Black Tie Dinner double standards and failure of Eden Council.

Eden Council Black Tie dinner as families face going Hungry and Cold in Eden this winter.

At the Westmorland and Furness Council meeting held yesterday the 29th of September 2022 a motion was put forward and seconded by Cllr Derbyshire who is also a member of the Eden Council Executive of the rainbow alliance that runs the Eden council administration. And holds the executive role as portfolio holder for Housing and Health that includes among other things homelessness and Well-being and public health.

The motion put forward yesterday resulted in the conservative councillors on Westmorland and Furness Council walking out and not taking part in the debate and voting.

The motion started “This Council is deeply aware of the pressure facing residents and businesses across Westmorland and Furness due to the cost of living crisis. Households, schools, health services and businesses are faced with successive and unaffordable price rises in fuel and energy and removal of additional benefit support, with the resultant increases in costs and prices across the board.”

IT then called for actions as outlined here:

“The Shadow Authority for Westmorland and Furness Council urges central government further to support our residents, businesses and services;

1. To take immediate action to freeze the price cap at April’s rate, stop further increases in the price of fuel, including solid fuel, LPG and fuel oil as well as electricity and gas prices, and to tax energy firm’s profits.

2. To immediately reduce VAT, including VAT on energy bills.

3. To bring back the supplement to Universal Credit.

4. To implement for immediate financial help/relief for small businesses to prevent imminent closures and job losses.

The Council calls for a local Cost of Living Emergency Summit building on the work of, for example, the Cumbria Poverty Working Group, with stakeholders, including Citizens Advice, Food Banks, Local Trades Unions, town and parish councils and Chambers of Commerce and local MPs to explore how more local help can be provided for those struggling with the cost of living.”

Now I full agree and support the above and was shocked and disappointed to hear that councillors had walked out of the meeting and not at the very least taken part in the debate and vote.

But imagine how shocked disappointed and mad I was today to discover that the Eden Council rainbow alliance with its members flag waving the above motion are actually at the same time here in Eden are planning a black tie 3 course dinner event with wine for self-gratification while families go hungry and cold across Eden.

It totally goes in the face of the motion just 24 hours ago was calling for urgent actions and as cost-of-living crisis summit to take place here in Cumbria.

Eden Council is co hosting the Black Tie dinner on the 11th of November “to celebrate the successes of the council over the past few years.”

The councils own post on social media reads:

“Join Cumbria Chamber of Commerce & Eden District Council at a 'Business Dinner' to celebrate the successes of the council over the past few years ahead of the change over into the new combined authority in 2023.

A black tie event with a three course meal, wine will also be available.”

So lets list the Successes of Eden Council over the last few years shall we………………

Maybe its easier to list the failures over the last few years:

3 CEO’s in the space of the same 3 year period of the current administration.

A leader that vanished during the public health crisis when other leaders were leading local areas.

A council that is spending over £4.5 million on converting a building to a new headquarters it will never use itself and failing to upgrade the town hall it currently has to protect it as an asset.

A council that has focused on spending millions of public money by focusing on the fluffy stuff and contracts to friends to deliver Wooley projects that do not benefit the community.

A council that has failed to deliver a clear plan and vision for local communities and instead has random housing developments with no infrastructure and community building.

A council that has lost most its employed staff and has consultants and agency staff filling roles costing hundreds of thousands a month.

A council that continued to use Gazprom to heat the council chamber when bombs rained down on the people of Ukraine, while the council illuminated the front of the town hall and council chamber with the Ukrainian flag.

A council that has massively failed on planning services.

A council that has during this administration failed to protect the future and interests of Eden.

A council that has Failed Eden.

And that’s just the first few failures of Eden council over the last few years under this administration.

So to the members of the Eden Council Rainbow Alliance that forms the administration that runs Eden Council.

Made up of Libdem, Labour, Green part and Independent Alliance members.

By name they are:

Councillor Dr Virginia Taylor - Penrith West - Liberal Democrat Group - Leader of the Council, Executive member.

