London

Nobody likes a bent copper. You can’t get them in the machines.

Via the Avon and Somerset Constabulary:

Police are asking to residents in Bristol to be vigilant following several incidents of copper theft.

In recent weeks copper piping has been stolen from a number of electricity sub-stations in North Bristol. Concentrated in the BS9 and BS10 areas offenders have been breaking into the substations and stealing the copper piping inside. To do this they are pulling out plugs carrying 11,000 volts which puts themselves at risk but can send extra voltage to nearby homes and damage electrical appliances.

Speaking about the offences, Detective Constable Matt Stanford from Southmead CID said: "These offences are mainly in the North Bristol area in places such as Henbury Road and Sea Mills. The people committing these offences need to be aware of the danger they are putting themselves in. They also put at risk homes in the surrounding area which could well damage televisions and other electrical equipment. Homeowners can us tackle the problem, and in doing so reduce the risk of their homes being affected by remaining vigilant and reporting anything suspicious to the police."

Anyone with information should contact Southmead CID on 0845 456 7000. Alternatively contact Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-org.uk - they never ask your name or trace your call. Call the charity Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111 or via www.crimestoppers-uk.org We never ask for your name or trace your call.

Copper is currently trading on the London Metals Exchange at USD $7,384.00 per tonne, which is about £4.87 a kilogram. Not really worth the danger, I think. For example:

John Roberts, aged 39, then fled from Park Mills before driving to his girlfriend's house in Bramley in a panic where his hair, skin and t-shirt began burning off.

Mr Roberts, of Winrose Avenue, Belle Isle, died in the burns unit at Pinderfields General Hospital 10 days later where he had 37 per cent burns.

That’s one of almost a million search results for “copper thief death”

The following document was presented at the full meeting of Bristol City Council on 1st April 2008. It is not - and I have checked - an April Fool's Jape.

Report of the Members' Renumeration Independent Review Panel

[Para 6] Allowance for Leader of the Council

6.1 At its meeting on 19 June 2007 the Full Council accepted the Panel’s recommendation that the Leader’s remuneration package should be no less than £50,000 per annum – to be implemented via a stepped approach over a 4 year period (indexed-linked from 2007/08 values). In order to achieve this recommendation the Panel recommends the following annual increases for the Leader of the Council’s SRA:

• 2008/09 - £10k + indexation year 1 x 25%
• 2009/10 - £10k + indexation years 1- 2 x 50%
• 2010/11 - £10k + indexation years 1- 3 x 75%
• 2011/12 - £10k + indexation years 1- 4 x 100%

Sorry, what was that?

"The Leader's renumeration package should be no less than £50,000 per annum".

Right. So we've just had another inflation busting increase in Council Tax, for which we get our rubbish collected every other week, an average police service, and an achingly PC fire service [who spend 28 pence of every pound they receive on gold-plated public sector pensions]. We're in the middle of a credit crunch, after ten years of profligate tax and spend politics by London government, and with everyone looking to tighten their belts.

Yes, clearly this is the time to give a 25% per year pay rise to someone doing a job that previous generations would have regarded as a bit of part-time voluntary work. Fantastic.

[Para 7] Annual Indexation

7.1 Members of the panel endorse their original recommendation that the following indexation should be applied:

• Basic Allowance, Special Responsibility Allowances, Dependent Carers’ Allowances and Co-optees’ Allowance: index to annual officer pay increase – this percentage increase is nationally negotiated and related to what local government can afford and also treats Officers and Members equally for annual increase in remuneration.
• Mileage Rates: maintain indexation to Approved Mileage Allowance Payment (AMAP or Inland Revenue) rates.
• Subsistence Rates: continue to index to Officer rates, except where relevant elements are booked directly by Members’ Services.

Even better, there is now a formal link between councillors' allowances and the salaries and benefits of council officers in another inflation-happy positive feedback cycle.