Labour's Interim Housing Director costing taxpayers £1200 per day

Housing
  • Labour confirms it is paying £999 day + VAT for Interim Housing Director’s 6 month-contract
  • Daily rate is indefensible to taxpayers, say Conservatives
  • Council Leader sought to blame COVID-19, but other councils have been recruiting as normal

 

Labour has again mismanaged staff recruitment and wasted taxpayers’ money, with the Leader of the Council today confirming that its interim housing director is costing taxpayers the sum of almost £1200 per day plus expenses.

 

The salary for the recently appointed Director was confirmed by the Council Leader at today’s P&R meeting.

 

Under questioning from the Conservative Finance Spokesperson Joe Miller, the Leader of the Council sought to defend the high salary by blaming Covid-19 for the decision.

 

Cllr Miller said that salary was indefensible to Brighton & Hove’s taxpayers and another example of Labour mishandling taxpayers money.

 

“There are many local people in Brighton & Hove on low incomes who are having to foot this bill” he said

 

“Labour’s mismanagement of staff will put a dent in City’s budget and put services at risk.

 

“The Council Leader’s attempt to shift the blame to COVID-19 doesn’t stack up.  While she says it is too difficult to recruit a full-time person to the position, other councils have had no trouble recruiting throughout the period.

 

“There has been a notably high turnover of staff under the Labour administration and taxpayers are paying the price for Labour’s poor management” he said.

 

Conservative Group Spokesperson on Housing Mary Mears said the sum was excessive and could have been spent on basic maintenance required by the City’s tenants and leaseholders.

 

“£1200 a day for 6 months could fix a lot of maintenance issues for tenants and leaseholders waiting for basic maintenance on their properties.

 

“The administration could have acted up a senior housing officer for 6 months to give them more experience whilst improving the service that tenants and leaseholders are asking for” she said.

 

ENDS.