Councillor Mary Robinson - Kirkoswald - Independent Alliance Group - Deputy Leader of the Council, Executive member, Economies and Enterprise Portfolio Holder, Leader of the Independent Alliance Group

Councillor Michael Tonkin - Morland - Independent Alliance Group Executive member, Services Portfolio Holder

Councillor Mark Rudhall - Penrith North - Liberal Democrat Group - Executive member, Green Growth Portfolio Holder

Councillor Judith Derbyshire - Dacre - Liberal Democrat Group - Executive member, Housing and Health Portfolio Holder

Councillor Karen Greenwood - Appleby (Appleby) - Independent Alliance Group - Executive member, Resources Portfolio Holder

Councillor Douglas Banks - Langwathby -Independent Alliance Group - Chair of the Council

Councillor Lissie Sharp - Alston Moor - Labour Group - Communities Portfolio Holder, Leader of the Labour Group

Councillor Michael Denis Eyles - Penrith East - Liberal Democrat Group - Vice Chair of the Council

Councillor Deb Holden - Penrith North - Liberal Democrat Group - Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Peter Baker - Penrith Pategill - Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Roger Burgin - Penrith West - Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Andrew Connell - Appleby (Bongate) - Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Laura Harker - Askham - Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Neil McCall - Shap - Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Graham Simpkins - Brough - Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor Darrell Smith - Ullswater - Liberal Democrat Group

Councillor William Patterson - Warcop - Independent Alliance Group

Councillor Doug Lawson - Penrith Carleton - Green Group

Councillor Ali Ross - Penrith North - Green Group - Leader of the Green Group

Councillor Michael Hanley - Alston Moor - Labour Group

So lets celebrate that with a black tie dinner shall we while residents and business in Eden face the cost of living and energy crisis with the growing risk to the economy thrown in for good measure.

Just a reminder that each of the above councillors also get an annual allowance for the role as an Eden Councillor of £ 3,972.00.

The leader also gets £11,916 with the deputy leader and the portfolio holders and group leaders also getting additional payments all from the public purse from your Council tax payments plus expenses.

For example, the Leader of Eden Council got in the year 2021/22 over £16,000 plus any expenses claimed.

The council’s portfolio holders for example Cllr Derbyshire over £9,000.00 plus any expenses claimed.

This is on top obviously of any outside earnings from private roles they may hold.

So as Eden Faces along with the rest of the United Kingdom a cost of living crisis and the spiralling energy costs as well as the wider economic crisis that is evolving since Fridays mini budget.

This all as Eden council share this tip to residents on its social media advising on cost of living! Eat left overs. Freeze food. Only buy what you need. They are also recommending getting an app for helping save money on food.

Wonder if that app gives advice on a Black Tie 3 Course dinner with Wine maybe it says attend as a Cllr and get the dinner for free and claim back your clothing as an expense allowance?

Lets all remember as Eden council plans its 3 course with Wine Black Tie dinner event to pat its own back.

The above named are the admiration that leads Eden council many daily calling out others for failures to support those in need. But as part of the very administration, they have the power and direct ability to shape and help others is the administration hosting this self-gratification Black tie Dinner event.

So as Cllr Rudhall a member of Eden Council’s Executive and also a Councillor on the new Westmorland and Furness Council and a new member of Penrith town council posted via his social media condemnation of the conservative councillors for walking out of the council meeting debating the motion calling out the government and calling for action to address the cost of living crisis.

Maybe Cllr Rudhall and the other Eden Council Rainbow alliance members should take a look closer to home at the council they support and form part of the administration of, The administration that is at the very time that same cost of living crisis is hitting the resident of Eden his administration are planning a fancy Black Tie 3 course dinner with Wine.

They all should hang their heads in shame over this and to be honest either withdraw support for the administration or resign from office over the actions there enablement of the administration is allowing.

I feel so strongly over this I intend to stand with a placard at the entrance to the Black Tie Dinner calling them all out of the double standards and actions as families in Eden face the going hungry and cold this winter.