55 New iPads For Councillors

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  • #122143

    Nen
    Participant

    Why should they use their own equipment for their work? Nice to see them coming into the 21st Century.

    #122148

    99DylanJones
    Participant

    Fully agree they are a business tool. If you don’t think they should have one as your Councilor is nit going a good job then you need to stand for election next May.
    Only query is the price/model and has best deal been negotiated. Remember as a business they will get it 20% cheaper by claiming back the VAT.

    #122166

    IMHO
    Participant

    [quote quote=122143]Why should they use their own equipment for their work? Nice to see them coming into the 21st Century.

    [/quote]

    Whereas the services seem to be heading back to the 19th. century through cut backs.

    #122169

    IMHO
    Participant

    It’s obvious to me that the posters here that are fine with the council spending thousands of pounds on replacing Ipads are in no way affected (or not yet aware they are) by the cuts in essential services as, if they were, they would have a different view i feel certain.
    For me, responsible caring councillors would be making a strong case for keeping the ones they have instead of trying to make up a case as to why should have the latest and greatest toy by talking rubbish like, “they are slowing down”, “they are unable to run the latest operating system, well, my Ipad 3 isn’t either but it’s still doing exactly what it has done for the last few years without a problem. Of course, we also have the imagined security issues as well. Should we feel sorry for the poor councillors who seem to be struggling under the weight of a (claimed) under performing Ipad? Well, should we?
    If you put this waste of money alongside all the other wastes of money, one example being the 100’s of thousands trying to keep a failing Welsh language going you have a very sizeable sum all of which could be going to supporting homes for the elderly, schools, fire service etc. etc.

    I despair at the cavalier fashion in which the council waste OUR money.

    I will be thinking very carefully about who i vote for come election time and advise others to do the same.

    #122230

    PhilWynn
    Participant

    Would anyone expect a bricklayer to lay a brick without the use of a trowel. Would anyone deny a teacher access to a white-board. I’m guessing because politicians have let themselves down over the years then it is inevitable that given any opportunity to give them a kicking then that is what the general public will dish out.

    Councillors vote for iPad replacements is one of those opportunities for giving County Councillors a kicking too.

    I for one agreed to using an iPad so as to save the Council £38k a year which was spent on the production and distribution of paper copies of reports.

    The Planning Committee report issued this week runs to 160 plus pages and the Executive Board to 120 pages so the iPads are doing the job they were intended for.

    I can understand the gravitas Plaid Cymru candidates are seeking to gain off the general public by committing to using their own laptops if elected in May 2017, rather than Council issued iPads or laptops.

    If they truly wish to have a meaningful discussion on the cost of democracy then they ought to put forward the case:

    For fewer elected WCBC elected members. I would argue that based on the size f some of the larger populated wards that you could go down to 42 County Councillors.

    Refuse to accept superannuation which typically costs the Council 20% of an employees gross pay.

    Argue for fewer elected members to serve on the Executive Board.

    Maybe they also ought to exact promises from their AM’s, MP’s and Police Commissioners to forgo their membership of superannuation.

    If they don’t then I would argue they are putting themselves up as being virtuous so as to win over the minds of those members of the general public who feel let down by the whole political system rather than being principled want to be elected County Councillors.

    Cllr Phil Wynn

    Ps for the avoidance of doubt these are my own views on how to drive down the cost of democracy.

    #122238

    99DylanJones
    Participant

    Fully agree with Cllr Wynne-
    One point not raised is that the use of own computer equipment linking to the Council Intranet has some very signifcant security risks assoiciated with unsecured equieipment and any business will tell you this should be avoided.
    Perhaps the logon and comoputer activity could be logged and used as part of the benchmarking of a Councillors activity to claim his/her wages!!

    #122239

    Nen
    Participant

    [quote quote=122230]Refuse to accept superannuation which typically costs the Council 20% of an employees gross pay.

    Argue for fewer elected members to serve on the Executive Board.

    Maybe they also ought to exact promises from their AM’s, MP’s and Police Commissioners to forgo their membership of superannuation.

    If they don’t then I would argue they are putting themselves up as being virtuous so as to win over the minds of those members of the general public who feel let down by the whole political system rather than being principled want to be elected County Councillors.

    Cllr Phil Wynn

    Ps for the avoidance of doubt these are my own views on how to drive down the cost of democracy.

    [/quote]

    People already complain about the quality of these elected officers – I’m not sure how reducing the size of their remuneration package by 20% is going to help increase this quality! If you pay peanuts you get monkeys.

    #122271

    IMHO
    Participant

    [quote quote=122230]Would anyone expect a bricklayer to lay a brick without the use of a trowel. Would anyone deny a teacher access to a white-board. I’m guessing because politicians have let themselves down over the years then it is inevitable that given any opportunity to give them a kicking then that is what the general public will dish out.

