Launceston councillor Alex Folkes ‘sorry’ for tax failure
A LAUNCESTON councillor and front-bench member of the Liberal Democrats at County Hall has apologised for failing to pay his council tax – TWICE.
Alex Folkes, deputy leader of the Lib Dem group and councillor for Launceston Central, was sent reminders and eventually a court summons after failing to pay his council tax.
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Alex Folkes
The non-payment was revealed in court records which showed that Mr Folkes received a summons for non-payment and costs totalling £793.62.
It dated back to March 2010 when he failed to pay his council tax bill and led to two reminders and a final warning before he received the court summons. It was the second year running that the councillor – who during the 2010 general election campaign followed Lib Dem leader Nick Clegg as an official photographer – had missed a tax payment.
Mr Folkes this week apologised for not paying his council tax and said he felt “deep regret”.
In a statement on his blog he said: “I haven’t talked about it before now because I view a person’s private financial matters as being personal – just as the rest of their private life should be.
“I did fall behind on two occasions to the extent that legal action was taken against me and I deeply regret that this was the case.
“My excuse, such as it is, is that since I was elected in 2009 I have lived for the most part on my councillor allowance of £12,100 per year and I put other bills before council tax.
Apology
“But it is wrong to fall behind and I apologise to the people who I represent for letting them down in this way. I can assure anyone who cares that I have paid my full council tax for the current year and won’t fall behind again.”
Mr Folkes said that the episode had made him realise how hard others in Cornwall must find it to pay council tax and suggested that the council should do more to help those who struggle to pay the rates.
His admission comes after it was revealed last year that 17 councillors at County Hall had missed council tax payments.
Two of the offenders – Bodmin councillor Ann Kerridge and Helston and Porthleven councillor Andrew Wallis – admitted responsibility and apologised for missing the payments. The identity of the other offending councillors has not been revealed with the council claiming that it cannot provide the information. The Information Commissioner is currently considering a challenge to that decision.
Steve Double, Conservative Cabinet member at Cornwall Council, said: “As a general principle people who put themselves up for election in a public role have a duty to be open and honest with the electorate. It is disappointing that we have an example where that has not happened.
“The decision to accept responsibility is a matter for the individual’s personal conscience and we did have some councillors who admitted their errors at the time when this was first reported. I applaud those who did come forward and were honest with their electors and showed a good example and I am surprised that that lead was not followed in this case.”
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by cheekyman_jr
Friday, January 20 2012, 12:34PM
“Anjmaj - the rest of us do make mistakes, that's why we don't stand as councillors. Councillors should lead by example and should certainly learn from their mistakes.
Doitdreckley - if £12k isn't enough to live on, then the councillors wage should increase. I'd be interested, however, to find out whether he recieves any additional payment for standing on any of the other council committees. If he should be judged on what he does for his constituents, let's be honest about things, non payment of tax (theoretically) effects every one of us in a nagative way, that's why people go to prison because of it surely?”
by Big_Ger
Thursday, January 19 2012, 10:50PM
“Allowances paid to Councillor Folkes April 2010-March 2011
Basic Allowance £12.128.40
Subsistence £316.31 5th Highest paid to a councillor
Travel £4.103.70 2nd Highest paid to a councillor”
by homerjay
Thursday, January 19 2012, 9:13PM
“Let the electorate have their say, they may well prefer a man who, like the majority of the people he serves, has trouble making ends meet and can empathise with them, rather than a self serving stuffed suit.”
by anjmaj
Thursday, January 19 2012, 8:39PM
“I wonder if some of the people writing the comments here have ever made a mistake in life apart from passing comments on others that make mistakes at least one thing at least he trying to earn & not scrounge off the rest of us tax paying workers more than I can say for benefit cheats”
by Doitdreckley
Thursday, January 19 2012, 8:20PM
“In the unlikely event that Big Ger was right then there would be only the well healed retired, the rich or the kept who could stand to be a Counciilor. That would be hardly representative of the vast majority of people in Cornwall.
If a Councillor only has an income of £12,000 a year it is only a right wing Tory or a fool (the same thing) who thinks anyone could live on that. Being a Councillor may well be a full time job if done properly. He should be judged on what he does for his constituents and for Cornwall. Its likely that - in the current climate - if he did not do this job he would be on the dole, any talent he has got wasted and he would be costing the state a lot more.”
by cheekyman_jr
Thursday, January 19 2012, 11:51AM
“He doesn't understand what being a councillor means does he?
Of course his private life should be put under scrutiny...if he want's to tell us what to do/be seen to be an exemplar of society (which I feel all councillors should be) he needs to be entirely transparent.
Now, when I've not been able to pay my council tax I've always spoken to the appropriate person in the council, explained my problems and tried to come to some sort of arrangement. Even at the very least it's a matter of courtesy...”
by homerjay
Thursday, January 19 2012, 10:00AM
“Big Ger I hear what you're saying and I suspect he should have handled this very differently but if he does his job well he should carry on and let the electorate decide. We don't want to return to the days of self financed old men making decisions for their own interests.
The Independent Remuneration Panel is to look at allowances, a lot has changed since the days of district councils with few attendances required and e-mail and social media has provided a never ending task.
Having said that, there are other councillors who renege on their commitments and can't even answer an e-mail and also those whose attitude toward the electorate is shocking. It is these councillors who should resign.
http://tinyurl.com/d8a5aku”
by Big_Ger
Thursday, January 19 2012, 9:20AM
“Homerjay, perhaps people will learn from this.
Never elect someone to make fiscal decisions on your behalf who is incapable of managing their own finances.
If you want to play at local politics make sure you first have sufficient income to pay your way first.”
by homerjay
Wednesday, January 18 2012, 11:28PM
“I am not a lib dem supporter, far from it, in fact I think the previous lib dem admin dumped us in the current mess Cornwall Council is in. But I find it a little hypocritical that little compassion is voiced for his personal circumstance when in another article about the homeless the majority have rushed to empathise.
Those who say he should resign is it because he's a bad councillor?
Do you think he's paid appropriately?
Would you have done better?
And expenses are to reimburse you for what you've spent.
Also the constant red arrowing' of a contributor who is posting valid comment is frankly childish. Cyber bullying is pathetic.”
by Eddie_PZ
Wednesday, January 18 2012, 9:38PM
“Resign. Resign.”