IT perks go offline

Members’ car loans and an information technology scheme are being scrapped by Newark and Sherwood District Council to save money.

It means home telephone and internet lines, mobile phones and laptops will no longer be provided by the council for members.

The original aim was to enable members on low incomes to properly fulfil their elected duties and link in with council systems from home.

A report to the council’s cabinet said: “It would appear that it was originally intended that the above (telephone lines, internet lines, laptops and mobile phones) should be provided for committee chairmen, cabinet members and group leaders.

“Unfortunately, however, because proper controls have not been applied, equipment and other facilities have been retained where elected members have ceased to hold the relevant office and, on occasion, replacement equipment has been provided after they ceased to hold such office.”

The council leader, Mr Tony Roberts, said: “In the past we have not been as judicious as we could have been in knowing where these items of computer equipment are and in bringing them back in.”

Mr David Payne said the changes represented a tightening of policy as members had not been given mobile phones for several years and laptops only when needed.

The cuts would save money as the council covered the bills as a business customer, rather than paying cheaper domestic rates.

There is a proposal that council officers should no longer have their telephone or internet bills met by the authority.

From March 31, when the changes take effect, councillors will no longer be able to apply to the council for loans (at the market rate of interest) to buy cars. Currently two elected members have the loans.