Later this week TDC will continue its long tradition of decision making stupidity by appointing a new member to its all-powerful, Labour controlled, Cabinet with sole responsibility for parking.
Personally appointed by Labour Council Leader “Raging” Rick Everitt and already dubbed by TDC staff and councillors as the Thanet Parking Tsar, the lucky occupier of this new post will be Labour councillor Kristian Not-So Bright.
For his troubles Cllr Not-So Bright will be paid an allowance of £9,306 a year which, on top his councillor basic allowance of £5,316, brings his total publicly funded earnings as a councillor to £14,622. A nice top up to his not insufficient earnings as an international public relations executive.
But it doesn’t end there .
If the Labour controlled council appoints a Cabinet Parking Tsar then the rules say that the largest opposition party – the Conservatives – are also entitled to appoint a shadow Parking Tsar at a cost of £3,278.
This year TDCs cash-grabbing councillors have already voted to award themselves a massive, inflation busting, 16% pay rise. Now they will be voting to create a Parking Tsar and a Shadow Parking Tsar at a further cost of £12,584. This brings the total taxpayer funded bill for these, mostly lazy, bum sitting, do nothing, politicians to a staggering £448,019 a year.
The question must be asked if there is really a need for a Parking Tsar, or is its creation a total waste of money? Interestingly since adopting the cabinet system of governance in 2000, TDC has survived for 24 years without one. So why have one now?
Sadly no explanation has been given. The report which recommends the setting up these nonsensical Cabinet and shadow Cabinet posts says not a single word about the reasons and need for their establishment. I emailed Cllr Not-So Bright to ask him why he thinks his new well-rewarded post was created but he never replied.
In my long experience as a local government officer and an elected councillor I have never encountered a Cabinet portfolio holder for Parking. It’s always been the case that responsibility for parking is part and parcel of a mixed portfolio of responsibilities such as environment and parking or regulation and parking.
No previous Thanet parking Tsar in 24 years, no explanations for the need for a Tsar now, and few, if any, parking Tsars in the UKs other 300 plus local authorities leads to me believe that there is no need for such an expensive political appointments in what is already an underfunded cash strapped council. But maybe not?
Those more cynical that me have suggested that the Parking Tsar’s job will be to outsource parking in Thanet, which could provide a very rewarding opportunity for someone. Rumors suggest that it could be, the close to bankrupt, Your Leisure, who along with the council public toilets will get the gig for managing car parking services as well.
This makes sense because this new lucrative business opportunity would allow Your Leisure to stave off financial disaster by increasing parking fees and introducing charges for using public toilets to stave off the bailiffs.
In saving itself from bankruptcy Your Leisure will also save TDC from having to pay out tens of £millions in loans and pension debt run up by the close to insolvent company which the council foolishly agreed to guarantee should Your Leisure collapse.
Last but not least there is, as always, a political angle. By handing over the public toilets and car parking services to Your Leisure the Labour Party can deny any responsibility for the large increase in fees, charges and fines which will inevitably follow the transfer of parking services.
Finally it hasn’t gone unnoticed by some that the emerging civil war within the TDC’s Labour Group of councillors and the growing opposition to their leader “raging” Rick Everitt may have prompted him to create the Parking Tsar post with the purpose of offering a job in exchange for loyalty. One of the oldest tricks in the political book.
Whatever the justification might be I think most people will agree the creation of a Thanet Parking Tsar is barking.
We'll have 20mph signs up everywhere soon,followed by ulez charges.