I have no doubt that my proposal to meet this objective will not meet with approval by some but may be an alternative to people losing their jobs resulting in misery to those doing so, increasing the welfare benefits budget.

Nationally, many District and County Councils are proposing a reduction in the number of Councillors in order to save money. An alternative perhaps could be for Councillors to take a cut in their Allowances, Special Responsibility Allowances and Expenses.

In the year 2009-2010, 45 Dorset County Councillors were paid £994,893 made up from a Basic Allowance of £10,185, a Special Allowance ranging from £4,397 to £30,550 and a Mileage Allowance of 40p per mile.

Seventeen Councillors received between £20,000 to £50,000 in Allowances and Expenses, and the 56 West Dorset Councillors’ Allowances and Expenses amounted to £357,224. In North Dorset 33 Councillors and six members of the Standards Committee claimed £229,603. By adopting the policy of many District Councils, reducing the number of Councillors by ten percent, jobs could be saved. Alternatively, if Councillors would voluntarily accept a ten or even twenty percent cut in their Allowances and Expenses, the misery to those losing their jobs would be eradicated and the resulting benefit payments reduced. Either of these proposals would be in line with “we are all in this together” and “the big society”.

Any candidate offering themselves as Councillors in the May 2011 Council Elections who promises in their election address to Council Tax payers, to cut their Allowances and Expenses could possibly help their campaign for election. A reduction in job losses as a result would be a good campaign slogan.