DOES Driffield need its own mayor?
This was the key question raised during a town council debate to consider a resolution to form working group to review civic expenses and to report back to the Budget Working Group.
Coun David Credland said certain aspects of civic life should be reviewed and felt that mayoral visits to places such as Broughton and Bottesford bore no relevance to Driffield.
And he said that he would like at least to look at the Mayors Allowance and review its perimeters, perhaps with a view to reducing the annual mayoral honorarium which currently stands at £1,000 – already reduced from its past level of £1,500.
A further £1,500 is also set aside each year to cover the cost of civic functions such as mayor making, the civic service and Christmas.
The current Mayor, Coun Joan Cooper, insisted that a working group could not be formed to report back to a separate working group and therefore motion could not be considered.
Former mayor, Coun Joyce Fletcher acknowledged the legitimacy of such a review, although she felt it was imperative that the role of Mayor be open to all councillors and not just those who could afford it.
She said that the Mayoral Allowance and the Civic Function allowance had been originally proposed to ensure this did not happen.
Coun Tony Cooper, also a past mayor, said that Coun Credland’s suggestions for a review should go right back to the basic question of civic activities – did the council want to take part in civic functions?
“From there you are looking the whole civic picture - do we need a mayor? If we say no, we have solved the problem.”
Coun Phil Stocker said: “My income is small and I would have to look at whether I could afford to be mayor. I would need that fund.”
Coun Credland said he had no desire to be the mayor but acknowledged that if he was he would also need the fund.
Coun Steve Poessl echoed Coun Fletcher’s sentiments that the role of Mayor must remain inclusive and that the Civic Allowances ensured this. “Until you have been the mayor or mayoress, you do not know what it entails - it’s an expensive role.”
Coun Mrs Cooper assured Coun Credland that the issue of the honorarium and other aspects of council business would be discussed at the Budget Working Group meetings. “We have to do,” she said.”We cannot do anything else - it’s public money.”
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