WRISTS SLAP, CASH BOOST
South Wales Evening Post - 31 July 2006
I am sure I wasn't the only person who was holding my breath while awaiting the planning decision by Swansea Council with regards former chief executive Tim Thorogood's home. Once again Swansea Council has proved what a cowardly council they are, and how they have failed the people of Swansea.
We can possibly accept the ordinary person to be ignorant of planning laws.But here we have the former chief executive of Swansea Council showing what looks like sheer arrogance and contempt for not only the council, for whom he was employed, at a cost of £120,000 a year, but the people of Swansea.
Here is a person who had been informed by the council planning department that any additional changes would require further planning permission, did he listen to them?
Some time later, Mr Thorogood's wife apparently requested Swansea Council tourism chiefs about having the garage inspected for use as a holiday flat. Surely this should have rung a bell within the council as to the true reasons for the building work being carried out.
But no, what takes place is a farce. First Mr Thorogood is suspended on full pay, then while he is having a nice holiday at the expense of Swansea taxpayers, he decides to quit his job and walk away, no doubt with a big smile on his face and £60,000 in his pocket. Why? Because the council decide it is not in the interest of the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.
This is the same council which a few weeks back said it was taking a member of the public to court for allegedly placing the wrong recycling material in his rubbish. This could result in a possible £1,000 fine.
Why is it that their rules are not consistent?Which brings us to the closing of Swansea Leisure Centre in 2003. Here again we have a situation where the then director of regeneration Mr David Evans, was on suspension for 13 months during the investigation into the reasons for the closure of the leisure centre, and again Swansea Council decided it would not be in the interest of the council or the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.
Therefore, we must come to the conclusion that if you are employed by Swansea Council and break any rules laid down by them, you stand a very good chance of having your wrists slapped and a lump sum of money dropped into your pocket and told to go away.
That is, of course, if they decided it would be in the interest of the council or the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.
J C Lewis, Heol Illtyd, Caewern, Neath
I am sure I wasn't the only person who was holding my breath while awaiting the planning decision by Swansea Council with regards former chief executive Tim Thorogood's home. Once again Swansea Council has proved what a cowardly council they are, and how they have failed the people of Swansea.
We can possibly accept the ordinary person to be ignorant of planning laws.But here we have the former chief executive of Swansea Council showing what looks like sheer arrogance and contempt for not only the council, for whom he was employed, at a cost of £120,000 a year, but the people of Swansea.
Here is a person who had been informed by the council planning department that any additional changes would require further planning permission, did he listen to them?
Some time later, Mr Thorogood's wife apparently requested Swansea Council tourism chiefs about having the garage inspected for use as a holiday flat. Surely this should have rung a bell within the council as to the true reasons for the building work being carried out.
But no, what takes place is a farce. First Mr Thorogood is suspended on full pay, then while he is having a nice holiday at the expense of Swansea taxpayers, he decides to quit his job and walk away, no doubt with a big smile on his face and £60,000 in his pocket. Why? Because the council decide it is not in the interest of the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.
This is the same council which a few weeks back said it was taking a member of the public to court for allegedly placing the wrong recycling material in his rubbish. This could result in a possible £1,000 fine.
Why is it that their rules are not consistent?Which brings us to the closing of Swansea Leisure Centre in 2003. Here again we have a situation where the then director of regeneration Mr David Evans, was on suspension for 13 months during the investigation into the reasons for the closure of the leisure centre, and again Swansea Council decided it would not be in the interest of the council or the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.
Therefore, we must come to the conclusion that if you are employed by Swansea Council and break any rules laid down by them, you stand a very good chance of having your wrists slapped and a lump sum of money dropped into your pocket and told to go away.
That is, of course, if they decided it would be in the interest of the council or the people of Swansea to pursue the matter any further.
J C Lewis, Heol Illtyd, Caewern, Neath
posted by Commentator at 11:00 AM
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