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Under-fire Tory will work for free
A COUNCILLOR who claimed £7,000 for attending two meetings will work until 2011 – for free.
Michael Jebson, ward councillor for Anchorsholme, came under fire from opposition members, who called for him to resign at last night's Blackpool Council meeting.
The Tory councillor, who has served Anchorsholme since 2007, has blamed work commitments for his non-attendance.
He says he will not claim any expenses between now and the next election in 2011, when he will stand down.
But Labour Coun David Owen, who put forward a motion of no confidence at the meeting, said if the councillor could not balance work with council duties, he should stand down.
The motion was not carried, and Coun Peter Callow, leader of Blackpool Council, said: "The motion, which asks for appropriate action, or for Coun Jebson to resign, is fraudulent, as he has broken no rules.
"He has told me he will not be claiming any allowances between now and the next election in 2011 – which means he will work for the people of Anchorsholme for free.
"This shows he is a councillor of the highest integrity and I think he should be given great credit for this gesture."
Coun Jebson, whose new job means he has to commute to Birmingham to work for a Government department after he was made redundant from Dell computers, has accepted a total of 7,234 – 5,803.56 in basic allowances, 604.66 in special responsibility allowance, a 246 telephone allowance and 580 towards computer use.
Coun Callow added: "Mike has taken the decision to stand down in 2011 because of the predicament he finds himself in with his career, given he now works out of the area doing very important work, which prevents him from attending meetings.
"What I would say is this whole thing has been nothing short of a character assassination of a good councillor, a totally politically-motivated move in an effort to try to force a by-election.
"Mike is a great lad, a dedicated councillor and someone who will serve the residents of his ward in an exemplary fashion through to the next election, as he has over the past two years."
Coun Tony Williams, also a Anchorsholme ward councillor, added: "Mike is completely dedicated, he is currently heading a conservation project in the ward."
But Labour Coun Kath Rowson called for Coun Jebson to repay the money he had claimed over the last year.
She said: "I'm sure Mr Jebson is a very nice man. But the fact he is going to work for nothing for the next two years suggests he is not carrying out his full duties as a councillor.
"What he should do is repay the 7,000 he has received, and stand down now, as he cannot balance his work and family life with being a councillor."
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Weather for Blackpool
Wednesday 30 May 2012
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