55 New iPads For Councillors

[quote quote=122327]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

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Ok. well done you for doing what you signed up for. What is the 13K for if it isn’t to compensate you for doing council work? Is it just to pay you to turn up for meetings? If so, it’s excessive IMO.
You say your Ipad performed well in assisting you to carry out your council work even though you do say it now has a battery issue (can be repaired) so, can you tell us how a nice shiny new one would have done better? Or even, 50 odd of them.
Cllr. Wynn, i am not one that is just having a go at councillors i just do not see how it can be judged as prudent in these harsh times to blow tens of thousands of much needed pounds on replacing what are probably good and serviceable items of equipment whether it be Ipads or computers.
By the way, i do in a smaller but nevertheless still an important way, similar to you but, i do it voluntarily and using my own equipment;)

Councillors already have ratepayer funded IPads and must ask themselves if they really need new ones. In their decision making they need to balance what that £32,000 could be more usefully spent on. There are a number of community facilities that face closure and the money could be used to save at least one. How much will Price Waterhouse Cooper receive when another facility is closed and jobs lost? Add their cut into the pot and maybe another facility can be saved.

Found out today that the iPad replacements will cost £310 each with the other £290 being spent on software and security licences over 5 years ie £120 pa.
The alternative is paper copies, which 5 years ago was costing the ratepayer £700 plus per elected member each and every year.
To reduce the cost of democracy maybe paper reports ought to be stopped.
As we are still facing huge financial cuts maybe elected members ought to consider making this sacrifice, even if it is easier to speed read a report in paper format.

Cllr Phil Wynn

[quote quote=124204]Found out today that the iPad replacements will cost £310 each with the other £290 being spent on software and security licences over 5 years ie £120 pa.
The alternative is paper copies, which 5 years ago was costing the ratepayer £700 plus per elected member each and every year.
To reduce the cost of democracy maybe paper reports ought to be stopped.
As we are still facing huge financial cuts maybe elected members ought to consider making this sacrifice, even if it is easier to speed read a report in paper format.

Cllr Phil Wynn

[/quote]

I feel the need to shout this as you aren’t listening, NOBODY IS SAYING GO BACK TO PAPER, WE ARE SAYING KEEP WHAT YOU HAVE AS IT HAS ALL THE SOFTWARE ON IT AND IT’S DOING A GREAT JOB AND SHOULD CONTINUE TO DO SO!! I read the report on the meeting and it’s depressing reading with all the BS being bandied about.”Cllr Phil Wynn added his support to the upgrade plans, saying: “Without the iPad we would be going backwards. There is an obligation that all members look at the cost of delivering democracy”.”well, WE KNOW THAT AND YOU ALREADY HAVE THEM SO PLEASE STOP BANGING ON ABOUT IT!! Anyone would think you are arguing for getting them for the first time!!
It’s quite obvious to me that the cries of the electorate are not being listened to again by SOME of the elected representatives as they seem to have their fingers in their ears and are humming loudly.

I hope that the councillors that are not listening that are also up for re-election suffer the consequences at the up-coming elections.