Hants council on 'high pay'
Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber defends his authority, after TaxPayers Alliance criticises number of staff paid £50,000+.
Getting ready for winter
Kent County Council prepare their salt stocks and salting routes ahead of the big freeze.
Adoption waiting list closed
Hampshire County Council has closed its waiting list to adoptive parents who are only willing to take on one or two children.
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Danny Alexander MP in Eastbourne
by David Johns (@davidjohns_itv)With just over two weeks until the county council elections, the Chief Secretary to The Treasury, Danny Alexander, hit the campaign trail in the south east today. He came to Eastbourne, where the Lib Dems have achieved major success.
But the latest opinion polls suggest heavy losses for the party on May the 2nd. David Johns' report contains some flash photography.
Should council staff be paid more than £50,000 a year?
Our councils are paying hundreds of their employees over £50,000 a year, and some campaigners say that's just too much. With councils cutting services, can the salaries be justified? Tom Savvides reports.
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Councils urged to curb pay
The Local Government Minister Brandon Lewis has backed the Taxpayers Alliance. He says it's essential that councils get a grip on pay to ensure a fair deal for the taxpayers in their counties and in their districts.
He says local councils still have massive scope to cut costs to protect front line
services, and that the Local Government pay juggernaut must be halted.
Council says its pay is fair
Cllr Roger Gough has hit back at accusations that his county council is wasteful. He told ITV News Meridian that as the second largest council in the UK, his organisation pays only what is proportionate.
Hants council on 'high pay'
Hampshire County Council leader Ken Thornber defends his authority, after TaxPayers Alliance criticises number of staff paid £50,000+.
Read the full storyCouncil defends itself against pay accusations
Kent County Council says it considers it pays its managers the going rate for the job. It adds that it has managed to reduce its overall salary bill. And it says that it has held council tax payments down to 0% this year. It was responding to a Taxpayers' Alliance report.
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Councils accused of high pay
Kent County Council is one of several councils in the south east accused of paying too many managers high salaries. The Taxpayers' Alliance says it employs 491 managers on wages of £50,000+. But Kent points out that it has reduced the overall bill for its employees, and has not raised council tax.
Check your council's tax plans for 2013-2014
The Local Government Chronicle's council tax blog is keeping track of tax proposals.
According to its chief reporter Ruth Keeling: "With several weeks to go until budgets must be finalised, we count 26 councils that have confirmed their intentions to increase tax levels.
"We expect this number to increase in coming weeks".
Getting ready for winter
Kent County Council prepare their salt stocks and salting routes ahead of the big freeze.
Read the full storyDispute ends for Southampton Council workers
Southampton Council workers have accepted a deal to end the long running dispute over pay cuts imposed by the City Council.
The workers have held a series of strikes since the dispute started back in February 2011.
Under the new deal workers will see their pay restored in stages and those made redundant as a result of the 2011 / 12 Council budget will receive a one off compensation payment..
– UNISON Branch Secretary Mike Tucker“UNISON members have voted by a large majority to accept this settlement because it restores that pay which was cut by the previous Conservative administration. Council workers now face savage job cuts being forced on the Council by the actions of the Coalition Government in reducing funding.”
In return for the settlement, UNISON and Unite will withdraw all legal action against the Council and call off ongoing industrial action.
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