The laptop of luxury (From Gazette Series)

The laptop of luxury

TAXPAYERS in Dursley and elsewhere in Gloucestershire are shelling out to provide laptop computers to councillors who neither need nor want them.

All 51 members of SDC have been supplied with new Dell D810s - which cost £886 each and replace laptops issued to councillors just five years ago.

It is argued that the computers are essential for councillors in these days of e-government but those district councillors who also serve as members of Gloucestershire County Council now have two laptops each.

Cllr Dennis Andrewartha (Lib Dem, Cam West), for example, serves on both the district and county councils and now owns two laptops - both courtesy of the taxpayer.

He also has his own computer and considers the council-issued equipment surplus to his requirements.

"It's a shambles," he said. "There should be some sensible co-operation between local authorities."

There are five SDC members who are also county councillors, a potential saving on computers of £4,430. Similar duplication occurs in the other five districts in the county.

Even the leader of SDC is concerned.

Cllr Chas Fellows, (Con, Chalford), is also a county councillor and has therefore been provided with two council-owned laptops.

He says he finds the computers useful but he is disappointed that the two authorities have not worked together to save taxpayers' money.

"It would have made a lot more sense, cut the cost and left my office a lot less cluttered," he said.

He insisted, however, that new laptops were needed for SDC councillors. "The old computers had run out of warranty and it was very expensive to cover repair costs," he said.

"Also, the new ones are more secure and can log on to the Stroud hub the council's internal network which could previously only be accessed through the standing machines at Ebley Mill.

"But I am disappointed that the county council and the district council can't get together and put everything I need on one laptop, especially with so much talk about partnership."

Nigel Rigglar, SDC's director of communications, said: "There's an ongoing replacement programme for members' laptops and that has been financially planned for within the communications strategy, so we have known about this for some time."

He declined to comment on the effectiveness of communications between SDC and the county councils.