Mega money for mayoral motors

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Luxury Limos
This week, a TPA investigation sensationally revealed ([link removed]) that councils spent £2,689,959 on luxury mayoral limos between 2019 and 2022. From Range Rovers and Jaguars to a Rolls Royce and Teslas, some councils really took taxpayers for a ride!
Despite many councils declaring a climate emergency, only around one third of the 162 councils with cars were using green vehicles. Staffordshire council, which declared a climate emergency in July 2019, spent £39,315 on a gas-guzzling Jaguar XJ Saloon. ([link removed])

In comments which gained national attention ([link removed]) , John O’Connell, our chief executive, fumed: “councils cannot claim to be cash-strapped if they are still paying for Teslas and Jags to ferry local bigwigs about.”
With Antrim’s Audi A8 ([link removed]) , Edinburgh’s two BMW’s ([link removed]) , and Birmingham’s mega spend of £59,884 ([link removed]) , mayors across the land are treating themselves to fancy travel at taxpayers' expense.

Despite councils supposedly ‘struggling’ it’s clear there’s still plenty of fat left to trim.

That’s why we’re calling on town halls across the country to do away with extravagant excesses and ease the burden on local ratepayers by freezing or cutting council tax next year. Sign our petition here! ([link removed])

We can only win these fights with the ongoing generosity of people like you, our supporters. Click here to chip in to our campaign. ([link removed])
Grassroots news
Following recent TPA research into council spending on air fresheners, our researcher, Dr Mike Jones, paid a visit to Ealing council ([link removed]) who spent over £24,000 since 2019.
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As Mike says, “Council bosses across the UK should be warned, however much you try to cover up the stench of wasted money, the TaxPayers’ Alliance will always pick up the stench!”
TaxPayers' Alliance in the news
NHS managers’ monumental remuneration

If you ever wondered how the NHS spends its massive budget, clearly a significant portion goes towards lining the pockets of management. Over 2,000 managers are on six figure salaries.
In the pages of The Telegraph, John summed up the situation perfectly ([link removed]) , saying: “Taxpayers are sick of seeing high-level officials receive bumper pay rises, while nurses struggle and services suffer. Households are told again and again to stump up more cash for the health service, yet salaries for upper executives are hitting new heights.”
Local authorities milking motorists

In his new column for ConservativeHome, TPA investigations manager, Elliot Keck, took aim at local authorities treating motorists like cash cows ([link removed]) rather than getting their books in order.
When councils fail to get a grip on pet projects, cry about being ‘cash-strapped’, but levy large fines on motorists, “It looks like a plan to punish drivers and avoid the need to get tough on waste and make the difficult decisions”.
Exotic treatments

It emerged this week that the NHS is spending millions ([link removed]) sending patients abroad for treatments.
Whilst this might serve as a short term solution to getting waiting lists under control, as John said, “Taxpayers will rightly be asking why on earth these treatments couldn’t be done at home.” Which, when you remember how heavily we are taxed and how much is spent on the NHS, is a fair question.
Blog of the week
With Bristol introducing a Clean Air Zone, I’ve taken a look at this lazy idea ([link removed]) which persists in polluting policy.
Looking at the pros and cons of clean air zones it soon becomes clear that they are “a lazy idea chosen by councils who lack the imagination to think beyond simply trying to tax their way out of a problem.” Have a read of the blog here. ([link removed])
War on Waste
The Unboxed festival (formerly the ‘Festival of Brexit’) finished in November, and the National Audit Office has released a report detailing the £120 million of taxpayer cash spent on questionable initiatives.

Amongst the highlights are £8 million on a ‘grow your own food’ project in Scotland. With the highest tax burden since the second world war, you’d have thought politicians would be cracking down on this kind of careless use of taxpayers' cash!
Please send me your examples of wasteful public sector spending (mailto:[email protected]?subject=re.%20Weekly%20bulletin)

Benjamin Elks
Fundraising, Operations, and Events assistant

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