The TaxPayers' Alliance - Media Coverage

Birmingham Post: Doubt over police motives for TV programme probe

The motives behind West Midlands Police's decision to investigate a Channel 4 documentary for allegedly stirring up racial hatred in Birmingham were questioned last night after the force admitted it did not receive a single formal complaint about the programme.

The police considered prosecuting makers of the Dispatches episode Undercover Mosque, which purported to show an imam at the Green Lane Mosque in Small Heath urging homosexuals to be killed and speakers apparently praising suicide bombers.

The mosque was the subject of a spate of vandalism after it was screened.

But the police operation, which cost £14,000 excluding staff time, has been criticised by the TaxPayers' Alliance pressure group which said it strongly suspected political considerations lay behind the decision to launch an inquiry.

West Midlands Police admitted yesterday, in response to a Freedom of Information Act question from the TPA, that none of the 82 letters and emails it had received "expressing concern" over the contents of the programme met the criteria set out by the Police Reform Act 2000 which defines a complaint.

Attempts to take further action against Channel 4 were dropped after the Crown Prosecution Service said there was insufficient evidence to prosecute the broadcaster for stirring racial hatred.

After studying 56 hours of footage, the CPS concluded the show "completely distorted" what the speakers at the mosque had actually said, but there was insufficient evidence to take any action. The results of a police complaint to broadcasting regulator Ofcom are still awaited.

TaxPayers' Alliance spokesman Corin Taylor said: " The police have followed a political agenda to pursue the makers of a television programme who have every right to freedom of speech."

Bromsgrove Advertiser: The postcard row goes on

A NATIONAL organisation dedicated to keeping a close watch on public spending and services has added its comments to the so called racist'' Glad or Grumpy informatiom postcard campaign run by the district council for Bromsgrove Partnership The independent TaxPayers' Alliance became involved following stories in the Avertiser/Messenger last month about an alleged slur on black people.

Labour councillors claimed two black figures on the cards, designed to be filled in by residents to indicate their feelings about Bromsgrove, were shown as grumpy whereas the white faces were happy.

The council, which strongly denied any hint of racism, later made a swop when it was reprinted. The council is part of the Bromsgrove Partnership, which represents a wide range of public, private and voluntary organisations.

Under the Freedom of Information Act, the new West Midlands branch of the Alliance contacted the council for a breakdown of the cost of producing and distributing the postcards. It amounted to £1,504.63 including VAT.

In a dig at the council an alliance spokesman said: "Incompetence like this leads to bigger examples of wasteful spending elswhere. The mindset that doesn't think twice about blowing over a grand on unnecessary postcards is what causes so much of the wasteful spending we see all around us in local government."

But Hugh Bennett, the council's assistant chief executive, said: 2The postcard and consultation is not unnecessary and it's important to remember it was sent out on behalf of the Bromsgrove Partnership.

"To spend this money, less than 4p a postcard, on consultation means we target future budgets in the areas that people have said are a priority to them."

He added that so far 600 cards have been returned, a positive sign people feel it important that their voices are heard on how the quality of life in the district can be improved.

Daily Express: Taxpayers taken for a ride

By Liz Hazelton

Council's £1.17m taxi fare bill. . . plus £175,000 for cabbies' tips

A CITY council has spent a "scandalous' £1.17million on taxis in a year - with taxpayers footing the bill.

Officials even summoned cabs when they were within walking distance of their offices.

They also handed out £175,000 in tips - a fixed 15 per cent of the fare for every journey - making Birmingham city council Britain's biggest tipper.

One official spent £25.18 on a taxi instead of £1.40 on a bus ride across the city. And around £1,800 was spent on transporting asylum seekers.

The revelations are a huge embarrassment for the council, which is currently trying to persuade more people to use public transport.

Documents reveal that around half the total bill was down to social services transporting children, young people and other clients. But the remainder went on ferrying staff, councillors and other officials.

Watchdogs and MPs last night branded the bill a "shocking waste of money" and called for drastic action to curb the taxi free-for-all. Fiona McEvoy, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, said: "It's a scandal that council workers have been billing the people of Birmingham for thousands of taxi journeys while constantly telling the rest of us to take public transport."

Khalid Mahmood, Labour MP for Birmingham Perry Barr, said: "I can think of a million ways this cash could have been better spent, including tackling the anti-social behaviour problems in some areas of the city."

A spokeswoman for the council's legal department - which ran up a cab bill of £13,000 for attending court and meetings - claimed that using taxis was the most economical form of transport for lawyers.

She said: "These taxi journeys are cheaper than hourly rates charged by lawyers for travelling by bus."

The deputy city leader, Coun Paul Tilsley, last night promised to launch an investigation.

The cab fare revelation is the latest in a line of public spending scandals to rock the council.

Last year it was reported that one worker - whose job involved changing light bulbs - had earned £71,000 plus around £20,000 in bonuses, despite being off sick for more than 12 months.

Birmingham Post: Letter: Quick wins no solution to congestion

ROAD PRICING

Dear Editor, No-one would deny that growth in the region's economy is hampered by congestion, but Jerry Blackett's own series of suggested "quick wins", though mostly common sense, are not on their own a long-term solution (Why our roads policy worth waiting for, Post August 2).

However, it appears that he, like a minority of others, still sees road pricing as a magic bullet, even though it will certainly have harmful effects on already over-taxed businesses, while only promising barely noticeable improvements to journey times.

Whatever road pricing might or might not achieve as an academic policy proposal, we can all be guaranteed that if it was ever actually implemented, a scheme run by politicians will quickly be used as a new way of raising money.

Those in favour of road pricing should remember when driving in the region that Americans are now protesting petrol is reaching upwards of EUR3 per gallon. We in Britain have tolerated close to EUR8 a gallon for the best part of ten years.

