Council slammed for new political assistant jobs
LDRSCouncil leaders have been criticised for a decision to spend money on new political assistants.
Reform UK councillors said the two roles set to be created at Durham County Council would help the authority run effectively.
Opposition councillors from the Liberal Democrat, Labour and Conservative parties questioned the need for the additional staff and criticised the cost to fund them.
Deputy leader Darren Grimes said Reform recognised the "additional financial commitment" but he defended the decision.
The recruits would undertake research and provide administrative support to the two largest parties on the council - Reform and the Lib Dems.
Reform's political assistant would work 37 hours per week, with the Lib Dem representative working on a part-time basis at 18 and a half hours.
'No justification'
The two roles had been due to cost the council more than £85,000 per year before Reform backed an amendment to alter the working hours of the Lib Dem role.
Grimes said: "We consider that the appointment of a political assistant will provide the cabinet with additional resources to help deliver the objectives set out in our council plan."
Richard Bell, former Conservative deputy leader of the council, said there was "no justification" for the jobs.
"In the four years of the joint administration, which involved four different political groups, we managed well enough."
LDRSCouncil leader Andrew Husband told councillors Reform was "fixing a system designed to fail".
"We were elected to do things differently - for change," he added.
But Lib Dem Amanda Hopgood, former council leader, accused Husband of going against his party's initial proposal, which had been discussed at a constitutional working group.
She said the group had voted to ensure that if political assistants were to be appointed, it would be "on equal terms" for every party.
"In view of the fact that the constitution working group democratically voted to get rid of that, I find it absolutely dreadful that the leader overrides his own cabinet and members to get rid of that."
Political assistants are politically restricted posts - meaning they are restricted by law from taking part in political activities.
However, people in these roles may speak to the public and publish information "intended to affect public support for a political party", according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.
Labour leader Rob Crute said he believed residents would see the move as "misuse of public money for party political purposes".
He said: "We were told there is no money to maintain a safety net to protect vulnerable families struggling with rising council tax bills, yet now we're being asked to support a proposal that is going to cost the taxpayers of County Durham £85,000 a year."
