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SEN-eO1-S2 [P] THE SENTINEL Thursday January 5, 2012 3 Two-year tax freeze pledge More parking spaces in town 350 MORE JOBS TO GO AT COUNCIL Staff cut to help balance the budget 2-FOR-1 PANTO TICKETS ‘CLO CLOSING SING SUR SURGERY GERY IS S IS STUPID’ TUPID’ SEE PA SEE PAGE 7 GE 7 HOTEL BREAKS FOR ONLY £14.50pp Begin your Kumon journey 01782 519788 01782 744387 NEWS £50 bill for dropping fag SMOKER William Moffit has been given a conditional discharge for six months after he admitted dropping a cigarette in Hanley. Trevor Vernon, prosecuting for Stoke-on-Trent City Council, yesterday told North Staffordshire magistrates a council environmental crime officer saw Moffit drop a roll- up next to the Salvation Army shop in Stafford Street on June 8 last year. “He made no effort to pick it up and was followed in the shop,” said Mr Vernon. Moffit was given an £80 fixed penalty notice, but told the officer he was on the dole and asked if he could pay in instalments. But he was told the penalty, which is reduced to £50 if paid in seven days, had to be paid in full. Moffit, of Warrington Road, Hanley, pleaded guilty to throwing down a cigarette. Representing himself, Moffit said: “It was just a one- off. I dropped it on the floor.” Moffit will pay £50 costs. Top-tier shake-up planned at cash-strapped authority Council chief wants £132,000 assistant BY ALEX CAMPBELL [email protected] A COUNCIL which has made more than 750 workers redund- ant in 18 months is to hire an assistant chief executive on a salary of up to £132,000. Stoke-on-Trent City Council chief John van de Laarschot, who was paid £198,000 in salary, benefits and allowances in 2010/11, wants to bring in a second-in-command after two years in the job. The plans are set to be dis- cussed in a behind-closed- doors meeting next week and the council’s HR committee will review any internal applications. There is currently no such post at the city council. The authority said it is redu- cing the number of top officers as part of budget cuts and the new role will incorporate the work of several senior staff. But it is also considering plans to hire another assistant director to oversee “green” projects at a cost of £106,000. It comes as the authority con- siders savings of £24 million in 2012/13, which will see another 358 staff posts cut, a council tax rise of 3.5 per cent, and care and youth facilities closed or privatised. The last person to hold the position of assistant chief exec- utive was Chris Harman, who was briefly promoted to interim chief executive but left in October 2009 with a £65,000 payoff after Mr van de Laarschot, pictured right, was handed the top job. Mr Harman was paid £131,000 per annum and the new assist- ant will receive between £120,000 and £132,000. Under its budget plans, the council is proposing to save £130,000-per-year by cutting the Lord Mayor’s ceremonial role as well as the car, chauffeur and allowances. Former councillor Kieran Clarke, who is among those campaigning to protect the mayoral position, said: “I think if the public had to choose between one or the other they would pick the Lord Mayor. “The council is talking about trying to attract new busi- nesses to the city. But would you want to invest in a city that can’t afford its Lord Mayor? “It also raises the question of why they’re bringing in more posts when they’re trying to simplify the management structure.” Children’s centre cuts cam- paigner Claire Lawrence, a mother-of-six, of Meir, criti- cised plans for the appoint- ment. She said: “It is absolutely disgraceful to be taking money away from children’s services and spending this much on giving somebody a job. “I would rather the money was spent on a service that helps prevent children from going into care. “If they have done without an assistant for two years, why do they need one now? “That money could be spent on protecting the children’s centre staff.” The council’s budget cuts of £24 million will also see four director roles made redundant to save £424,000. One of the doomed posts, within business services, is already vacant. But the savings will be offset by the appointment of an assistant to Mr van de Laars- chot and the arrival of a “green” chief. Councillor Paul Shotton, cabinet member for resources, said: “As part of our corporate restructure, the proposed assistant chief executive post will replace that of the current vacant director of business ser- vices post, with no increase in salary. “The role will incorporate more services that had previ- ously been under the director of business services’ post, as well as some from assistant director posts that are pro- posed to be deleted. “The new post will give us greater capacity amongst the senior management staff with no increase in cost.” What do you think? Email us at [email protected] FLASHBACK: Our story on council jobs cuts in October. UNCOVERED: A Minton tiled floor at Liverpool’s St George’s Hall has been cleaned and prepared for the public to view. The rarely seen handcrafted mosaic of more than 30,000 Minton tiles was laid in 1852, but covered by a wooden floor in the 1860s to allow for dancing and events. St George’s Hall was constructed between 1841 and 1854 to house Liverpool’s law courts and concert rooms and is a Grade I-listed building. The building was restored in 2007 with a grant from the Civic Trust and then reopened by Prince Charles. The floor will be open to visitors, for a £1 admission fee, from Saturday to January 22. The tiles were handmade at Minton Hollins factory in Stoke, the same firm that also tiled the floor of the US Capitol Building in Washington. TWENTY-YEAR-OLD Alicia Walton has been banned from driving for 12 months after crashing her car when over the drink drive limit. North Staffordshire magistrates yesterday heard the care worker’s Fiat Punto collided with a wall in High Street, Goldenhill, at 2.10am on December 7. Walton gave a reading of 58 micrograms of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath, while the legal limit is 35mgs. The defendant, of Keele Road, Keele, pleaded guilty to driving with excess alcohol. Robin Lichfield, mitigating, said a car cut in front of Walton and she braked heavily, lost control and hit a wall. Her car was a write-off. Magistrates fined Walton £150 and ordered her to pay £85 costs and a £15 surcharge. Her ban will be reduced to nine months if she completes the drink drivers’ course. Driver handed 12-month ban A FATHER-OF-THREE has been fined £30 after he assaulted a family friend. David Grajnert, aged 39, of Uttoxeter Road, Longton, injured Benjamin Drake at his partner’s Dresden home on December 13, North Staffordshire magistrates heard yesterday. Prosecutor Steve Knowles said Grajnert lost his temper after Mr Drake said things about his children which he was not happy with. The defendant grabbed Mr Drake who banged his face as they fell. Grajnert pleaded guilty to assault, but denied any punch. Representing himself, Grajnert reiterated that he did not strike Mr Drake but added he regrets the incident. He was also ordered to pay £85 costs and a £15 victim surcharge. Dad assaulted family friend
