Haringey Council rebuffed claims that it spent public funds poorly on the borough’s National Union of Teacher’s negotiator. Responding to a recent article in the Evening Standard, the Council said the annual salary of £35,000 for the union representative actually saved money.
“It’s more efficient for the council to negotiate with a designated rep rather than thousands of teachers, which would be more expensive,” a spokesperson said.
Haringey paid more than £300,000 to NUT official Julie Davies over eight years, according to the Standard.
In addition to the total cost, the employment caused controversy because Davies is paid a teacher’s salary, but has not taught for 12 years. A council spokesperson said all large organisations are obligated to cover the costs of union representation and that Haringey’s, “time-off arrangements for teaching union representation and costs are similar to other councils.”
North London conservatives countered that the salaried negotiating position revealed the hypocrisy of a Labour Party-dominated borough that has bemoaned budget cuts.
Enfield North Member of Parliament Nick De Bois called it “A scandalous waste of taxpayer’s money,” in the Standard, adding, “with priorities skewed in this way, it’s no wonder Haringey has consistently failed to deliver improvements to schools.
Labour Responds
Haringey Councillor Joe Goldberg, retorted on social media, tweeting that the comments were a “Disgraceful attack on facilities time by Tories. What has this got to do with the future of Haringey's young?”
In a January 17 press release, the Council said it received over £300 less per person than surrounding inner-London boroughs. “The enormous funding gap places frontline services in jeopardy, the knock on effect of which will be felt by many local people,” Councillor Goldberg said.
Haringey ranked thirteenth amongst the most deprived boroughs in the country and fourth amongst those in London according to a 2010 Index of Deprivation.
The End Child Poverty Group reports that 34 percent of children in the borough Davies represents live in poverty.
The NUT said it supported Davies, but declined further comment on the issue.
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