Private Health Care for Council Employees Is Not Fair

Published on: 1 Mar, 2012
Updated on: 1 Mar, 2012

From Bernard Parke

Hon Alderman

Shortly the new increased council tax demands will drop through letterboxes despite the advice of the present coalition government.

Is it fair? The anti – Council Tax group recently, under the Freedom of Information Act, wrote to some thirty councils and Surrey was the only Council to admit that they paid for Medical Insurance. Kent has a scheme at the moment, but that will end in March.

Some 337 public employees working for our County Council receive this privilege at the current cost to The Taxpayer of in access of £360,000 per annum.

The County Council states that if you are not satisfied by the council response, there is a right to write the Information Commissioner for a decision at: The Information Commissioner’s Office, Wickliffe House, Water lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire, SK9 5AF.

Surely, the question should be asked if public employees should receive such benefits when their employers, the over burdened taxpayer has to pay the bill. Many taxpayers can only dream of receiving private medical care. Is this fair?