Clothing allowance under review as councillor claims fur coat was bought in "the sales for £30"

12:10am Tuesday 5th March 2013 in News Photograph of the Author By Stuart Arnold

Chairwoman Linda Marshall receives an annual clothing allowance of £8,580 Chairwoman Linda Marshall receives an annual clothing allowance of £8,580

A COUNCIL criticised for paying its members a “clothing allowance” amounting to more than £12,000 a year says it will look again at the payments.

Durham County Council said the allowances paid to its chairwoman Linda Marshall and vice-chairwoman Pauline Charlton were “under review”.

The council has been criticised by both Liberal Democrats and council tax payers over the allowances –which The Northern Echo revealed on Saturday – especially in the light of the huge budget cuts it is having to make.

A spokeswoman said: “Although the budget for next year has been approved, the leader of the council has been clear that all allowances and expenses are being looked at.”

Asked if the council could provide details of what items Coun Marshall had bought in the last 12 months using the allowance, the spokeswoman said: “We are not able to provide a list of spending as requested as the allowance is paid direct to the chair[woman].”

The allowance, which the Labour-run council claims is not just for clothes, is subject to tax and national insurance.

Under current arrangements Coun Marshall receives an annual clothing allowance of £8,580 and her Labour colleague Coun Charlton £4,280.

Both members already receive a basic allowance and a special responsibility allowance.

According to the council’s website Coun Marshall and Charlton are the civic and ceremonial heads of the county and have a range of responsibilities.

Their posts are also described as “ambassadorial, ‘flying the flag’ for County Durham within the county, in neighbouring authorities and beyond”.

In a further development the Echo understands furious animal rights campaigners contacted the council to complain after pictures of Coun Marshall in a fur coat were published.

A Facebook protest group was also hastily set up calling for “funding for fur coats to be stopped”.

In a statement Coun Marshall said the coat was not real fur and was a personal purchase which “cost around £30 in the sales”.

She said: “I am an avid animal lover and would never wear real fur.”

More Durham County Council News

Comments(36)

stevegg says...
10:14am Tue 5 Mar 13

' The allowance, which the Labour-run council claims is not just for clothes, is subject to tax and national insurance.' Oh well thats okay then! Taxpayer funded Clothing expenses of £8,580 & £4,280 for 2 people at a time of austerity, the worst in modern times, is a luxury that no council can afford or justify. These councillors have their noses buried so deep in the trough they are blind to what is going on and what the public think, more so they dont care as they believe these expenses are their god given right. It just shows the contempt these people hold us in when Councillor Marshall tries to make us believe she paid for the coat herself and not from the £8,580 clothing allowance. Its absolutely outrageous that not a penny of this public money can be accounted for as it is handed in one lump sum to an individual to spend as they please. No shame or morals. Were all in this together alright!

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nigel d says...
10:53am Tue 5 Mar 13

Yes we are all in this together , only some of us are up to our necks while some haven't even got their expensive shoes wet. The ones paid for out of my council tax.

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mark.wilkinson says...
10:56am Tue 5 Mar 13

Too little too late.

If you needed the blindingly obvious pointing out to you then I'm afraid it's totally meaningless.

We're all in this together! Yeah right.

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sherburn says...
11:04am Tue 5 Mar 13

maybe they can pay the money back haha I doubt it

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Withnail Lefty says...
11:43am Tue 5 Mar 13

Nee wonder Council Tax in Durham doubled when Labour were in power.
Gordon Brown must have been telling his faithful servants to -- "fill up ya boots lads and lassies, there's plenty more from where that came from".

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George BA says...
12:05pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Independent run town and parish council also pay clothing/expenses of around £1000 a year,

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DavePP says...
12:26pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Leave Her Alone!!!

It's the hundreds of thousands Chester Council wasted on their "Legacy" monument in the Market Place you should be upset about, not a few quid on clothes!

Do you want her to represent you looking like a scruff!

It's the big picture you need to get upset about!!!

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jsrace says...
12:28pm Tue 5 Mar 13

George BA wrote:
Independent run town and parish council also pay clothing/expenses of around £1000 a year,
Links please!

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mark.wilkinson says...
12:45pm Tue 5 Mar 13

DavePP wrote:
Leave Her Alone!!!

It's the hundreds of thousands Chester Council wasted on their "Legacy" monument in the Market Place you should be upset about, not a few quid on clothes!

