Anger at council employee discounts

Local people have reacted with fury at the Council announcing that it is undergoing negotiations with local business owners in a bid to introduce Council employee discounts in town centre shops.

John Butterworth, in a reaction typical of that encountered by Rochdale Online when questioning non-council employees about the perk, said: “Why should council employees be offered a discount and why should the struggling shopkeepers of Rochdale be expected to give them one? Is this discount declarable as a benefit in kind for tax purposes?

It is understood that council employees already enjoy the perk of a discount at an Oldham cash and carry – which is currently being advertised on Council employee pay slips.

A town centre shopkeeper, who did not want to be named, said: “Most of us don’t like the idea, it is patently unfair to those who do not work for the council but we feel we have little choice, the Council employs a huge number of people and if we say no it may upset them and they may shop elsewhere.”