On his first morning as Mayor of Doncaster in South Yorkshire, Peter Davies
cut his salary from £73,000 to £30,000 then closed the council's newspaper
for "peddling politics on the rates".
Now three weeks into his job, Mr Davies is pressing ahead with plans he
hopes will see the number of town councilors cut from 63 to just 21, saving
taxpayers £800,000.
Mr Davies said: "If 100 senators can run the United States of America,
I can't see how 63 councilors are needed to run Doncaster".
He has withdrawn Doncaster from the Local Government Association and the
Local Government Information Unit, saving another £200,000. Mr Davies said, "They
are just talking shops".
"Doncaster is in for some serious un-twinning. We are twinned with probably nine
other cities around the world and they are just for people to fly off and have
a binge at the council's expense".
The mayor's chauffeur-driven car has also been axed by Mr Davies and the
driver given another job. Mr Davies, born and bred in Doncaster, swept
to power in the May election with 24,244 votes as a candidate for the English
Democrats, a party that wants tight immigration curbs, an English Parliament
and a law forcing every public building to fly the flag of St. George.
He has promised to end council funding for Doncaster's International Women's
Day, Black History Month and the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender
History Month.
He said, "Politicians have got completely out of touch with what people
want.
"We need to cut costs. I want to pass on some savings I make
in reduced taxes and use the rest for things we really need, like
improved children's services".
Mr Davies has received messages from well wishers across the country and
abroad as news of his no-nonsense approach spreads.
Now it's your chance to spread this most sensible way to run a town council. |
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