Labour has sparked widespread anger by considering charging for home care services and removing respite help for carers in an attempt to balance its budget, while increasing council tax bills by the maximum allowed by the government of 4.99 per cent.
posted by Cllr John Whelan on Sunday, March 11, 2007
