Tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers’ money is being spent in the West Midlands on officials to promote the 2012 London Olympics.
Olympic “co-ordinators” are being taken on by councils to “raise awareness” of the games.
Staffordshire County Council is advertising for a co-ordinator on a salary of up to £39,000 a year.
Funded by the county council, the eight county borough and district councils and Stoke City Council, the post will involve telling people about the games as well as working on sport, business culture, education and tourism in the area.
Other authorities are following suit, all paying similar salaries.
The Black Country Consortium has appointed marketing co-ordinator Claire Beresford. And in Worcestershire, Peter Turvey has been appointed in a part-time post of about £15,000 funded by the Worcestershire Partnership.
One leading councillor in Staffordshire today labelled the post a waste of money.
Phil Atkins, leader of the Conservative group in Staffordshire, said: “There has got to be a better way of spending this money.”
County Council spokesman Steven Jenkins said: “This post is being funded by 10 partners. This is amazing value for money.”
10 Comments
Telling about the games? We already know about the games, unless we’ve been living on another planet for the last 3 years. Another waste of money, just like the design of the olympic logo.
what a waste
The taxpayer suffers every single time.
Perhaps “The Taxpayers’ Alliance” deserve more support.
David Bartley, Tipton.
What a Suprise!!!
C’mon E & S Can we have some real stories???
Bridget and Tony i have sent them a story but don’t know if they will follow it up re fraud etc.
Anyone watching the recent Panorama program i believe it was will see exactly where the money is going to re this olympics, no wonder they were all fighting to make sure we got it. Did you see Lord Coe’s take home pay and perks:(( Tessa Jowell was in it up to her earholes but isn’t her husband David Mills the one on trial in Italy.
To the Express and Star at Cannock the copies of the letters i sent to you last week addressed to Chief Constable Scott-Lee and co have been sent to the Ambassador of the Embassy mentioned.
Get snouts out the trough party
Why should we have to pay for something that we will not get any benefit from.
could you imagine if Birmingham had got the Olympics… do you really think that London taxpayers would want to help foot the bill !
Goodness me, I never knew people could be so negative about everything until I started reading the comments on here.
Hosting the Olympic games in this country is an honour and something that we should all be proud of and get behind – not whinge about. Yes the games may cost a lot to set up but they will have a massive impact on the regeneration of London in particular. This is good for business, making the UK an increasingly attractive place for companies to set up in a competitive world economy.
Someone to co-ordinate efforts for the Olympic Games within Staffordshire will help to maximise the potential benefits which could be gained from the Olympics.
Of course, they could appoint no one, let the Olympic Games come and go and let Staffordshire miss the numerous opportunities that could be gained …
So the authorities think we need to pay someone forty grand-a-year to tell us that the Olympic Games are in London in 2012. Do they think we don’t watch the news?
Hey Bob,
What is actually negative about these blogs and what are the numerous potential benefits to Staffordshire?? please tell me because i have looked hard and can’t find them.
You obviously didn’t watch the recent exposure program about these olympics, did you see that one of Lord Coe’s partners had been bankrupted several times yet he still managed to be able to live in Monaco in a luxury flat with all the extras i.e. top of the range cars etc.
You obviosly didn’t see who had bought shares in Coe’s company and how this company refused to be interviewed.
You obviously didn’t see the Ministers and Coe refusing to acknowledge that though they had been given a feasibility report which showed these games were going to cost 9 - 12 billion the ministers still stated in the House of Commons that they would cost less than 3 billion.
You obviously didn’t see where the majority of profits were going from the olympics and the pittance left over for the rest of the country if it ever gets there.
So Bob please get to live in the real world unless of course you know something no one else does.:))
While thousands of good charities etc will be forced to lose out because President Bliar declared he would raid the lottery to pay for this fiasco, i bought lottery tickets to a/ try to win and b/ thinking my money was going to good causes the back pockets of MPs and Ministers etc is not my idea of a good cause.
So Bob no one on this site is whinging as you call it they are stating facts as they see them unlike yourself:))
Get snouts out the trough party
Yes, can’t quite see the benefits for the midlands from the Olympics.
Its simply for prestige for Britain, to host an international event. Always costs the host country.
But the prestige is worth it to some people.
Now practical aspects, such as value for money on buildings (anyone remember the milennium dome?), long term jobs, tourism boost and so on - those seem to be ignored.
And can’t see how somewhere as far from the games as the midlands will benefit from them.
Maybe I’m missing something?