Surely motorists are paying more than enough already, and if this money wasn't squandered, there would be no need for more charging.

It is the failure of politicians to meet public demand by building sufficient road space that is the root cause of this congestion problem, and the already high cost of driving - congestion aside - is the real context in which additional charges on motorists should be seen.

FIONA MCEVOY West Midlands TaxPayers' Alliance

Coventry Evening Telegraph: New group will fight corner for taxpayers

By Fiona Scott

ALLIANCE: Businessman behind city's first academy joins pressure campaign

A NEW pressure group lobbying against waste of taxpayers' money has launched a new campaign in the West Midlands.

Two prominent businessmen with links to Coventry are on the ruling council of the new West Midlands Taxpayers' Alliance.

One is super-rich Christian businessman Bob Edmiston - the man sponsoring Coventry's first city academy, Grace Academy.

He made his fortune importing Subaru cars into Britain and is now chairman of IM Group.

Another is the chairman of Listers of Coventry, Keith Bradshaw.

They're joined by, among others, the man who managed to get 1.8 million people to sign a petition against road pricing on the 10 Downing Street website, Peter Roberts; former England cricketer Neal Radford; and Nigel Hastilow, former Birmingham Post editor, who's now lined up by the Tories to fight the Halesowen and Rowley Regis parliamentary seat at the next general election.

They chose to launch officially this week outside the Public Arts Centre in West Bromwich because they see it as a "prominent symbol of waste in the region".

The group will be campaigning for lower taxes and against road pricing, "green" taxes, and extra charges for rubbish collections.

It will also be calling for an end to inheritance tax and more use of the Freedom of Information Act to uncover examples of public money being wasted.

Birmingham Mail: Outcry over '£54m white elephant'

By Steve Johnson

Protesters call Public arts centre a waste of money

A CONTROVERSIAL £54 million arts centre in West Bromwich was today branded a "grotesque white elephant" and a sickening example of waste and mismanagement.

The fierce attack came as the national TaxPayers Alliance launched its new West Midlands branch outside The Public arts centre with a 55 ft poster truck carrying a slogan attacking wasteful spending.

Alliance supporters were also out on the streets of the town collecting thousands of signatures for a petition to present to Sandwell Council, calling for no more money to be spent on the "failing" project.

The TaxPayers Alliance, which is not linked to any political party, said that The Public was an outstanding symbol of waste and most people in the area would have preferred a swimming pool for the town.

TPA Campaign Director Blair Gibbs said the group felt The Public was a giant symbol of unnecessary spending.

"The Public is a grotesque example of Government waste and we could not have a better backdrop for today's launch of the West Midlands branch of the TPA.

"The Public has cost at least£54 million so far, the cost continues to rise, and we question just how many people will have to visit it to make it a success when it finally opens," he said.

Fiona McEvoy, West Midlands Agent with the TPA, added: "The Public stands as a physical monument to an obscene waste of money by local government and regional quangos.

"The Public is at least two years behind schedule, and is well over the original budget. It is a giant, grotesque white elephant.

"We are collecting signatures on a protest petition today but people in West Bromwich we have already spoken to have already complained to us about The Public being outrageously expensive. They would rather have had a new swimming centre in West Bromwich."

Work on The Public ground to a halt in 2006 when administrators were called in. Building work resumed earlier this year and the centre is due to finally open next summer.

The project is funded by Sandwell Council, Arts Council England, Advantage West Midlands and the Government Office for the West Midlands.

Birmingham Post: Figureheads back group calling for lower taxes

Prominent Midland business figures are backing a new pressure group campaigning for lower taxes and against wasteful spending by public bodies.

Multi-millionaire car importer Bob Edmiston, chairman of the IM Group and said to be worth £520 million, is the best-known face among a list of recruits to the West Midlands Taxpayers' Alliance - a regional off-shoot of the national TPA.

The new group, which has a full-time organiser and offices in Hagley Road, Birmingham, says it already has 1,000 supporters in the West Midlands.

Supporters attended a launch ceremony yesterday outside The Public arts centre in West Bromwich, where construction work was halted after costs spiralled to £55 million.

The regeneration scheme - financed by Advantage West Midlands, the Arts Council of England and Sandwell Council - was placed into administration and is, according to the Taxpayers' Alliance, a perfect example of reckless spending by public authorities.

Other examples highlighted by the Alliance include Birmingham City Council's proposal to spend £1 million on a metal tank to provide a 50-metre swimming pool for the Chinese Olympic Games squad, and the £1 million a year West Midlands councils pay to run a European office in Brussels.

Leading members of the West Midlands TPA council include: Chris Kelly, chairman of West Bromwich-based Keltruck; Keith Bradshaw, chairman of Listers of Coventry; Richard Smith, managing director, HR Smith Group; Edward Carter, regional chairman of Freshwater UK in Birmingham.

The group also has the backing of Peter Roberts, the Telford businessman whose anti-congestion charging petition on the Downing Street website attracted more than a million signatures.

Taxpayers' Alliance spokesman Blair Gibbs said: "The cause is backed by some of Britain's most respected academics and business people. We are not linked to any political party and accept no public money."

The WMTPA intends to campaign to cut taxes on business, to reduce income tax and to lower council tax. The group is opposed to road pricing, green taxes and inheritance tax and wants all regional quangos abolished.

Mr Gibbs added: "This is a new voice for those who want a different future for the West Midlands.

"We will be holding meetings, investigating waste using the Freedom of Information Act, engaging with the media and organising direct mail efforts to spread our message. We will expose waste, attack reckless spending, and campaign against all those politicians who meddle in vital services."