The Sun reports this morning that Conservative-run Bournemouth Council is recruiting a Director of Transformation. The new role is intended to find ways to save money but has been derided because the salary will be £101,000. Of course if really substantial savings result the decision will be vindicated. The Sun sounds sceptical and adds that Bournemouth recently spent £70,000 on two
granite dominoes and faces a £2.4million overspend this
financial year.
Mark Wallace, campaigns director of the TaxPayers’ Alliance, tells the Dorset Echo:
"With the council making a massive loss and everyone struggling to make
ends meet in the credit crunch, this is a totally inappropriate new
luxury for the council.
"People who have seen their council tax bills go through the roof
are frankly sick and tired of the massive growth in highly paid
management jobs with questionable purposes."
The Chief Executive of Bournemouth Pam Donnellan says: "In reviewing the management structure of the
council I have concluded that we need to fill the post of the
executive director to deliver business transformation and change while
managing our corporate services." But of course bureaucrats will always be keen on the idea of employing more bureaucrats. The decision should be for the Council leader not the Chief Executive.
Who’s in charge of the clattering train?