Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey staff & consultants paid over £50k
People may be interested in the answer to a Freedom of Information request on WhatDoTheyKnow.com website.
On 11 February 2011, A. Green asked for a list of the positions, grades and salaries of Haringey employees, consultants or agency staff paid over £50,000 in 2008/09/10/11.
On 5 May, after some shilly-shallying and dilly-dallying, Haringey finally supplied most of what A. Green requested.
Apart from information about consultants. Which I hope will be coming along shortly - with a little nudging and nagging from me if needed.
Tags for Forum Posts: F.o.I, Freedom of Information, Haringey staff salaries, WhatDoTheyKnow.com, consultant, haringey chief executive, £50k
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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On 2 June 2011 A. Green had an updated answer to her/his Freedom of Information Act request for details of staff and consultants earning more than £50,000 per annum. Haringey has supplied data for three years on a spreadsheet which is downloadable here. It's a list rather than an organisational chart - organogram - which would obviously be far more helpful.
As you'll see, A. Green was fobbed-off in her/his request for information about consultants on the basis that: This information is not recorded centrally. Whilst we would hold this information, it would need to be requested and collated from each Directorate’s finance services.”
If accurate this comment would indicate an appalling lack of oversight. I raised the issue of consultants as a “Member Enquiry” on 9 December 2009. Cllr George Meehan told me he'd regularly raised it. On 4 February 2010 I got a spreadsheet from Mr Stuart Young, Assistant Chief Executive, with detailed information about the consultants employed at that time.
As part of the budget cuts I and other councillors proposed rapid reduction in the numbers of consultants. During the budget process in 2010 councillors had more information about the numbers of consultants, where they were working, and how much they were paid. (Including in a few cases, hotels and transport costs.)
So the Council’s senior staff shouldn't have to make a "special request' for this information. On the contrary they should have kept close tabs on it.
(Labour councillor Tottenham Hale)
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Why should there be any reluctance for local councils to "share" organisational charts? These bodies spend the public's money. Across the country, how are residents or local councillors supposed to compare before 'n' after to test claims that bureaucracies are being slimmed down? Or whether some empires are protected - as usual?
Standards for England - up for the chop by Eric Pickles - models good practice.
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The advantage of an organogram is that people can see its shape at a glance. Is it a narrow pyramid with a point at the top? Or perhaps a flatter structure with more people at or near the bottom people delivering services to the public? Or maybe like the traditional Michelin man? - bloated in the middle.
The classic criticism of top-heavy organisations was made humorously - but probably accurately - about an organisation most people know little about. But C.Northcote Parkinson's description of the Navy will ring bells with everyone: fewer ships = more admirals.
I spent several years researching with and writing about teams and teamwork. The most valuable stuff I read came from research in work areas where I have no direct experience: nursing; architecture; coal mining; etc.
As for most councillors being involved in 'strategic' overviews and plans, in Haringey and probably lots of other councils this is a myth. In the dysfunctional leader and 'cabinet' system, 'backbench' councillors are pond life. When some of us make a difference it's most likely when we try to prevent stupid and negative things happening. Or repairing them afterwards.
Do the Leader and cabinet make strategic decisions? I've no idea. Though I'm certain they work very hard indeed and spend days going to lots of back-to-back-to-back meetings. The leader appoints people he or she chooses. Like Ministers in Parliament they are a payroll vote.
Scrutiny? As Haringey's recent Governance Review said: " . . . the Overview and Scrutiny function does not have a discernable impact on the key policies or decisions made by the council . . ."
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Permalink Reply by John McMullan on
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It depends what kind of org chart you're talking about. One with names would be GOLD to a recruiter or Tory Boss with their own similar org chart.
Alan, one of our councillors is now the Mayor of Haringey. She sits on a lot of overview & scrutiny committees. We have real power here.
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Perhaps, John you missed the link I gave above to the organogram on the Standards For England website.
Cllr Gina Adamou is not a member of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Nor - as I recall - does the councillor who is Mayor sit on O&S panels. (I may be wrong, as I've had nothing to do with that committee for several years.)
These days I would hope that all Mayors will learn to use the new Austerity Mayoral skateboard to get to events.
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I did miss the link. It's just the kind of thing a Tory Boss would have both salivated and sweat blood over. Notice how the Quangos (employers of degree educated non-aspirational Englanders) were first to go. No accident. They want to run a business and pay as little as possible to the employees.
Gina used to sit on O&S committees with Charles Adje.
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The Government say they are ending Standards for England (formerly the Standards Board for England) because it isn't value for money. I tend to believe them. Last year that organisation cost over £6m. (Though winding it up may cost more than this.)
Its name change (i.e. dropping the words "The" and "Board" ) cost £45,247 - including £21,000 for "conceptual brand development". (Source here)
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I've been in Council meetings with both Cllr Gina Adamou and Cllr Charles Adje. This simultaneous seat-taking had no effect whatsoever on local events. Not even a butterfly flapped its wings and so there was no hurricane in Aberdeen.
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