A busy one on Drive tonight. First up, I spoke with Russell Quirk, a Conservative Council Candidate who has obtained information,
after a lengthy battle using freedom of information rules, which has reported in the Daily Mail today, that Essex Fire Chief David Johnson has charged the taxpayer £20,000 to move home, and, this new home isn’t even in the county!

The Mail also reports on other unnecessary expense claims at a sensitive time for Essex Fire and Rescue service, where Mr Johnson is in charge of slashing staff numbers from 52 to 24. The brigade is trying to cut £10million from its budget. Read more at https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1378240/Fire-chief-David-Johnson-charges-taxpayer-20k-home-Suffolk.html#ixzz1JyXtkbSz
[audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Russell-Quirk-David-Johnson-Expenses.mp3|titles=Russell Quirk – David Johnson Expenses]

Then live at five, a welcome return to Keith Brown in the Essex FSB chair as we chewed the fat on another week of business in the local area. Today’s topics included another shop closure – this time The Orchid Room Hair and Beauty Salon at Wilsons Corner, but at least we could balance that with the opening of Whitehouse menswear shop and the expansion of St Francis Hospice’s premises both on the High Street. [audio:https://www.phoenixfm.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/Keith-Brown-Business-04-19th-Apr.mp3|titles=Keith Brown – Business 04-19th Apr]
04 april 19 phoenix fm news items