Hi-vis jackets and safety boots for all councillors? (From Southend Standard)
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Hi-vis jackets and safety boots for all Southend councillors?
2:00pm Friday 19th October 2012 in Southend
Stephen Aylen
FLUORESCENT jackets and steel-capped boots should be issued to all councillors the moment they are elected.
That’s the view of Stephen Aylen, an Independent councillor for Belfairs ward in Southend.
Mr Aylen spoke out after several councillors visited the site of the new Belfairs Woodland Centre, in Belfairs Park, where building work is getting under way on the £1.5million visitor centre.
The former Tory councillor, who defected before May’s elections, claimed the turf-cutting ceremony was a “complete farce” because, while councillors had been issued with hi-vis jackets, no safety shoes were handed out.
He said: “Some even wearing open-toe sandals.
“Southend Council has a responsibility to all its employees, including councillors.
“Can an explanation be provided as to why when a councillor is elected they are not issued with safety shoes and high vis jacket?
“This is a requirement for any councillor who visits a site, if it’s a planning issue or a highway site visit.”
Mr Aylen has proved an outspoken character in the Civic Centre since he was first elected in May 1997.
He hit the headlines last December, when he said he did not care if “smokers got cancer and died” while calling for council homes to be set aside for non-smokers.
He estimated the cost of providing hi-vis jackets and steel-capped boots would be £9.50 per councillor.
But Andrew Moring, the Tory councillor responsible for support services, said there was no need for every councillor to be given their own safety equipment.
He said: “The requirement for councillors to have access to personal protective equipment will vary according to the nature of their role within the council, and is likely to change during their period of office.
“In the case of the Belfairs Woodland Centre, in line with all other construction contracts, the responsibility for the health and safety of the site rests with the contractor.
“I am confident that our current practice in this area complies with legislation and ensures that we fulfil our responsibility for the health and safety of all our employees, members and service users.”
Comments(17)
billericay boy
says...
2:47pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Joe Wildman
says...
3:02pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Yeah right, A Hi Vis can be picked up cheap but steel toe boots your looking at least £30 for a basic pair, what about those councillors that have no need to visit a building site, why would they need them?
Why not say Buy it Yourself limit the budget per councillor to £50, they them take the recipt to the council to prove they have bought the item that way the coucnil are not paying out for boots and HiVis's that will not be used.
J Arthur Rank
says...
3:21pm Fri 19 Oct 12
He said: “Some even wearing open-toe sandals."
I assume these were of the Liberal persuasion.
He also said “Southend Council has a responsibility to all its employees, including councillors."
Councillors are not employees of the council, they are officers of the council. A local authority cannot appoint as an employee in any capacity, any councillor who is currently a member of that authority or who had been a member in the previous 12 months (s.116 LGA 1972).
marshman
says...
3:29pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Joe Wildman wrote:Dunno where you get your boots but a tenner's an average price for toe-tecs or rigger boots. Buying through their corporate account the council would be sure to get a good discount so £9.50 per person is probably an over estimate.
QUOTE Mr Aylen "He estimated the cost of providing hi-vis jackets and steel-capped boots would be £9.50 per councillor" Yeah right, A Hi Vis can be picked up cheap but steel toe boots your looking at least £30 for a basic pair, what about those councillors that have no need to visit a building site, why would they need them? Why not say Buy it Yourself limit the budget per councillor to £50, they them take the recipt to the council to prove they have bought the item that way the coucnil are not paying out for boots and HiVis's that will not be used.
But the real issue is what sort of complete numpty wears open toe sandals on a site visit? They should have been sent home immediately and told not to come back until they were dressed appropriately. My bet is they squeezed the site visit in between lunch and a few g & t's and only showed their face so they could claim the attendance allowance and travelling expenses.
shoeburylad
says...
3:34pm Fri 19 Oct 12
It does make you think if the residents of Belfairs elected him to represent them on such trivial and non important issues.
Rochford Rob
says...
3:37pm Fri 19 Oct 12
If someone is in need of protection whilst they watch SOMEONE ELSE work I suggest we have the wrong type of person pulling the levers of power in Local Govt.
But there again, I knew that anyway.
Displeased of Shoebury
says...
4:24pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Do like the rest of us BUY YOUR OWN like the rest of us.
Free meals now free clothing what next TOILET ROLLS?
About time you and the rest on the council got in the real world.
siddymint
says...
4:47pm Fri 19 Oct 12
most unless you are a cabinet holder don't get expenses .
displeased should check his facts
Most hard working coucncillors it actaully costs them out of thier own pockets but there are the ones who do nothing and get the perks.
many have bought thier own safty gesr from thier own pockets and are laughed at when they wear it.
Linda Golding
says...
5:25pm Fri 19 Oct 12
siddymint wrote:As a councillor (not Southend) I get a small allowance on which I pay tax and insurance - we get no expenses. I do site visits regularly and go suitably dressed and do wear boots (my own)!! I find the suggestion by an elected councillor that we should be provided with boots/hi-vis jackets a joke - he needs to take a reality check. A complete waste of taxpayers money.Although I have a laptop 'on loan' we provide our own printers, phones (including mobiles), all stationery, petrol etc., etc., etc.
I asked my coucnillor how much they got and yes all coucnillors get an amount then there deductions etc. etc
most unless you are a cabinet holder don't get expenses .
displeased should check his facts
Most hard working coucncillors it actaully costs them out of thier own pockets but there are the ones who do nothing and get the perks.
many have bought thier own safty gesr from thier own pockets and are laughed at when they wear it.
bob7
says...
6:04pm Fri 19 Oct 12
Joe Wildman
says...
6:06pm Fri 19 Oct 12
marshman wrote:Where from?
Joe Wildman wrote: QUOTE Mr Aylen "He estimated the cost of providing hi-vis jackets and steel-capped boots would be £9.50 per councillor" Yeah right, A Hi Vis can be picked up cheap but steel toe boots your looking at least £30 for a basic pair, what about those councillors that have no need to visit a building site, why would they need them? Why not say Buy it Yourself limit the budget per councillor to £50, they them take the recipt to the council to prove they have bought the item that way the coucnil are not paying out for boots and HiVis's that will not be used.Dunno where you get your boots but a tenner's an average price for toe-tecs or rigger boots. Buying through their corporate account the council would be sure to get a good discount so £9.50 per person is probably an over estimate. But the real issue is what sort of complete numpty wears open toe sandals on a site visit? They should have been sent home immediately and told not to come back until they were dressed appropriately. My bet is they squeezed the site visit in between lunch and a few g & t's and only showed their face so they could claim the attendance allowance and travelling expenses.
The last pair I bought were £35 Steel toe, Steel heel, water resistant, oil resistant, non slip sole, and flame resistant they do exactly what it said on the box... Well don't know about the flame resistant part not attempted that!
They came with slip on snow/ice spikes.
Nebs
says...
6:57pm Fri 19 Oct 12
EssexBoy1956
says...
8:58am Sat 20 Oct 12
I'm sure it's the council's responsibility to point out H & S issues, but at the end of the day, if councillors wish to behave like numpties, let them.
lucy10
says...
12:17pm Sat 20 Oct 12
in belfairs
Lastlaugh..
says...
4:06pm Sat 20 Oct 12
Eric Whim
says...
4:42pm Sat 20 Oct 12
Eric Whim says...
2:09pm Fri 19 Oct 12