Kirklees Council pays people £25 to find out what they think of Kirklees

Nov 24 2009 by Barry Gibson, Huddersfield Daily Examiner

RESIDENTS are being “bribed” to take part in focus groups, a councillor has claimed.

Clr Vivien Lees-Hamilton is concerned that £25 vouchers are being handed out as a reward to people taking part in discussion groups.

The Mirfield Conservative said: “I was appalled to hear that Kirklees Council is actually paying people to attend such meetings – this is nothing more than a bribe.

“It is money for old rope and a scandal to be using council taxpayers’ money in this way when there is a recession on and council employees are in fear of losing their jobs.”

Kirklees Council has given £14,000 to a private company to carry out the study into what people think of the areas in which they live. Some £2,000 is being spent on high street vouchers to reward people who take part in the 90-minute meetings.

There will be eight focus group meetings – three in Dewsbury and one each in Greenhead, Newsome, Mirfield, Heckmondwike and Batley. Each meeting will have 10 participants.

Clr Lees-Hamilton said: “Even allowing for room hire for these forums there will be a handsome profit for the company involved.”

Conservative Parliamentary candidate for Dewsbury Simon Reevell criticised the council’s Labour Cabinet for commissioning the study in August.

He said: “Whilst I accept that integration and community cohesion is an important issue, this research is entirely voluntarily and obviously a strategy of the Labour Cabinet.

“It is inappropriate to be wasting public funds at this time. I am sure that many constituents in Dewsbury will be angry that people are being paid from Kirklees funds to attend public forums to give their views.”