Too costly (From Barry And District News)

Too costly

7:30am Thursday 4th October 2012 in Letters

I RECENTLY suggested that there should be a referendum on whether we should keep or scrap the Mayor of Barry (Barry & District News, September 27). Although I would like the public to have a vote on this, I have taken advice on the matter and I am told that a referendum would cost thousands.

So I am now going to submit a motion to the next full council suggesting that as a council we could save money by abolishing the mayor. I will put the point across that we already have a Mayor of the Vale and that the role could now be filled by the ‘elected’ leader of the council.

Do we really need a mayor for just ceremonial purposes? We should cut this allowance, and stop the money spent on regalia, medals and gifts, and hospitality.

We must now look to save money and the public just don’t have the money for the ever increasing council taxes, so why don’t we do away with the Barry mayor? We should not look for duplication with the Vale council but shared services and more services given to the town council.

It is time to get modern and make change and I know there are members of the ruling Labour Party who feel the same way. You must have to ask, at what cost do we keep this person in office, and is it really needed?

However, I was rather surprised to see the town clerk comment on something as hotly political as this. He claims the mayor doesn’t get paid but, hang on, he gets an allowance, he gets his taxis paid for, and he has a personal secretary?

We really do not need a town mayor - it is just pomp and ceremony, and the mayor is not there for the love of it but is a political appointment and is not even fairly given out on length of service.

It is time for the people of this town to have their say – and say NO to this waste.

Cllr Robert Bertin Independent Barry Town Council