Our showbiz correspondent writes...
I'm sure we all feel the pain of those from Cornwall Council who went all the way to the Grosvenor House Hotel, London, for last night's Local Government Chronicle awards party - and came away empty handed. The council had been nominated in the categories for "most improved" and "community safety."
The media industry is no stranger to this sort of beano and I confess I am sufficiently veteran to have seen my share. The knowledge that you must have done something right to even have been shortlisted still seems like small consolation when "the prize for ..." goes to someone else.
So I make no criticism at all of Cornwall Council for not bringing back any silverware (in broadcasting, the gongs tend to be made of plastic.)
I do wonder, though, if it was strictly necessary to send EIGHT people to sit round the table, eat the food, drink the wine, listen to the speeches and then take to the dance floor (I offer a small reward for any photos.) I also question the composition of the council group - only one elected politician among them. I suspect some councillors might want to inquire who hands out the invitations for this kind of jolly.
The Local Government Chronicle invitation to councils to buy a table for last night's bash declares, without any obvious irony: "Boost the morale of your staff - providing excellent services would not be possible without your staff. Show them how they are valued by inviting them to the awards for a night of reward and recognition."
Should I ask the council for details of how much last night's travel and accommodation cost the taxpayer? My guess is somewhere north of £1,500.
Wouldn't it have been nice to reward some refuse collectors, or fire-fighters, or social workers? Or indeed anyone from the front line. But for the record, here are the names - and minimum annual costs (as published on the council's website) - of those who I'm sure will not have anything resembling a hangover this morning:
Kevin Lavery, chief executive (£200,000), Michael Crich, corporate director, Resources (£140,000), Gill Steward, corporate director, Communities (£140,000), Kim Carey, corporate director for Adult Care & Support (£125,000), Paul Masters, assistant chief executive (£90,000), Carole Theobald, head of Communications & Strategy (£70,000) and Rob Andrew, Localism Area Manager (annual salary below threshold for publication.) Alec Robertson, council leader (basic allowance plus leader's allowance £34,600). .
I hope they had a good time.
I'm ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ Radio Devon’s Graham Smith, blogging on news, views and some fresh insights into West Country life, particularly the way government works locally and nationally.
Comment number 1.
At 25th Mar 2011, backofanenvelope wrote:This just shows that "they" still haven't got it. We are broke, stop spending our money!
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Comment number 2.
At 25th Mar 2011, 28daysearlier wrote:I judged at these awards for a couple of years while i worked at Defra (but never attended the awards ceremony) but i have no problem in principle with people from nominated councils attending these. They are to celebrate and promote excellence.
BUT under the current financial circumstances that the council finds itself in it shows an incredible lack of judgement to send so many of their highest paid execs to this event when the most vulnerable people in Cornwall are being abandonded by the local cuts to the Supporting People budget.
What i also find distasteful that there doesn't appear to be one ordinary council staff member in attendence...despite the fact that it would be their hard work which would have won the nomination in the first place. Lavery and Crew...You should be throughly ashamed of yourself.
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