Making a profit? (From York Press)
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Making a profit?
9:17am Saturday 13th October 2012 in Letters By Reader's letter
I CONGRATULATE Coun Tracey Simpson-Laing on her entry into the world of business. Our deputy leader and cabinet member for health, housing and adult social services has joined the ranks of the capitalists and can now be found every Tuesday at Newgate Market as a purveyor of tea, coffee and infusions under the banner Tiggers of York.
The profits from this exercise will no doubt make up for the recent loss of increased allowances and help supplement the expenses she receives from taxpayers each year as an elected representative.
What I and other ex-builders would like to know, however, is how much of her stock she is distributing at less than cost price to disadvantaged members of our society? Is it 25 per cent or 35 per cent as housebuilders are expected to do? After all, our poor huddled masses not only need a roof over their heads they also need a warm drink in their bellies.
Or do these discriminatory policies apply only to those who happen to be in the business of building homes and not anyone providing any other type of goods or services? We need to be told.
John Jones, Former housebuilder, Sand Hutton, York.
Comments(11)
Buzz Light-year
says...
12:22pm Sat 13 Oct 12
What I and other ex-builders would like to know, however, is how much of her stock she is distributing at less than cost price to disadvantaged members of our society? Is it 25 per cent or 35 per cent as housebuilders are expected to do? After all, our poor huddled masses not only need a roof over their heads they also need a warm drink in their bellies.
Yes, because for thousands of years we've long held as most important those fundamentals of human life, food, shelter, clothing and herbal tea.
Seriously there are people dying out there because greedy stall-holders refuse to sell a cheap cuppa. Something needs to be done now to prevent any more suffering.
To be clear, before I'm zealously jumped on I'm not supporting TSL, the Labour council or any of their policies.
I am surprised at the barrel-scrapingly poor analogy which is an insult to victims of poverty everywhere.
inthesticks
says...
1:15pm Sat 13 Oct 12
Oaklands Resident wrote:To be fair, most of the councillors have other jobs and anyone can view it on the council website under declaration of interests.
I hope this isn't true.
Cllr Laing is paid £24,000 a year by Council Taxpayers.
We expect her to do a full weeks work for us.
Are there other well paid Councillors - the ones on the Cabinet - moonlighting and failing to give residents problems their full attention?
Most council meetings are in the evenings as far as I am aware and looking at Cllr Laing`s record she has 100% attendance at meetings so I don`t think anyone can make an issue of it.
However, if I were earning £24K a year I wouldn`t need to do another job to supplement my income, maybe she`s trying to start a new venture and leave local politics?
magic cat
says...
3:04pm Sat 13 Oct 12
inthesticks wrote:Running your own business is very exacting and time consuming - that is if you are serious about it.
Oaklands Resident wrote: I hope this isn't true. Cllr Laing is paid £24,000 a year by Council Taxpayers. We expect her to do a full weeks work for us. Are there other well paid Councillors - the ones on the Cabinet - moonlighting and failing to give residents problems their full attention?To be fair, most of the councillors have other jobs and anyone can view it on the council website under declaration of interests. Most council meetings are in the evenings as far as I am aware and looking at Cllr Laing`s record she has 100% attendance at meetings so I don`t think anyone can make an issue of it. However, if I were earning £24K a year I wouldn`t need to do another job to supplement my income, maybe she`s trying to start a new venture and leave local politics?
Looking at the committees and sub committees this councillor is on, there are 13 at least some of which meet during the day and 15 outside bodies where again many meet during the day. I can therefore only conclude that this councillor is more interested in "collecting positions" which she can then trot out for her CV when it comes to trying to get a Parliamentary seat.
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
3:51pm Sat 13 Oct 12
Constituency : Yorkshire East
1st : Greg Knight (Con) 19,861
2nd : Tracey Simpson-Laing (Lab) 15,179
inthesticks
says...
6:47pm Sat 13 Oct 12
It looks like a new venture so maybe her attendance at meetings may change and then that would be a cause for concern.
Even AndyD
says...
8:30pm Sat 13 Oct 12
Buzz Light-year wrote:Absolutely. I've some sympathy with the AH case, but this letter is simply snide and mocks the poor.
What I and other ex-builders would like to know, however, is how much of her stock she is distributing at less than cost price to disadvantaged members of our society? Is it 25 per cent or 35 per cent as housebuilders are expected to do? After all, our poor huddled masses not only need a roof over their heads they also need a warm drink in their bellies.
Yes, because for thousands of years we've long held as most important those fundamentals of human life, food, shelter, clothing and herbal tea.
Seriously there are people dying out there because greedy stall-holders refuse to sell a cheap cuppa. Something needs to be done now to prevent any more suffering.
To be clear, before I'm zealously jumped on I'm not supporting TSL, the Labour council or any of their policies.
I am surprised at the barrel-scrapingly poor analogy which is an insult to victims of poverty everywhere.
Jezreel
says...
9:29pm Sat 13 Oct 12
Scarlet Pimpernel wrote:Thumping good result for Labour in a rural constituency like that. If the election was now, with cameron on the ropes, she would walk it.
2001 General Election
Constituency : Yorkshire East
1st : Greg Knight (Con) 19,861
2nd : Tracey Simpson-Laing (Lab) 15,179
Heres my predictive result if Matthew Laverack stands against her in the next council election;
T. Simpson-Laing (Labour ) 3000
Matthew (independent)... several.
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
11:33pm Sat 13 Oct 12
Constituency : Yorkshire East
1st : Greg Knight (Con) 24,328
2nd : Robert Adamson (Lib Dem) 10,842
3rd : Paul Rounding (Lab) 10,401
Scarlet Pimpernel
says...
11:46pm Sat 13 Oct 12
Acomb Ward
Prediction for 2015 Election Result
1st : *Matthew Laverack (Ind) 1,615
2nd : Tracey Simpson-Laing (Lab) 1,375
3rd : David Horton (Lab) 1,125
* subject to stand-in whilst ML is in Australia.
The above prediction is based on the unpopular decision to close Beckfield Lane tip by the Labour administration causing local residents to abandon their previous allegiance to Labour candidates.
last of the mandms
says...
12:17am Sun 14 Oct 12
Scarlet Pimpernel wrote:See comment added to "Who'll pay my fare". It wont happen but it does suggest an opportuniy to either prove or disprove the above.
City of York Council
Acomb Ward
Prediction for 2015 Election Result
1st : *Matthew Laverack (Ind) 1,615
2nd : Tracey Simpson-Laing (Lab) 1,375
3rd : David Horton (Lab) 1,125
* subject to stand-in whilst ML is in Australia.
The above prediction is based on the unpopular decision to close Beckfield Lane tip by the Labour administration causing local residents to abandon their previous allegiance to Labour candidates.
Oaklands Resident says...
11:25am Sat 13 Oct 12
Cllr Laing is paid £24,000 a year by Council Taxpayers.
We expect her to do a full weeks work for us.
Are there other well paid Councillors - the ones on the Cabinet - moonlighting and failing to give residents problems their full attention?