NEL Council's mobile phone bill for staff tops £400,000
THE £400,000 spent on providing council staff in North East Lincolnshire with mobile phones over the last two years is value for money.
That is the view of bosses at North East Lincolnshire Council who say spending on mobiles has been put under the spotlight and reduced in the last 12 months as part of a raft of cost-cutting measures.
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Nearly £200,000 was spent providing mobile phones to 1,121 council staff last year alone.
The Grimsby Telegraph can today reveal that £195,000 was spent providing mobile phones to 1,121 of the council's 6,443 staff during the last financial year.
The amount has fallen by £14,000 since 2008/09 when £209,000 of taxpayers' money was spent on mobile phones.
It means the average worker has racked up monthly bills of just £15 over the last two years, the results of a Freedom of Information request show.
And council leaders were today united in the view that spending on mobile phones for staff is a "necessity."
Councillor Andrew DeFreitas said spending on mobile phones is under constant review.
"These are the kind of expenses which we have to keep a close eye on and ensure that we are getting the best value for money we can," he said.
"Spending on mobiles has fallen dramatically in the last financial year and we will continue to review the contracts and providers we are using to get the best deal."
To read the full story see today's Grimsby Telegraph.
What do you think? Let us know by commenting on this story, emailing newsdesk@grimsbytelegraph.co.uk or calling 01472 372236.
21 Comments
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by John, Grimsby
Tuesday, August 24 2010, 12:18PM
“Why don't they get an unlimited call contract like I do?”
by Mucs Licnouc, T.H
Wednesday, August 18 2010, 2:00PM
“Alright then John, alias "Carol blooming Vorderman" at home, who had inside information about the parameters involved in the calculations:
N = Number of years
X = Number of staff given mobile phones
400,000 = The amount spent in (£'s)
14.87 = Staff's average monthly bill in (£'s)
From your formula:
(400,000 ÷ X) ÷ 12N = 14.87
Then; (400,000 ÷ X) 1 ÷ (12N) = 14.87
Therefore; 400,000 ÷ (12 XN) = 14.87
So; 400,000 ÷ 14.87 = 12 XN
Then; 26900 = 12 XN
Therefore; X = 26900 ÷ (12N)
So; X = 26900 ÷ (12 x 2)
= 1,121 (Staff)
And if you want to find N
Then; N = 26900 ÷ (12X)
It works
N = 26900 ÷ (12 x 1,121)
= 2 (Years)
Now you can apply these formulae to future calculations to determine any unknown quantity.”
by Neil, Cleethorpes
Wednesday, August 18 2010, 8:42AM
“Funnily enough the comment below was not me,but it is one I completely agree with. To differentiate ourselves,another Neil,why not write you are from Clee,Thrunscoe etc,or call yourself Neil 2. Otherwise you will get right wing types moaning at you,when it is really directed at me.”
by Neil, Cleethorpes
Wednesday, August 18 2010, 7:28AM
“I think that the council do a great job, something that a lot of people don't give them enough credit for!
There is a budget that if the council do not spend it they will be reviewed the following year and be awarded less money, then when all the moaners on here want the pot holes in the roads sorting the council really won't be able to afford to put them right!”
by Neil Cubed, Cleethorpes
Wednesday, August 18 2010, 12:54AM
“Uh Oh now theres three of us!!!!
The cloning experiment has gone horribly wrong.”
by Neil, Cleethorpes
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 11:42PM
“Do me a favour,Neil,Cleethorpes. Imposter. Use a psuedonym,rather than my name. Thankyou.”
by Marcus, Waltham
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 9:08PM
“How boring...John has presented clear facts in a way that tells an impartial story...it doesn't sound very interesting now does it? When will this paper stop trying to jump on the "Ministers Expenses Scandal" bandwagon and when will the readership stop being so gullible? As for Susan who thinks the council pay for officers cars and Webbit who thinks you can contact somebody in an emergency using nothing more than a piece of paper don't expect a call from Mensa anytime soon.”
by John, At home
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 8:03PM
“It seems that hundreds of thousands of pounds could have been saved on some posters education !
The figures are there for you to see. Let me explain: The council provides 1,121 mobile phones at a cost of £400,000 over two years.
£400,000 Divided by 1,121 = £356.82 per phone spread over two years. So £356.82 is divided by 24 (months) to work out the monthly cost of calls which averages £14.87 per phone per month.
So that you understand - the phones themselves cost nothing - they are free as part of the deal.
They are provided so that the taxpayer can reach the people who provide their services quickly by phone or text even when they have little credit on their own mobile. A great many go to front line staff who work "on the road" where they are a vital link in case of problems, breakdowns, emergencies, or personal danger.
By the way mine is a stunningly top of the range six year old Nokia 3110.
Council - bashers never let the facts get in the way of a good moan.”
by Neil, Cleethorpes
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 7:11PM
“You can't get a decent phone for under £100, I don't see what all the fuss is about, if it was fuel you would all be moaning about that”
by Susan, Grimsby
Tuesday, August 17 2010, 5:28PM
“Allan - want to bet on that? We probably are paying for their cars as well. I agree witht the previous comment. What's wrong with cheap £20 phones? It would save a fortune in tax payers money. Guess the only ones who think this is a great idea are the ones receiving the phones.”