    Councillors vote for iPad replacements is one of those opportunities for giving County Councillors a kicking too.

    I for one agreed to using an iPad so as to save the Council £38k a year which was spent on the production and distribution of paper copies of reports.

    The Planning Committee report issued this week runs to 160 plus pages and the Executive Board to 120 pages so the iPads are doing the job they were intended for.

    I can understand the gravitas Plaid Cymru candidates are seeking to gain off the general public by committing to using their own laptops if elected in May 2017, rather than Council issued iPads or laptops.

    If they truly wish to have a meaningful discussion on the cost of democracy then they ought to put forward the case:

    For fewer elected WCBC elected members. I would argue that based on the size f some of the larger populated wards that you could go down to 42 County Councillors.

    Refuse to accept superannuation which typically costs the Council 20% of an employees gross pay.

    Argue for fewer elected members to serve on the Executive Board.

    Maybe they also ought to exact promises from their AM’s, MP’s and Police Commissioners to forgo their membership of superannuation.

    If they don’t then I would argue they are putting themselves up as being virtuous so as to win over the minds of those members of the general public who feel let down by the whole political system rather than being principled want to be elected County Councillors.

    Cllr Phil Wynn

    Ps for the avoidance of doubt these are my own views on how to drive down the cost of democracy.

    [/quote]

    This is not a discussion about whether or not to supply councillors with Ipads it’s about replacing the ones they already have at a cost to the tax payer of thousands of pounds plus the replacement of other computers at a time when services are being cut to the bone. I have an ipad 3 which is about four years old and it still does exactly what it did when new and at the same speed and i suspect the three is what the councillors have. Admittedly Apple no longer issue Ios updates for it but as long as the Apps. will still run on the equipment there is no real reason to change it. Ipads along with other computers can slow down as they become filled with data but regular “housecleaning” can mitigate this. Are the councillors using the equipment for private use as well as council? If they are, that could help to slow it down.
    A word about the size of the reports. I would suggest, keep the reports briefer which would no doubt improve their quality.

    To close, I would like to have the latest piece of kit but as i have to pay for it and need to be prudent with money, i stick with my old one, a course of action i recommend to the council.

    #122327

    PhilWynn
    Participant

    IMHO how ironic my iPad, which has proven an invaluable tool, has in the last week decided to stop taking a charge properly. Assuming it behaves itself then I’m happy to carry on using it till I’m told otherwise.

    On a working day (ie non Councillor day) I have used my lunch hour and a few hours this evening to:

    Read and deal with over twenty incoming emails.
    Send nine emails.
    Chase officers for an update on the travellers encampment which arrived Friday on the Morrisons cycleway.
    Speak with the mangaer of the Aldi new build about noise nuisance, removal of the ambulance warning lights on Ruthin Rd and to gain clarification on when they propose to carry out road resurfacing work on Ruthin Rd, near the ambulance exit junction.
    Spoke with a fellow Councillor about the removal of double yellow lines in the Mold Rd locality so as to reduce the pressure for on-street parking created by postal workers. Our request has then been relayed by email to a Highway’s officer.
    Notify the manager of a local toddler group that they can continue to use a local Community Centre as the builders have agreed to instal a new kitchen in the Centre working around the Toddler Group’s needs.
    Spoke with a ward resident about a neighbourly dispute.
    Request a meeting with the Leader of the Council to walk Bellevue Park in relation to the Dog Control Order consultation.
    Acknowledge an officers update on two worthy building projects proposed within the ward.
    Set up a phone call with a Planning Officer for tomorrow to discuss a planning application which affects ten or so householders in the ward.
    Update a fellow Councillor on a meeting I have arranged with a Betsicadwalder officer in relation to the treatment delivery for alcoholics and drug users and the impact this is having for the residents of Wrexham town-centre wards.
    Chased an officer for an update on a proposed cycleway jointing Croesnewydd Rd and the Morrisons cycleway.
    Start to read up on CAIS a North Wales charity which provides treatment for alcoholics and drug addicts, as part of my research into how Wrexham deals with this issue.
    As the booking officer for the Maesgwyn Community Centre I have liaised with a traders an to replace the Centre’s faulty guttering, informed the caretaker of the timing of this work whilst passing on the details of a new booking. Spoke with a fellow committee member about opening the Centre for the tradesman.

    I hope I’ve provided a flavour of what a County Councillor can be called upon to deal with to ensure the best is done for the constituents they serve. Without an iPad and my personal mobile phone then my capacity to do the role would be somewhat deminished.

    Cllr Phil Wynn

    #122334

    VOR2016
    Participant

    But Cllr Wynn, you haven’t factored in time for endless self promoting photo shoot opportunities…….

    Sorry, please accept my apologies. I’m mixing you up with a certain other Councillor!

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