Stone Town Council will be sharing the legal expertise of Stafford Borough Council following the retirement of council clerk David Turner, a move that is expected to save the town council at least £30,000 a year.
The legal services manager at the borough council will be carrying out duties for the town council following a decision by the borough council Cabinet on Tuesday 13th September.
After Mr Turner stepped down in August, Cllr Philip Jones, the Leader of Stone Town Council, approached the borough to see if it could provide services such as preparing agendas and giving advice on council powers and procedures.
The new arrangement will be reviewed after six months.
On Tuesday 13th September the borough council’s cabinet agreed that Ian Curran, the authority’s legal services manager, be appointed as “Proper Officer” for Stone Town Council.
Cllr Ken Williamson, cabinet member for resources at the borough council, said: “We have already shared services with other councils to save money without reducing the quality of service, and this initiative is no different.
“We can provide the service that Stone Town council requires with our existing legal manager and it will save them many thousands of pounds.”
4 comments
Rob kenney
I’m affraid that Mr Jones is trying to confuse all of us.I stand by my comments and have the imformation to prove they are correct.
Jill Hood
A
new Town Clerk was appointed to Stone Town Council without the vacancy being advertised. I’m sorry I’m not jumping for joy at the new appointment of Mr. Curran who is an officer of Stafford Borough Council, as he is to remain in their employment and will also be employed by Stone Town Council. This shared arrangement states he spends only 3 hours per week in Stone and we’re supposed to be reassured that he is contactable by phone for the rest of the time.
It is vital that Stone’s Town Clerk is based in our Town Council offices ,to give professional advice and support to the staff and Town Councillors who deal daily with the many difficult public requests and enquiries that go into the office. The service contract between Stafford and Stone states that any extra advice sought from the Borough by Stone will be at an additional cost .There will be no support or attendance from our Town Clerk for individual events and if the Town Council requires specific legal advice which is often the case, the Borough Council reserves the right to negotiate a separate fee on top of the annual payment made to the Town Clerk for the necessary advice to our Town Council.
Councillor Philip Jones will tell you he’s saving £30,000 of tax payers’ money without informing you of the hidden extras this shared arrangement will undoubtedly bring.
Why wasn’t the vacancy advertised and how long before the word shared is used again by Councillor Philip Jones in making sure he hammers in another nail in the coffin and slowly but surely hands over the reins of our town to Stafford. Saving money, I don’t think so!
philip jones
I’m afraid that Mr Kenney is confused. Stone Town Council already employs two full-time assistant town clerks and a part time clerical assistant. All that we needed was a qualified person to hold the office of Responsible Financial Officer and Town Clerk. For the past 4 years the Council was run by Mr Kenney and his Independent group and the annual pay cost of this small office rose to almost £120,000 – roughly double the cost in similar sized town councils. He really will have to restrain his enthusiasm for spending other people’s money.
Rob kenney
Stone Town council does not have a Leader of the Council it has a Town Mayor. This year it is Cllr June Price.
The service that Stafford Borough now provides Stone is similar to the new super market practice of giving you a smaller amount for the same cost or even more.The service we have now with the Borough is 3hrs per week and one evening per month to oversee Council meetings . Also a few hrs per month to help organise agendas. This is only for eleven months per year.Should we require advice outside of Parish Council powers and procedures
we may be charged for it by the Borough Council.
The hourly cost of this service equates to paying a full time Town Clerk £91,000 a year.Sadly this is a step nearer to Stone Town being absorbed by Stafford borough Council. I voted against this idea and will continue to oppose similar ideas.