Do you want her to represent you looking like a scruff!

It's the big picture you need to get upset about!!!
I don't want, nor do I need her representing me. Fact is she represents nobody but herself and her own bloated ego, as do most of these parasites.

Their snouts are buried so deep in the trough, they have no idea about what the public really think of them or what's going on in the 'real' world, and It's about time they were told in no uncertain terms!

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DavePP says...
1:01pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Somebody has got to represent you, otherwise you'll whinge about that no doubt.

She represents the people who voted for her, everyone has a choice, that's called democracy.

I don't know her, nor did I vote for her, but if you search around you'll find out that she does know what's on in the big world, She's a Magistrate (unpaid of course) and like me struggling to run a micro business and keep people employed, and lives in, to say the least, modest premises! Unless all the info on the net is wrong of course.

I don't agree with her politics either, me being a lifelong Conservative, but she's seems to have done an awful lot from a young age, starting as a union rep to look out for others, again, if the net's to be believed.
To paraphrase the baird
"Methinks thou dost protest too much"

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mark.wilkinson says...
1:06pm Tue 5 Mar 13

DavePP wrote:
Somebody has got to represent you, otherwise you'll whinge about that no doubt.

She represents the people who voted for her, everyone has a choice, that's called democracy.

I don't know her, nor did I vote for her, but if you search around you'll find out that she does know what's on in the big world, She's a Magistrate (unpaid of course) and like me struggling to run a micro business and keep people employed, and lives in, to say the least, modest premises! Unless all the info on the net is wrong of course.

I don't agree with her politics either, me being a lifelong Conservative, but she's seems to have done an awful lot from a young age, starting as a union rep to look out for others, again, if the net's to be believed.
To paraphrase the baird
"Methinks thou dost protest too much"
Nobody has to represent me, least of all her. What the hell are you talking about?. I didn't vote for her or any of the other parasites that fill our council chambers.

Interesting that you call it 'whinging' when you disagree with a comment. Maybe you should be a Councillor? Sounds like you'd fit right in.

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jsrace says...
1:10pm Tue 5 Mar 13

DavePP
Sorry to sound pedantic, but it does fit the scenario!

"The lady doth protest too much, methinks."

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DavePP says...
1:15pm Tue 5 Mar 13

so be unrepresented
but if you dont vote then dont whinge about what the people who vote are given.
its their choice, its a democracy.
I've got better things to do than be on the council, but I vote, so I'm entitled to an opinion.
So who will you see when you trip up on a kerbstone and injure yourself and you're looking for big compen?
Bet you need one of the"parasites"then.
Bet someone has to represent you then.
I hope its Marshall!!!!!
You would soon change your tune!

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jsrace says...
1:52pm Tue 5 Mar 13

DavePP

In one post you said: “I don't agree with her politics either, me being a lifelong Conservative”

Then you said in the next post: “I hope its Marshall!!!!!”

Any chance you can enlighten us on the sudden change of heart?

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DavePP says...
4:10pm Tue 5 Mar 13

jsrace wrote:
DavePP

In one post you said: “I don't agree with her politics either, me being a lifelong Conservative”

Then you said in the next post: “I hope its Marshall!!!!!”

Any chance you can enlighten us on the sudden change of heart?
I mean that when and if he needs someone to represent him its someone that he seemingly despises for no apparent reason like her, then he can see how people like her are needed.

Ive been doing a bit research in the last couple of hours and find that LM and her family have raised pots and pots of money for various charities within and without the Rotary club.
When the toon army hit at xmas a few years ago, her daughter even flew herself off to join the aid workers over there, for Gods sake!
Slag the council and the govt as you like (as long as you excercise your right to vote) but please lets not get personal without knowing the facts. (Mark Wilkinson)
She is by no means the first or the only or the last to have a year as the leader of the council and have a few perks. She probably deserves them.
Councillors have to be renumerated, otherwise there would not be any, and whatever you think, they are needed.

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DavePP says...
4:18pm Tue 5 Mar 13

If they didn't get paid and get the odd jolly you would end up with a selection of the rich, or retired, or altruistic do gooding lefties who would be great as long as you don't eat meat, or drive a car, or smoke or drink or wear anything made from a poor animal and they would probably send off all the council money to India or somewhere working on the premis that if they give 1 million on your behalf and most of it goes on the space race it wouldnt matter as long as even as little as a tenner is spent correctly. They will of course continue to do this whilst at the same time changing the entire governmental thinking by the non violent method of distributing slightly admonishing A5 leaflets, printed with vegetable inks on paper recycled from the cesspit of african tribespeople to the populace, until they change their ways.

