South East Assembly under siege

"Carol Hodson" CarolHodson@southeast-ra.gov.uk
"Edward Huxley" edward@ejhuxley.freeserve.co.uk
Sent: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 9:43 AMSubject:

RE: Further information

I apologise for the delay in getting this information to you.
I can confirm that five people are in receipt of a car allowance.
The car allowance awarded range from £ 3317 to £5949

From: Edward Huxley [mailto:edward@ejhuxley.freeserve.co.uk]
Sent: 11 December 2004 15:34To: Carol HodsonSubject:
Re: Further information
In this, dated November 19 you say that you will get back to me on the question of car allowances when you have spoken to your chief executive.Have you had a chance to speak to him on this and what was his response?
Edward Huxley

From: "Carol Hodson" <CarolHodson@southeast-ra.gov.uk>
To: "Edward Huxley" <edward@ejhuxley.freeserve.co.uk>
Sent: Friday, November 19, 2004 9:53 AM
Subject: RE: Further information
The initials PDG- stand for Planning Development Grant- a grant from ODPM To explain further our income from ODPM comes in two parts from ODPM and specific grants cover specific costs incurred by the Assembly. There is a requirement on the Assembly to report quarterly to ODPM on expenditure,giving details of expenditure by cost line. This quarterly requirement also requires us to forecast the next quarters activities and associated costs.The initials SEERAWP stand for South East England Regional AggregatesWorking Party. This is a separate piece of work that we do for ODPM forwhich there a re specific outputs and reporting requirements.
Re Car allowances. I would like to get my Chief Executive's agreement to issuing this information to you. I will get back to you on this as soon as I have a chance to discuss it with him.Also a point you make earlier in your email. No council is forced to make a subscription to the Assembly it is for each local authority to decide. If they do not pay the subscription however they are not entitle to participate in Assembly meetings or vote at meetings.
Regards

From: Edward Huxley [mailto:edward@ejhuxley.freeserve.co.uk]
Sent: 20 November 2004 09:23
To: Carol HodsonSubject:
Re: Further information
I assure you that I have no intention of carrying on this correspondence indefinitely but there are some points arising out of your reply.It seems my information about your next budget was correct; it is very nearly £4million.Can you please tell me what the abbreviations PDG and SEERAWP stand for?
I assume ODPM funding refers to the office of the Deputy Prime minister;this of course should be called taxpayers` contribution - same applies toother subscriptions no doubt, such as the amounts my own local council Runnymede and county council Surrey are forced to make.
Regarding car allowances: I appreciate that individual salaries are confidential. However there is no reason why you should not disclose the total number of staff concerned and the amount of money paid out.Finally I want you to understand that there is nothing personal in theremarks I have made: I am sure the people employed by the SEERA are decentand intelligent. The sad thing is that you are all involved in a complete and utter waste of your time and our money. I hope all Regional assemblies will soon be closed down.
Edward Huxley

From: "Carol Hodson" <CarolHodson@southeast-ra.gov.uk>
To: "Edward Huxley" <edward@ejhuxley.freeserve.co.uk>
Sent: Thursday, November 18, 2004 3:39 PM
Subject: RE: Further information
Re Budget
The final budget for 2005-06 will be presented to Exec Committee on 21 Jan but I attach a copy of this year's agreed budget which includes an indicative budget for 2005-06 as agreed by the plenary in March of this year.
Re Car Allowances
These are part of individuals salaries and thus remain confidential.
Re travel expenses paid to members travelling outside the region.The total amount claimed to date in this financial year is £1100.
RE Costs of running the Brussels office
The Brussels office costs are not met by the Assembly so I cannot tell you the costs of running the office. The office is shared by many organisations. The Assembly budgeted contribution to those costs and half share in Policy Officer represents the total costs under the Europe heading in the attached budget.
Regards

From: Edward Huxley [mailto:edward@ejhuxley.freeserve.co.uk]
Sent: 18 November 2004 08:44
To: Carol HodsonSubject:
Re: Further information
Thank you for your prompt reply. I shall have to take the copies of the accounts myself; it will not cost £12.50. Of course I applaud your wish to economise, but it does not seem to me that you are applying this to other areas.In 12 months SEERA`S expenditure leaped from £2million to £3million and I have heard that it may go to £4million this year. Is this correct? All this money (our money) on a useless talking shop.
With regard to cars: please let me have details of the lump sums that are paid.I had read that MPs receive a special mileage allowance, but did not know that this was available to civil servants and councillors as well. Are you aware that for "ordinary" people the allowance is 40p a mile up to 10,000miles and 25p. a mile after that? Looks like another case of one law for us and another for them.
I get confused about SEERA and SEEDA. As far as I am concerned it makes no difference. What I object to is the over generous allowances paid to the chairman and others for what is only part time work.
In Cllr. Skellet`s case you may be aware that, as leader of Surrey C.C. he gets another, and larger, payout.Can you tell me the amounts paid to members travelling outside the region atSEERA`s request?
Also please tell me the cost of running the office in Brussels.
Edward Huxley

From: "Carol Hodson" <CarolHodson@southeast-ra.gov.uk>
To: <edward@ejhuxley.freeserve.co.uk>
Sent: Tuesday, November 16, 2004 5:17 PM
Subject: Further information
Regarding your request for further copies of the accounts . There will be a charge for this in line with our access to information policy of £2.50 perset of accounts, the copy of the accounts that I sent to you was on the basis of goodwill, we normally charge for all photocopies of our documents.I will require the money in advance and will then send out the copies to you.No staff are provided with cars. Some staff receive a lump sum taxable car allowance. The rate varies per individual. Those who are not in receipt of a car allowance may claim mileage, the current rate is 50.5p per mile forcars over 1200cc, 40.4 for cars with less than 1200cc. The arrangements are in line with local government rates.The Chair, Deputy Chair and Vice Chairs, and Mr Bevan are all Directors ofSEERA not SEEDA Ltd. Their full names are listed in the accounts. The remuneration that the Chair, Deputy Chair & V Chairs of the Assembly are allable to receive is an allowance as part of their duties on the Assembly. No further salary, fees or expenses are received by them in respect of beingDirectors of SEERA Ltd. Mr Bevan receives a salary from his employment with the Assembly and again receives no fees, expenses or salary for being aDirector of SEERA Ltd.The following allowances are paid, please note however that the Chair andVice Chair of the RPC are not Directors of SEERA Ltd. Also no expenses arepaid to members unless they travel outside of the region at the Assembly's request.
The current allowances for the offices of the Assembly are as follows:
Executive Committee Chair £11,460p.a payable in monthly instalments
Deputy Chair £5,730 p.a. payable in monthly instalments
Vice Chair £4,010 p.a payable in monthly instalments
Members £575 p.a payable in two equal half yearly instalments, August andFebruary
Regional Planning Committee Chair £8,015 p.a payable in monthly instalments Vice Chair £2,805 p.a. payable in monthly instalments
Members £575 p.a payable in two equal half yearly instalments, August andFebruary
Members who sit on both committees are able to claim both allowances.
However only one Chair's, Deputy Chair's or Vice Chair's allowance can beclaimed.
Individual salary payments are confidential. The total expenditure on staffand members allowance are included in the accounts.I hope that this information answers all of your requests for information.Carol HodsonDirector of ResourcesSouth East England Regional AssemblyBerkeley House,Cross LanesGuildford GU1 1UNT: + 44 (0) 1483 555210 (direct)F: +44 (0) 01483 555250E: carolhodson@southeast-ra.gov.ukW: www.southeast-ra.gov.uk