TAMESIDE WHERE SCRUTINY REMAINS A WISH, NOT A REALITY.

Cllr John Taylor, AKA The Day-Glo- Kid 

In this world of ‘austerity’; at a time when the councillors tell us they are trying to do more with less and with the countdown to the elections well under way, we are hearing from a growing host of local career councillors, in particular those who may suspect that serious efforts to unseat them are gaining pace, on how the cuts to their budgets have prompted reductions in services and how they have had to amend their budgets, change systems and close all sorts of front line services in order to keep the wheels on the wagon.

In fact, so desperate were these councillors that they latched on to a (LGA) Local Government Association scheme, and introduced a ‘budget simulator’ in order to help them justify service changes by claiming ‘that’s what the voters wanted!’ – but more on that subject to follow.

One of the most prominent and vociferous voices in the current blame game, has been that of council ‘poster boy’ Cllr John Taylor, who is regularly seen, adorned in his best day-glow bib and tucker, elbowing his way to prominence in every photo-op he can find, to tell us about Ashton Market, especially the Christmas Market.

We could use this for a 'SPOT THE SHOPPER' competition!

Now least we all forget, not knowing whether the market would be the hoped for success or the farce it turned out to be, instead of dipping their toes in the water, those who must be obeyed, dismissed outright the sensible idea hiring the Christmas log cabins for a little over £7000, instead they allotted £69,500 of the annual budget to build the pseudo German cabins which became the mainstay of the themed market.

The council tried to justify this rash expenditure by saying that the money would be spread over 10 years and therefore would be money well spent. (No mention of maintenance costs, transportation or storage, nor any extra for ‘running the event or advertising and promotion!) Thus committing  themselves to 10 years of extra expenditure!

The problem is that although the Christmas Market may look pretty, for two years now, since its inception, the Christmas Market has been a financial disaster with very few people actually spending any money there.

Two expectant retailers, confined to solitary confinement 

But of course, being a man renowned for being economical with facts and selective with derogative details (unless they’re someone else’s) Cllr Taylor won’t tell you about the ‘extra’ money the council has, and will continue to spend, to try to put a shiny spin on this continuing festive folly.

If one visits - www.tameside.gov/transparency just take a look at the paid invoice list and you will see that a firm called New Images received two payments in December,  one was for £44,257.30 for ‘public entertainment’ and the other was for £34,726.60 also for ‘public entertainment’ now considering the time of year, one can only assume one was for the Ashton Christmas Market parade and stage events and the other perhaps the Pride of Tameside awards.

 Whatever it was for, when one considers the ‘cuts’ and all the excuses given by ‘our councillors’ as to why there’s no money to spend, another £78.983.90 is an awful lot of money for public entertainment.

If you have never visited the council’s website and studied the payments section, where the council are required by law to publish anything spent over £500, I strongly suggest you do.

It’s a sure fire way to discover just were our money is being spent, ostensibly for our benefit!

Now, if this current council gets its way and if the people of Tameside don’t wake up and get these ’gravy trainers’ off the council where they continue to recklessly spend our money, we can look to another 8 years of similar undisclosed amounts being thrown at trying to breathe new life into the long dead cadaver of Ashton’s Christmas Market, which at the current rate would be around £640,000.

No caption needed. ...The picture says it all!

Another interesting payment that you may also find of significance is a payment of £2,062, to a company called Leisure Skate Ltd, which one can only assume was for the ice rink.

Although I seem to remember, being told the ‘Ice Rink’ was sponsored?

Over to you Cllr Taylor, the taxpayers await your explanations.