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DavePP says...
4:21pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Or of course you could end up with nasty rightwing facist despots who would treat you right as long as you didnt want to vote or your not black, or brown, or yellow, or disabled and can trace your roots right back the the original english indiginous peoples. Not you angles, jutes, scots, welsh, irish, religious types.

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DavePP says...
4:25pm Tue 5 Mar 13

in fact we should all give a great big thank you to Linda Marshall for saving us from all the above.

She is a Goddess of Democracy

and we should all fall at her feet and worship her for saving us all.

Thank You Linda I will love and worship you forever*

and I urge all right minded people to act thusly

*Terms and conditions apply
The aformentioned promise is subject to ratification by my wife and will continue for Linda's lifetime or she is replaced, whichsoever comes first. Your agreement to worship Linda will not affect in any way your Human Rights.

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Longbowman666 says...
4:44pm Tue 5 Mar 13

It just goes to show how bad it gets when the DCC can't provide a list of what she spends it on, as its paid direct to her! So they just hand over the money and haven't a clue what she is really spending it on, and have no evidence of it either. How do they get away with that? After all, many employees can claim legit expenses from their company, but they have to have the reciepts to prove it.

Must be nice to be on the gravy train...all paid for by all of us!

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Homshaw1 says...
4:57pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Got no choice on the tax and NI unless of course you are an MP whose expenses aren't subject to HMRC rules.

£12000 is a ridiculously generous allowance. People can work all week and not have that to live on.

Does she need to provide receipts or is it just a cash bung?

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Homshaw1 says...
5:03pm Tue 5 Mar 13

“I am an avid animal lover and particularly like pork, beef and lamb"

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DavePP says...
5:08pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Longbowman666 wrote:
It just goes to show how bad it gets when the DCC can't provide a list of what she spends it on, as its paid direct to her! So they just hand over the money and haven't a clue what she is really spending it on, and have no evidence of it either. How do they get away with that? After all, many employees can claim legit expenses from their company, but they have to have the reciepts to prove it.

Must be nice to be on the gravy train...all paid for by all of us!
That's Bad, that's really bad if it's right. Surely it can't be?

But that's down to the whole council wasting money, like the stupid waste of money spent on sending out hologrammed letters to allow people with a van or a trailer to go the tip. I ask you is it needed?

But you can't blame my Democratic Goddess, Linda. It's what we all allow our Council to do....use your vote and stop it!

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the-big-yin says...
5:10pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Council at it again...Police are now investigating the council over these payments after official compliant which has been made against the council..Hope some heads roll over these expenses....Plus a bit of jail time might stop the gravy train from being ridden...

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DavePP says...
5:10pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Homshaw1 wrote:
“I am an avid animal lover and particularly like pork, beef and lamb"
I totally agree, nothing better than playing with your favourite pig for years, then having the pleasure of eating it when you get bored.

I recently tried Badger, it was OK, if you're wondering, it tastes a bit like Golden Eagle with overtones of Swan

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DavePP says...
5:11pm Tue 5 Mar 13

Homshaw1 wrote:
“I am an avid animal lover and particularly like pork, beef and lamb"
I totally agree, nothing better than playing with your favourite pig for years, then having the pleasure of eating it when you get bored.

I recently tried Badger, it was OK, if you're wondering, it tastes a bit like Golden Eagle with overtones of Swan

Report this post »

DavePP says...
5:17pm Tue 5 Mar 13

the-big-yin wrote:
Council at it again...Police are now investigating the council over these payments after official compliant which has been made against the council..Hope some heads roll over these expenses....Plus a bit of jail time might stop the gravy train from being ridden...
They'll get away with it you can be sure of that

Just remember Derek Conway x leader of Newcastle Council
after all his fiddles all he got was a hand slap.

Report this post »

mark.wilkinson says...
7:24pm Tue 5 Mar 13

DavePP wrote:
jsrace wrote:
DavePP

In one post you said: “I don't agree with her politics either, me being a lifelong Conservative”

Then you said in the next post: “I hope its Marshall!!!!!”

