Sponsored by
Quit call over £7,000 council claim
FURIOUS calls were today made for a councillor to quit after he accepted £7,000 in expenses - but only attended two meetings in a year.
Coun Michael Jebson is facing a motion of no confidence in his Blackpool Town Hall performance.
While the Anchorsholme ward councillor, a member of the ruling Tory group, today blamed work commitments for his non-attendance at meetings, opposition members called for him to step down.
Labour Coun David Owen, who will propose the motion of no confidence at tomorrow night's meeting of Blackpool Council, said Coun Jebson had accepted 7,234 in allowances.
Coun Owen said: "He should either fulfil his duties as a councillor or resign.
"Coun Jebson has only appeared at two council meetings since September. He has never been to a full council meeting.
"Councillors are paid for giving up their time, and in this case it amounts to 7,234 in allowances.
"This means he has received more than 3,500 for attending two meetings.
"This is obviously an incredible waste of taxpayer's money, and Coun Jebson has not offered any reason for why he has not attended.
"I've heard he has an important job for which he needs to commute, but if this means he cannot attend meetings he should not stand for election."
Regulations state councillors have to attend a minimum of one council meeting every six months.
Jonathan Bamborough, the former Liberal Democrat councillor for Anchorsholme ward, who lost out to Coun Jebson in the 2007 local elections, said: "The job of a councillor is to take an interest in their local area. The fact he has accepted money for these two meetings, when there are around one every week, is outrageous."
Coun Jebson has received 5,803.56 basic allowance, a 604.66 special responsibility payment, a 246 telephone allowance and 580 towards his computer use.
He said, despite his low attendance at the town hall, he was doing his best to balance his council and work commitments.
After being made redundant from his job with Dell computers, Coun Jebson became self-employed.
He has recently been carrying out contract work with a government department.
He said: "Unfortunately this means I have to commute. I take a train at 5.20am every morning and return at night, rather than live away, because I want to be here at home every evening for my ward duties.
"I take Coun Owen's point about the two meetings, I'm not going to argue with that.
"However, as far as I am concerned and as far as Peter Callow (the council leader) is concerned, I'm doing the best I can for the people I serve.
"It's a balancing act between serving the people in the ward, doing very important work, being self-employed in the current economic situation, and being a father of two children."
He added: "Peter Callow has been very understanding on this matter and as a consequence, I do not sit on any committees."
Although Coun Jebson said his payments had been adjusted, Blackpool Council confirmed he had been paid 7,234 in allowances.
Coun Callow defended his Tory colleague, stating the work he does for his electorate meant the 7,200 was justified.
He said: "Coun Jebson has a vital role in forensic science.
"This means he has to commute to London, but I'm sure many would agree he's doing a very respectable role helping to catch criminals.
"Although he has only attended two meetings in the last year, the allowance he gets is justified, as he makes the effort to help people from Anchorsholme ward personally.
"This is much more valuable than attending meetings and ignoring personal requests from the electorate.
"His attendance is also within the regulations."
In the last year Coun Jebson has attended the children's services overview and scrutiny committee and the culture, communities and business services overview and scrutiny committee.
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Blackpool
Sunday 27 May 2012
Today
Sunny
Temperature: 14 C to 27 C
Wind Speed: 16 mph
Wind direction: East
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 12 C to 22 C
Wind Speed: 14 mph
Wind direction: South west
