The Recent Pay Review: Kenyon The Cabal The Town Clerk…

More Broken Rules And Regulations –  A Threat To That Decision? Or a Publicity Stunt?

An extraordinary Hemsworth Town Council meeting has been called by the Chair of the Council – Mr Jim Kenyon to be held on the 27/04/2022.

The meeting has been called in reality to discuss one item only and that is in exclusion of press and public.

Item 06 Staff pay

a) Pursuant to standing order 9, to consider a special motion received from Cllrs G Eccles, J Eccles, Folletti, Hirst, Kenyon, Mitchell, Pringle and Wilson.

To review the decision taken by the Finance Committee on 14 April 2022 regarding the rates of pay for seasonal workers (minute number 480)

b) to consider the respective (NJC) salary scales for all permanent members of staff (including apprentices)

Ferret is disturbed by the calling of this meeting to review the recent and overdue morally correct decision to increase the rates of pay to seasonal staff, and also in the way which it has been done, which is contrary once again to the rules and regulations that apply to the calling of meetings, to review previously made decisions of the Town Council.

Here are the relevant standing orders that govern when, how and the procedure that must be followed to be compliant:

9. Previous resolutions

a)

 A resolution shall not be reversed within six months except either by a special motion, which requires written notice by at least 6 councillors to be given to the Proper Officer in accordance with standing order 11 below, or by a motion moved in pursuance of the recommendation of a committee or a sub-committee

b When a motion moved pursuant to standing order 9(a) above has been disposed of, no similar motion may be moved within a further six months.

So far so good, it has been called in line with Standing Order 9a and supported, not surprisingly, by the other 7 councillors who keep Jim Kenyon in the office of Chair of the council.

However you will note 9a makes a reference to Standing order 11 and here is the relevant part of that standing order:

11. Motions for a meeting that require written notice to be given to the Proper Officer

b) No motion may be moved at a meeting unless it is on the agenda and the mover has given written notice of its wording to the Proper Officer at least 10 clear days before the meeting. Clear days do not include the day of the notice or the day of the meeting.

You will note that 10 clear days’ notice are required plus the day of the notice and meeting, which in reality means 12 days’ notice, no less.

Ferret understands that Jim Kenyon only informed the Town Clerk and Proper officer of this meeting on the 21/04/2022.

Ferret would therefore like to know:

• Why has Mr Draper sanctioned this meeting in contravention of the standing orders he is supposed to work to?
• Why do Mr Jim Kenyon and his supporters want to “review” this decision?
• Why suddenly after three years in office do they suddenly want to “to consider the respective (NJC) salary scales for all permanent members of staff (including apprentices)”?

This exact reason for the 10 clear days’ notice is to allow the Town Clerk to prepare all the essential paperwork.

Ferret has to wonder if Mr Draper has provided all Councillors with the required information and paperwork alongside the agenda?

All too often we have seen reports and paperwork not being given out until the meeting and often not at all. How can any of our Councillors prepare themselves to make an informed decision with all the relevant information?

Ferret finds this disturbing, even if there needs to be clarification, then there is no need for speed and it should have referred back to the Finance Committee, who could simply have discussed it in due course as with any review of the nationally agreed NJC salary scales for permanent staff.

Ferret has looked at the senior pay scales of Hemsworth Town Council and some people could be surprised that a Town Clerk at a Council such as Hemsworth Town Council is paid in the region of £50000 per year and the second senior position although a little harder to determine due to the many job titles, will probably be receiving in the region of in excess of £30000 per year.

Perhaps one of them is having trouble paying their rent or utilities bills and as they say “every little helps”.

Ferret calls on Mr Draper to cancel this meeting and observe the rules he is supposed to be bound to, and reset the date of the extraordinary meeting to comply with 10 clear days’ notice which will allow him also to comply with the sending out of any necessary paperwork to Councillors for them to read and consider appropriately.

Then and only then will we have a written record of what actually is driving Mr Jim Kenyon head first, it could be that he’s genuinely looking to ensure all staff are paid at the correct rate, however Ferret doubts that, as after all it could mean some employees taking a reduction.

Then again, it could be the sting of defeat is still being felt hard by him and he will once again try to turn another humiliating defeat from another Kenyon “Kalamity”  into another Kenyon victory.

Actually Ferret believes this is nothing more than an attempt to portray Mr Jim Kenyon and his cabal in a good light to enable the following councillors to justify voting again for this disgrace of a man for Chair, in the soon to follow May Town Council meeting.

G Eccles

J Eccles

S Folletti

G Hirst

E Mitchell

L Pringle

S Wilson.

And let’s not forget J Kenyon, who will vote for himself twice if necessary.

However they need to consider,  if one “good” decision, even though he was against it a week ago, will undo all the misspending and financial waste that has occurred over the last 3 years at Hemsworth Town Council.

Or are they the making a poor attempt to fool the electorate which will make some of them even more complicit than they already are…