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Councillors to debate iPads today
The full council will meet this afternoon to review the proposal of providing councillors with iPads.
A recent poll on the Evening News website asking whether or not they should be given the tablet devices had a remarkable response.
The poll, that can be found to the right of this story, registered 65 votes in favour of the poroposals and 100,359 against.
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Saturday 26 May 2012
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Comments
There are 36 comments to this article
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tillieanne
Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 04:45 PMI have just managed to register on this site, using e.mail from laptop, almost instantly. I also contacted the office of the Rt Honourable Eric Pickles and received an acknowledgement within a few minutes. How much quicker or more efficiently could it have been done usung an iPad? There are so many of us who just can't afford to pay for iPads and find laptops more than adequate, why are the council so different?
Removed by moderator
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 04:15 PM#33 - it's laughable, especially the 99% headline on Wednesday. Me thinks there is a web programmer at JP that needs to go on a refresher course, and the SEN journalist that wrote that story should really think again if pretty much everybody in the borough voted!
baznpat
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 03:52 PMGive em Brillo pads so they can clean their act up!..Muppets!!!
scarborowhite
Friday, February 24, 2012 at 01:07 PM100,000 votes!? yeah right... who is the saddo that has being pressing the no vote button for the last 96 hours!?
Richard Ineson
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 02:22 PMI was at a meeting a couple of weeks ago when one SBC Councillor mentioned that they had not had internet access since the 12th December; another official member of the meeting said, in an aside to the person sitting adjacent to them, "What year?" This seems to say something.
throxenbylad
Thursday, February 23, 2012 at 08:49 AMApparently if you have problems with your eyes, you can get android tablets.
Animalhouse
Wednesday, February 22, 2012 at 08:00 AMI know how difficult the computer training was for some of the councillors when they were given laptops. Using email was difficult for some, and the internet was beyond them. Ipads are easier to use, but I really don't see the point in this venture for all of them. Give the ones that can use technology an ipad if you must, but give the rest an envelope through the post with all the paperwork that they need and take the stress out of it.
Sue Donim
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 09:34 AMIssue them with bikes too and then they can save on expenses when claiming for transport to and from the Puzzle Palace and other venues.
FREE WHITBY
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 08:45 AM@27 geoff49: "Thinking about it, why don't we have recorded votes on all council business from sub-committees through to full council?" Yes, indeed. Then the Council could produce accurate and colourful three-dimensional charts showing indices of self-interest and crass stupidity. The sad thing is, the utterly useless will still get elected, because their follies are always so swiftly forgotten (if ever grasped) by a predominantly apathetic electorate, ground into obliviousness and despair by 38 years of shameless opportunism. Trebles all round!
geoff49
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:48 AMGo on, elected members. Vote for little toys for yourselves. Then dare to tell us we can't afford this, that or the other because of cutbacks. Could we have a recorded vote please? Thinking about it, why don't we have recorded votes on all council business from sub-committees through to full council? Only in the interests of openness you understand.
geoff49
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:44 AMGo on, elected members. Vote for little toys for yourselves. Then dare to tell us we can't afford this, that or the other because of cutbacks. Could we have a recorded vote please? Thinking about it, why don't we have recorded votes on all council business from sub-committees through to full council? Only in the interests of openness you understand.
adyscarborough
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 07:43 AMwhy not....... prisoners probably have them.....
nocensorship
Tuesday, February 21, 2012 at 01:25 AMIt is only to make the Councilors look cool when the grandkids come to stay.
baconroll
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 11:44 PMThey all have email yet agendas are still sent by hard copy? Are they unable to use the lap tops we bought them? The list of excuses thought up (at even more expense by the Independent Remuneration Panel) to justify the ludicrous purchase of iPods is pathetic - they must think we fell of a No 11 bus. 'The indirect cost savings arising from reducing the Council's need to purchase print equipment and licence software to deliver paper agendas' They already have print equipment and computers with licenced software to formulate documents within the Town Hall. They churn out enough stat letters! A slight reducton in Broadband internet costs could be achieved by the Fox's only claiming one allowance between them. Can't believe they are even taking this to a full council vote - more time wasting. Great #16 - 'eye pads' just about sums them up!
ANARCHIST
Monday, February 20, 2012 at 09:42 PMFrom the FOI Responding directly to your question the primary benefits to Council tax payers are the financial savings to the cost of operating the Council that will arise from implementation of tablet devices. Those savings arise from: (a) the reduction in the immediate direct costs of producing agendas - eg paper, envelops, print, postage (b) the indirect cost savings arising from reducing the Council's need to purchase print equipment and licence software to deliver paper agendas (c) the indirect costs in time related costs for the production of the agendas Council members are not employees but elected to their role by the electorate and are necessarily provided with equipment to undertake their role. The revenue costs have been considered by the Council's Independent Remuneration Panel who are responsible for providing independent guidance on behalf of Council taxpayers to the Council in relation to member allowances. The broadband allowances have been the subject of review by the Panel and the report to Council on 24th February 2012 explains that the proposed introduction of tablet devices will lead to a slight reduction in broadband revenue costs. Use of Council provided equipment is subject to the Council's IT policies including the Internet Useage Policy which touches upon personal use. Again that policy is published through the Council's publication scheme and can be found on the Council's website within the "Library" of policies.
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