Council to hire political assistants despite cuts
Backlash over appointments as city struggles to balance budget
THE city council has agreed to set aside nearly £70,000 to hire two political assistants despite opposition.
Council leader Ian Ward argued the authority was “unusual” in not having already created the roles, as the move was agreed by the full council on Tuesday.
He said the posts will be funded from existing budgets.
But some councillors opposed the proposal in the light of cuts to public services over the years.
The move entitles the controlling Labour group and opposition Conservative group to recruit one assistant each on a fixed-term contract until 2022 – the next local election.
The council could potentially create a third post, raising the overall bill to more than £100,000, but currently the Liberal Democrat group – the second largest opposition – does not occupy the required 10 per cent threshold of the council seats, with its eight out of 101 members.
The assistants’ roles include carrying out research and analysis, preparing reports, attending meetings, drafting briefing notes and policies, liaising with national parties, MPs, MEPs, council officers, national bodies such as the Local Government Association and dealing with the media.
Cllr Ward (Lab, Shard End) said: “Over the years I have had the opportunity of visiting other local authorities up and down the country and speaking to both the Labour leaders and council leaders at those local authorities, whenever the subject of political assistants has been raised leaders elsewhere have always been somewhat surprised that Birmingham, the largest local authority in the country, does not appoint political assistants.
“Indeed I think we are quite unusual among large local authorities in not having made these appointments over the years, and probably among core cities we are in a unique position as well.”
Cllr Majid Mahmood (Lab, Bromford and Hodge Hill) issued a word of caution and said: “I have serious reservations about this proposal and what we collectively as a council are trying to achieve given the example we are setting at a time of savage cuts to local services.”
He also argued that “highly paid officers” already undertook some of the duties of the proposed assistants.
While Cllr Olly Armstrong (Lab, Northfield) confirmed he would not be voting in favour “when we are cutting the money to so many people”.
He said: “I don’t think it’s right, even a small amount of money because it’s not a small amount of money for some people, for the most desperate and vulnerable.”
The move comes a month after the cabinet agreed to hire five consultants to be paid £1,000-a-day for 12 days work overseeing the running of the council. The ‘non-executive directors’ will be part of a Strategic Programme Board costing £150,000 in total over 12 months.
The board is essentially replacing the role of the Birmingham Independent Improvement Panel (BIIP) which has now dissolved having scrutinised the council for four years on the back of a damning Government review.
Jonathan Tew, assistant chief executive on the council, has argued the cost of the advisers is “significantly” less than the costs associated with the BIIP.