My View, Bill Morrison: Let's keep the lid on charity bosses' pay

This week I had a long discussion on the accountability of national charity executives. I refer of course to the Age UK and E.ON fiasco.
Bin men on Paxton Crescent, Armthorpe. Photo by resident Paul Ridsdale.Bin men on Paxton Crescent, Armthorpe. Photo by resident Paul Ridsdale.
Bin men on Paxton Crescent, Armthorpe. Photo by resident Paul Ridsdale.

It was claimed this week that Age UK recommended a special rate from E.ON costing pensioners £1,049 a year – £245 more than its cheapest rate.

A national newspaper that claimed the charity received about £41 from E.ON for every person it signed up to the deal, totalling £6 million a year.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

The Conservative MP Dan Poulter said there was a “moral obligation” for the company, one of the big six energy suppliers, and the UK’s largest pensioner charity to recompense energy users because they appeared to have paid hundreds of pounds too much over the last year.

The energy regulator, Ofgem, has promised to investigate the scheme but both E.ON and Age UK insist it was a good deal providing longer-term certainty over potential price increases.

It would appear to me that neither company truly share a genuine concern for the aged of our country.

Why do the chief execs of charities feel the need for huge salaries often greater than the PM himself?

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Now in our considered opinion the Charities Commission need to now look closely at how much of our money (after all the public donate ) is swallowed up in salaries when more should be going to the intended cause.

I myself manage a local resource centre on a 100 per cent voluntary basis.

Now I don’t expect national execs to do the same, but moderation please.

You are working for charity and should not be seeking to boost income and profits on the back of those you are supposed to be helping.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

Government should review its position towards companies that indulge in bad practice and ensure that the “punishment fits the crime”.

We, the customers, believe charities have our best interest at heart and some follow their endorsement.

Shame on anyone who is part of bad practice.

Now what about bin collections?

In my neck of the woods there has been a lot of confusion caused by Doncaster Council’s change to black/green bin collections.

Why do they feel the need to change?

It was perfectly all right as it was , but oh no, you can’t have common sense creeping into politics and you must not expect your bin emptied as usual – that would never do.

Hide Ad
Hide Ad

What could be more simple than when we have a bank holiday and it moves forward a day.

Leave it at that and so on each bank holiday?

It’s not rocket science, or simply leave it alone and stop messing for messing’s sake.