Mayor Buys all the Over 80's a £75 Christmas Hamper Options

[Simon Kirby]

See here.

A Christmas message from our mayor: “I've met hundreds of people that work to make our town the great place that it is - the community spirit here is very strong, as the two thousand plus Newbury Weekly News Over 80s Parcel Deliveries showed a couple of weeks ago, and I feel very privileged to be a part of it."

How lovely. But spare a thought for the tax-payer who foots the civic duties bill for all that silk and ermine, the cost of the mayor and all that civic mumbo jumbo would buy a £75 hamper for every one of Newbury's over 80's. Not so very public-spirited after all.


Ed: I hope I've quoted the mayor right, those Lib Dems can be quite touchy about that kind of thing I understand.

[NWNREADER]

More vinegar with your sour grapes?

[Strafin]

More whining, crikey you need to lighten up!

[user23]

See here?

Bah, humbug.

I've edited your post to make it more succinct.

[Simon Kirby]

I wonder though, if you were to give the average man in the street the choice of spending around £100k on

1. a town mayor for the year, or
2. a big christmas hamper for the over 80s

I wonder which choice most people would make. I vote 2.

[user23]

I wonder though, if you were to give the average man in the street the choice of spending around £100k on

1. a town mayor for the year, or
2. a big christmas hamper for the over 80s

I wonder which choice most people would make. I vote 2.

When you say "you" who are you referring to?

Who here has 100k to give to the average man in the street to spend?

[Exhausted]

I wonder though, if you were to give the average man in the street the choice of spending around £100k on

1. a town mayor for the year, or
2. a big christmas hamper for the allotment holders

I wonder which choice most people would make. I vote 2.

[Biker1]

I wonder though, if you were to give the average man in the street the choice of spending around £100k on

1. a town mayor for the year, or
2. a big christmas hamper for the over 50s

I wonder which choice most people would make. I vote 2.

[On the edge]

Actually, I'd vote 1. I'm pretty sure the whole of the cash doesn't go on supporting tha Mayor personally. Equally, and I'm sure I'll get shot down, but I suspect there are very very few poverty stricken 'over 50's' these days. That is taking the Rowntree definition of poverty and not the trendy wendy 'can't afford Reebok trainers' one.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with giving some proper civic dignity to the old office of Mayor. Again, although a different Council, I applauded WBC for replacing the Sovereign's portrait in the Council Chamber at Market Place and made it look less like the infant school hall appearence the previous administration thought fit for Council meetings.

[Simon Kirby]

Actually, I'd vote 1. I'm pretty sure the whole of the cash doesn't go on supporting tha Mayor personally. Equally, and I'm sure I'll get shot down, but I suspect there are very very few poverty stricken 'over 50's' these days. That is taking the Rowntree definition of poverty and not the trendy wendy 'can't afford Reebok trainers' one.

On the other hand, there is nothing wrong with giving some proper civic dignity to the old office of Mayor. Again, although a different Council, I applauded WBC for replacing the Sovereign's portrait in the Council Chamber at Market Place and made it look less like the infant school hall appearence the previous administration thought fit for Council meetings.

The '50' was Biker1's hopeful edit, my suggestion was actually '80'. I wanted to illustrate the amount the Council spend on their civic budget which buys nothing of benefit and just gives our establishment worthies an opportunity to dress up in public. I think I'd just as well keep the tax myself and spend it how I like.

[Iommi]

Like the time there was that organised charity curry evening earlier this year featuring some of Newbury's luminaries that raised about 40p for charity!