www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2083895_taxpayers_fork_out_for_mayors_gas_guzzler
"The current car is a BMW four-door 730 LD SE AUTO, bought second hand by Elmbridge Borough Council last year."
I was quite impressed that a S/H car was purchased.
But surprise surprise others were not
"Cherry Allan, from the Surrey Green Party, said the authority could have invested in a greener alternative if it was going to be used so regularly"
"“I understand Elmbridge is quite a large place and I know it is sometimes more convenient for them to use a car instead of other means, like public transport,” Miss Allan added."
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She doesn't understand cars, although the question has to be asked why do they need such a large car for a mere Borough Council, a 5 or even a 3 series would have done the same job...
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“The mayor is also the first citizen of the borough and undertakes a number of civic and ceremonial responsibilities,”
Wow - such importance...wonder he hasn't got his own Marine Helicopter and secret service detachment !
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>> Wow - such impotence...wonder he hasn't got his own Marine Helicopter and secret service detachment!
M
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Impotence?
You have no idea how impotent.
Elmbridge is Walton upon Thames, Esher and Weybridge. Nowhere could be more impotent.
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The Maire of our little commune (population just under 1,000) has many more powers and duties than a (non-elected) mayor in the UK and often works long hours for remuneration which amounts to the minimum wage plus 10 per cent.
He is a semi-retired farmer and drives an ancient Renault 21 estate, for which he can claim towards running costs. The commune does also own a little white van though and a tractor with a detachable snow blade.
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I've often wondered about these mayoral cars.
I've got no objection to Boris Johnson being wafted around our capital city in a Jag (don't know what he has got) or any of our govt ministers, they're our leaders...
...but, the local plumber who's doing his bit as mayor for ther year, no real power, just looking good? in a large necklace of bling, opening the odd fete...
That does seem somewhat wasteful. A black Mondeo would do the job nicely, wouldn't it? My local Borough has a new looking Jag XJ, with a the little plaque on the roof that looks a bit like royalty. Over the top IMO.
p.s. I've got nothing against plumbers, it was a profession chosen at random.
Last edited by: Westpig on Tue 28 Dec 10 at 12:21
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>> I've got no objection to Boris Johnson being wafted around our capital city in a Jag
He's a cyclist by choice Wp, although no doubt the office has a couple of limos for when they are needed. I am afraid though that from the cyclist's perspective he doesn't see the urgency of undoing the damage to London traffic flow deliberately engineered by his horrid, London-hating, power-crazed, non-cycling predecessor. I feel quite guilty that I twice voted for the red-faced little twerp.
It's a pity Boris Johnson doesn't sympathise with car drivers really, because his attitudes on many other matters have a lot to recommend them. For example he devotes his whole column in today's terrorflag to a polemic in favour of a knighthood for Keith Richards who, he points out, is a somewhat better guitarist than front man Sir Mick is a singer.
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Boris hates motorcyclists - so on the basis of enemy of my friend - he's the enemy.
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Sound common sense Mike - Vive la République !
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The mayor of Stockport is driven round in a newish XJ6 - it has a private plate so I can't tell how new. At least the borough bought British.
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>> The mayor of Stockport is driven round in a newish XJ6 - it has a
>> private plate so I can't tell how new. At least the borough bought British.
>>
Well if it's the new XJ then it's newish. If the old shape it could be old. Which is it?
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The oldest "Royal" borough that happens to be adjacent to mine has the following
nice-reg.co.uk/number-plates/RBK1.html
"The Coat of Arms is shown on the front windscreen on the Mayoral car and the Borough flag, in the form of a pennant, is flown when the Mayor is in the car."
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Which is it?
Not the latest shape, the last one. Still less then 6 years old, so newish to me.
Usually parked in its own reserved bay outside the town hall.
Last edited by: Alastairw on Wed 29 Dec 10 at 18:04
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So not a new car at all. At least with an all aluminium body and chassis it is lighter than the alternatives and therefore fairly green.
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therefore fairly green
BRG actually. I think it was bought new.
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>> BRG actually
I did wonder. I might have driven past at some point to see ;-)
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>>At least the borough bought British.
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Isn't that Indian now?
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Indian owned but British designed and built. From aluminium in the case of the XJ. Does TATA have an interest in Au?
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>> The mayor of Stockport is driven round in a newish XJ6 - it has a
>> private plate
What's a "private plate"?
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>> What's a "private plate"?
Covered in the dirt from the bad weather? I think we all know what was meant.
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>> >> What's a "private plate"?
>>
>> Covered in the dirt from the bad weather?
Eh? What do you mean by that?
>> I think we all know what was meant.
You could try answering the question, if you can.
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A private plate or personal plate are the terms regularly used in Great Britain to signify that the owner has purchased a specific registration as it has a meaning specific to them, thus the personal name to it.
Of course every plate in Britain is unique and personal as there are no two plates (legally) the same.
So you therefore sometimes get people arguing against the terminology but, especially on a motoring forum like this, we know what the terminology means and we just snigger at people that try and use this argument.
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'K. I thought it was some sort of "official" thing - but it's just an ordinary personalised number plate. I wonder whether mayors use coloured screw covers or pieces of insulating tape to "enhance" their "personalised" plates!
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>> as there are no two
>> plates (legally) the same.
>>
>> >>
Little irritating voice pipes up:
"Please sir, our car has two plates and they are both the same. So is the plate on Daddy's caravan".
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>> Little irritating voice pipes up:
>> "Please sir, our car has two plates and they are both the same.
>>
Well to me one looks white and the other yellow.
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A few years ago, maybe 2002 / 3 ish our councillor, i don't think she was mayor, came to our little village for some reason or other. The chauffeur on her Rolls Royce kept the engine running throughout the time she graced us with her presence.
John
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How green is your mayors motoring? - R.P.
