West Midlands Combined Authorty

[richardjones210368]

Other than the planned sculpture in Centenary Square I understand Mr Street isn't know for being a meglamaniac he has six full time professional political advisers on a salary who cover different aspects of the WMCA such as Transport, Housing, Business etc in addition there are around 20 unpaid sector advisers each of whom specifically advise on policy on buses, railways, metro, international commere, the homeless, affordable housing, policing, fire service etc. This allows Mr Street a broad church of advisors both professional and each knowledable in thier own field of expertise. He has a select inner circle of trusted advisers whose opinions he acts upon when having little knowledge of the matter in.hand.

[don]

Other than the planned sculpture in Centenary Square I understand Mr Street isn't know for being a meglamaniac he has six full time professional political advisers on a salary who cover different aspects of the WMCA such as Transport, Housing, Business etc in addition there are around 20 unpaid sector advisers each of whom specifically advise on policy on buses, railways, metro, international commere, the homeless, affordable housing, policing, fire service etc. This allows Mr Street a broad church of advisors both professional and each knowledable in thier own field of expertise. He has a select inner circle of trusted advisers whose opinions he acts upon when having little knowledge of the matter in.hand.

I hope he's not but you do make him sound very autocratic - the mayor has done this, that and the other.

The whole point of my previous post was to try and split the political side of governance from the professional, do er side. Political advisers are completely different and should be funded by the political party, not from the public purse - I hope they are not - can you confirm that? I'm surprised he needs six for the reasonably narrow range of activities - the first few could be dealt with (as political adviser) by a transport specialist.

As a transport professional, I'm required to give impartial advice (this is how the whole civil service and local government officers work). I've come across political advisers in the past - quite interesting - howeber impartial professional advisers are what the civil service and local government officers are - if they were not impartial they would not be able to give impartial professional guidance. After all politicians are usually not versed in the subject areas they are required to look after the purse strings for. However I've come across politicians who ask for excellent and sometimes idiotic things to be done (even illegal)!

Since when was political advertising allowed on any public transport (your comment about Andy Street's clinic not permitted except on WM Bus routes)? Those of us old enough to remember the battle between Thatcher and Livingstone, which outlawed advertisement  politically on public transport (especially buses) will recall this.

[richardjones210368]

I hope he's not but you do make him sound very autocratic - the mayor has done this, that and the other.

The whole point of my previous post was to try and split the political side of governance from the professional, do er side. Political advisers are completely different and should be funded by the political party, not from the public purse - I hope they are not - can you confirm that? I'm surprised he needs six for the reasonably narrow range of activities - the first few could be dealt with (as political adviser) by a transport specialist.

As a transport professional I've come across political advisers in the past - quite interesting - howeber impartial professional advisers are what the civil service and local government officers are - if they were not impartial they would not be able to give impartial professional guidance. After all politicians are usually not versed in the subject areas they are required to look after the purse strings for. However I've come across politicians who ask for excellent and sometimes idiotic things to be done (even illegal)!

Since when was political advertising allowed on any public transport (your comment about Andy Street's clinic not permitted except on WM Bus routes)? Those of us old enough to remember the battle between Thatcher and Livingstone, which outlawed advertisement  politically on public transport (especially buses) will recall this.

The political advisers are professionals appointed by The Mayor and are paid from the block grant from Central Government to run the Mayoral Office in the same manner as Dominic Cummings is paid for his work at No10 no local council tax funding is applied. The Ask Andy events are nothing to do with The Conservative Party and are forum for the WMCA therefore can be publicly advertised on the WMCA/TfWM Bus Services.

[don]

The set up you describe sounds extraordinary!! I'd have thought the West Midlands Combined Authority would not be relying on so many unpaid advisers and full time salaried political advisers. The very epitome of an amateur set up then!!

[richardjones210368]

The set up you describe sounds extraordinary!! I'd have thought the West Midlands Combined Authority would not be relying on so many unpaid advisers and full time salaried political advisers. The very epitome of an amateur set up then!!

I am referring to The Office of Mayor and not the WMCA the advisers do not advise WMCA they advise The Mayor, the Office of Mayor functions in the same manner as 10 Downing Street there is nothing extraordinary its is the normal function of a political office.

[don]

So taxpayers pay for the political advisers then? Or is it Conservative party central office?

Btw as the mayor is a political figure, advertising his surgeries on buses is illegal.

[don]

the Office of Mayor functions in the same manner as 10 Downing Street there is nothing extraordinary its is the normal function of a political office.

Except his cabinet is a group of political and local 'interested amateur' advisers (disparagingly, in local government sometimes referred to as local busybodies)? Which is a very different arrangement from 10 Downing St.

I think you may be mixing up Conservative Party Central Office and the governance workings of 10 Downing St.