Any chance you can enlighten us on the sudden change of heart?
I mean that when and if he needs someone to represent him its someone that he seemingly despises for no apparent reason like her, then he can see how people like her are needed.

Ive been doing a bit research in the last couple of hours and find that LM and her family have raised pots and pots of money for various charities within and without the Rotary club.
When the toon army hit at xmas a few years ago, her daughter even flew herself off to join the aid workers over there, for Gods sake!
Slag the council and the govt as you like (as long as you excercise your right to vote) but please lets not get personal without knowing the facts. (Mark Wilkinson)
She is by no means the first or the only or the last to have a year as the leader of the council and have a few perks. She probably deserves them.
Councillors have to be renumerated, otherwise there would not be any, and whatever you think, they are needed.
I know the facts. They're as plain as day, for all to see. and I choose to condemn her for her greed and for having her nose in the trough of public money. There's way too much of this going on. You're just too blind to see it.

Report this post »

spragger says...
9:27pm Tue 5 Mar 13

All fur coat & no knickers

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the-big-yin says...
2:17pm Wed 6 Mar 13

ALL FUR COAT AND NO MORALS !!!!

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IanfromCrook says...
2:22pm Wed 6 Mar 13

DavePP wrote:
Leave Her Alone!!!

It's the hundreds of thousands Chester Council wasted on their "Legacy" monument in the Market Place you should be upset about, not a few quid on clothes!

Do you want her to represent you looking like a scruff!

It's the big picture you need to get upset about!!!
Yes worry about the big picture........but the little ones matter.
save the pennies.............
..........
justice seen to be done............
come to mind. Blame isn't reserved for just two people but rather the committee which set the budget!!!
As for being a good rep. I hope you are right, personally I have no idea.

Oh George BA I looked into whether other councils did this allowance and could find none that have not already abolished it, didn't look into town councils though..............
.any details???

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G Harris says...
2:29pm Wed 6 Mar 13

The employers I have worked for (including this Local Authority) have expected me to be smartly and appropriately dressed for my role. My current employer has a dress code. I do not, and never have received an allowance to pay for my work clothing- and no, I am not a high flyer on a telephone numbers salary. This authority was reluctant at one point to pay some categories of employees car user allowance, despite expecting them to use their own vehicles for council business. It's about time councillors were made fully accountable for their expenses and allowances. We do have a right to know- it's our money and they are public employees. And the Labour councillors are supposed to have socialist principles- if any of them actually remember what that is supposed ot mean.

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George BA says...
9:16am Fri 8 Mar 13

jsrace wrote:
George BA wrote:
Independent run town and parish council also pay clothing/expenses of around £1000 a year,
Links please!
have a look at your town and parish accounts under chairmans allowance

Report this post »

Johnnybb says...
12:57pm Fri 8 Mar 13

So only Labour councillors new about this allowance I don't think so . All councillors from all parties new about it and did nothing. It looks to me like MP's expenses claim all over again. All in it together.

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johnny_p says...
6:52pm Fri 8 Mar 13

"Councillor claims fur coat was bought in "the sales for £30"

Yeah right. I don't even think you'd find one at a jumble sale for £30. A fur coat- a ridiculous wealth statement made by elderly bourgeoisie housewives shamelessly on display from a Labour councillor. Disgusting.

I assume she'll be able to produce a receipt?

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Homshaw1 says...
1:38pm Sat 9 Mar 13

The council are paying out £12K of ratepayer's money.

They are not asking for receipts

If she can't come up with receipts it should be paid back with interest -less NI & tax of course

Are all council employees and councillors not representing the council and need to be dressed smartly?

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John Justice says...
8:11pm Sat 9 Mar 13

Has anyone actually seen this lady representing the council?. If they have could they say that the clothes she has worn "on duty" are smart and representative of her council duties, more importantly, does she look as though she has actually spent the total allowance on clothing?.
We as taxpayers also need a full explanation of what other expences etc this "clothing allowance covers. It is telling that as a result of the public outcry about this DCC has had to respond. We also need to find out about other allowances given to all parties such as Labour councillors and the Labour party together with local union allowances, after all, how many residents are actually in a union or want their taxes subsidising unions that in no way represent them?.
Please keep up the pressure, well done to all those who have questioned or critisised this questionable allowance.

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