I see Cllr Phil North is still trying to justify, this time through the letter pages of the Andover Advertiser,  the decision to award Test Valley councillors a payrise. His most recent letter (3 December) has already prompted replies in the letter pages of the Advertiser. The headline given to his letter aptly sums up its content – petty party politicking. He takes offence to a story about councillors pay rises and seeks to score political points off of it rather than justify the decision. For those (like Cllr North) who were not at the council meeting where the matter was discussed let me summarise the main points. An independent panel recommended increases in pay for councillors with additional increases for the leader and some other councillors. I and others argued that these increase should be deferred. In a free vote Lib Dem councillors voted for deferral, some Tory councillors abstained, the remainder voted themselves a pay rise.

He claims to have previously supported a call for a pay rise to be referred back. He fails to mention the proposal was dismissed as ill-considered and stupid by councillors of all parties and supported by just one other councillor. At the same meeting he voted against proposals for a reasoned series of measures for a 15% cut in the cost of councillors by 2011. He next seeks to score points about petrol expenses. The council like any employee pays legitimate travel expenses. For the record in 2009/10 I claimed £363, less than the average and less than most other claims, several exceeded £1000. The expenses claimed of course represent the number of meetings attended. Perhaps Cllr North saves money by not attending meetings if so why does he expect a pay rise?
All councillors must declare personal interests such as who their employers are. This is to ensure they speak in the public interest rather than their own. Phil North is a full time employee of a Conservative MP. It’s time he decided who he represents – the people of Andover or his employers. At present he appears to see the two as interchangeable and incapable of speaking on local issues without pushing the party line.
I and my colleagues have, and will continue to, put the public interest before our own. Can Cllr North say the same?