Dominic Cummings is a political strategy officer (this a party official) - the PPSs are the Civil Service senior advisers.

[richardjones210368]

Except his cabinet is a group of political and local 'interested party' advisers (disparagingly, in local government sometimes referred to as local busybodies)? Which is a very different arrangement from 10 Downing St.

The cabinet is made up of the elected representatives of the WMCA completely separate from the work of the "Special" advisers to the Office of Mayor they  have no role on cabinet affairs at the advisors when I worked at 11 Downing Street the "Special" advisors of which I was one were funded by H M Government I may be a stupid accountant but I am able to remember who paid my salary and it was not the political parties themselves and so we were and they are still today  funded from the public purse then as Mr Cummings is today as a "Special" the same applies to The Mayors "Special"  Advisors of which I am not.

[don]

So what we have concluded is the mayor's office is a political operation funded entirely from public funds, and for which it is entitled to raise a precept on the Council Tax - oh and commission public artwork, when really it is the WMCA which does all the work. And I thought we were in austerity - extraordinary!!

As I say, you are wrong regarding advertising 'mayoral surgeries' on WM Bus vehicles - in a similar way to advertising local councillor or MP ones in a similar way would! Very odd things are going on in the West Midlands, it seems.

Very revealing!!

[richardjones210368]

So what we have concluded is the mayor's office is a political operation funded entirely from public funds, and for which it is entitled to raise a precept on the Council Tax - oh and commission public artwork, when really it is the WMCA which does all the work. And I thought we were in austerity - extraordinary!!

As I say, you are wrong regarding advertising 'mayoral surgeries' on WM Bus vehicles - in a similar way to advertising local councillor or MP ones in a similar way would! Very odd things are going on in the West Midlands, it seems.

Very revealing!!

They are NOT Mayoral Surgeries and there is no such thing they a public meetings held to question a state holder of office about his duties and if raised the local bus network and as they are not either covered by the legislation covering MP & Councillor surgerys and therefore can be advertised as such. It is not unique to the West Midlands the Metro Mayors of Manchester, Liverpool and Tyneside follow the same principles.

[richardjones210368]

Except his cabinet is a group of political and local 'interested amateur' advisers (disparagingly, in local government sometimes referred to as local busybodies)? Which is a very different arrangement from 10 Downing St.

I think you may be mixing up Conservative Party Central Office and the governance workings of 10 Downing St.

Dominic Cummings is a political strategy officer (this a party official) - the PPSs are the Civil Service senior advisers.

I think you may be mixing up Conservative Party Central Office and the governance workings of 10 Downing St.


Dominic Cummings is a political strategy officer (this a party official) - the PPSs are the Civil Service senior advisers.

when I worked at 11 Downing Street the "Special" advisors of which I was one were funded by H M Government I may be a stupid accountant but I am able to remember who paid my salary and it was not the political parties

Mr Cummings is paid over £100000 from the public purse as are Lee Caine, Eddie Lister & Murima Merzza in all Mr Johnson has 108 Special Advisors paid from the public purse not the political parties.

[ellspurs]

I hope Mr Street will be doing what he can to maintain his 29,000+ majority in Solihull. Not seen him over here that much.

[richardjones210368]

I hope Mr Street will be doing what he can to maintain his 29,000+ majority in Solihull. Not seen him over here that much.

As I am mainly involved in activities in Sandwell sadly I cannot comment.

[don]

I think you may be mixing up Conservative Party Central Office and the governance workings of 10 Downing St.


Dominic Cummings is a political strategy officer (this a party official) - the PPSs are the Civil Service senior advisers.

when I worked at 11 Downing Street the "Special" advisors of which I was one were funded by H M Government I may be a stupid accountant but I am able to remember who paid my salary and it was not the political parties

Mr Cummings is paid over £100000 from the public purse as are Lee Caine, Eddie Lister & Murima Merzza in all Mr Johnson has 108 Special Advisors paid from the public purse not the political parties.

Firstly, you told us you worked in Whitehall (not Downing Street), and secondly you have revealed the Government and WM Mayor are paying large sums of public money on political advisers - forgive me but my old fashioned mind suggests that's a gross misuse of public funds. I suggest politicians should pay for their own 'political' advisers.

[richardjones210368]

Firstly, you told us you worked in Whitehall (not Downing Street), and secondly you have revealed the Government and WM Mayor are paying large sums of public money on political advisers - forgive me but my old fashioned mind suggests that's a gross misuse of public funds. I suggest politicians should pay for their own 'political' advisers.

I worked in Whitehall from 2011 to 2015 on attachment to The Treasury during the coalition and was head hunted to 11 from 2015  until 2016 after The General Election as a "Special" Advisor until my boss was sacked by a mad deranged woman who had moved in next door however she ultimately got her own comeuppance in the world of politics.