Taxpayer's fork out £10K on swanky new office for Labour Leader

Basildon Conservatives have recently learned that the Labour Leader of the Council has spent nearly £10,000 of taxpayers' money on a swanky new office for himself in the Basildon Centre (a building he wants to get rid of in the long-term).

Go figure. 

The total cost of Cllr Callaghan's new 'enclosed office on the first floor' is £9,993.80 and a full breakdown of the costs are as follows:

Ceilings/Floor Alterations - £1,050.00

New Glazed Door and partition - £4,950.00

Decorations - £650.00

Mechanical and Electrical alterations - £2,690.00

Total - £9,340.00

add MSPS 7% - £653.80

 

Total - £9,993.80

The excuse for the works has been the need to expand the capacity of the Safer Basildon Hub, which recently moved into the Basildon Centre. The need to expand the hub has displaced the Leader's office, but we are of the view that the Leader's office should simply have been sacrificed. We consider that there are already amble meeting rooms and alternative venues for the Leader to hold meetings if required. At a time like this, when every penny of taxpayers' money is precious, this seems recklessly self-indulgent - but true to form for the Leader who spent thousands on a portrait of himself and nearly £300,000 on a posh new chamber.

Astonishingly, officers confirmed that £100,000 was originally allocated to the new office. Apparently, we should all be grateful to the Leader for his heroic restraint!