Publicity seekers

A little dickey bird tells me a that orders have gone out from the county council's marketing and communications department that, in order to convince a sceptical public of the importance of our recently appointed Cabinet Ministers, all press photos must, in future, include the moniker of at least one of them.
Since being told this a month ago, Old Grumpy has been keeping a close eye on the local press and all the evidence is that my little songster was telling the truth.
I hope we are not paying this lot twenty-two-and-a-half grand each to run around the county having their pictures taken.
You may have gained the impression that these photos and the accompanying text are all the newspapers' own work but I can assure you that they are produced, and paid for, by the authority, or, more accurately, you and me.
The photos usually carry the attribution " Martin Cavaney photography '' and are circulated to the local newspapers in the hope of generating some favourable publicity.
The local papers play the game because they get a "news" story without having to do any serious work.
A classic example appeared in the Western Telegraph a couple of weeks ago on the occasion of the opening of a new building at Maenclochog School.
It showed the chief executive, Bryn Parry-Jones (£120,000 a year, including car and pension) The Leader, Maurice Hughes (£35,000) two Cabinet members, Pat Griffiths and John Davies (£22,500 each) chairman Leslie Raymond (£19,500) and one bog-standard member, Councillor John Thomas, (£9,900).
Add that lot together and it comes to the best part of £230,000, or roughly £1,000 for each working day (excluding holidays and weekends).
So this half-day in Maenclochog cost the taxpayer £500.
But that is not the end of the story because also to be considered are those not in the picture.
Mr Cavaney himself (say £60) the chairman's chauffeur (£50) and someone from the marketing department, probably the head man, David Thomas, given the star-studded cast list (150 quid).
It occurs to Old Grumpy that all these vastly important people should have better things to do with their time.
Or am I just being a killjoy?