Budget will cost 1.3 million jobs

[aintforever]

I really don't get what the fuss is about, the private sector has made massive cuts, now belatedly, it's the public sectors turn.

 

I think it would make sense if they ALL took a big pay cut, at least then they would save some jobs. The unions wouldn't allow it though.

[Johnny Bognor]

I'm having some building work done at the moment. My builder called Building Control at 10.30am this morning and wanted to speak to the person assigned to the case. My builder was told that he was out and won't be back until 3pm. My builder called at 3pm (because they obviously weren't going to call back) and was subsequently told he had been off all week. My builder asked to speak to someone else, but there was no one available as they had all gone home. I thought that the idea of public servants was that they are supposed to serve the public. (especially when you pay building regs fees on top of your council tax.....I am a customer, am I not?)

 

Silly me, I should have known, it is about having a cushy little number and screwing the public. No sense of customer first / customer service. If my business offered service like that, I wouldn't have a business. Planning & Building Control = complete ****ing tossers

 

Add that to the 12 non-marketing people at a marketing exhibition which has nothing to do with Local Government on wednesday and I am starting to wonder whether I really am getting value for money from my council tax when WSCC are clearly taking the ****ing ****.

 

I reckon I could save 20% off their budget, without an impact on frontline services whatsoever and manage to do that in a 37 hour week. If I worked a 50 hour week, I reckon I could save 20% and improve the service.

Edited 2 July, 2010 by Johnny Bognor

[Thorpe-le-Saint]

Yeah the private sector are always bang on when it comes to customer services. Stone the crows! I can't think of a single time when a business has screwed me over...

[Johnny Bognor]

Yeah the private sector are always bang on when it comes to customer services. Stone the crows! I can't think of a single time when a business has screwed me over...

 

Normally you can take your custom elsewhere.... in this case I can't. Whenever there is a monopoly supplier (public or private) the service is usually ****, but at the end of the day, public servants should serve. Still, the whether is nice, the festival of speed is on locally, so I guess they've got more important things to do.

 

With a private company I also have re-course where I can complain / receive a refund / sue / jump up and down if necessary. These ****s in local government don't give a toss, don't do refunds and make your life difficult if you kick up a fuss. Perhaps if they worked as hard as our teacher friend, things might improve.

Edited 2 July, 2010 by Johnny Bognor

[Winnersaint]

As a lazy arsed teacher earning far in excess of what I should be. I'd like to point out this thread is like some glorified 'who can **** highest up the wall competition. I'd also like to point out that I've just stopped my subscription to the NAS/UWT. Why? so I can use the subs to get a new £1000 road bike at 50% discount from the cycle to work scheme and enjoy riding it during my six week summer break, in between my two week holiday to Egypt.

[Johnny Bognor]

As a lazy arsed teacher earning far in excess of what I should be. I'd like to point out this thread is like some glorified 'who can **** highest up the wall competition. I'd also like to point out that I've just stopped my subscription to the NAS/UWT. Why? so I can use the subs to get a new £1000 road bike at 50% discount from the cycle to work scheme and enjoy riding it during my six week summer break, in between my two week holiday to Egypt.

 

I forgot about that one. An NHS friend has just bought a fancy new mountain bike on this scheme, except he still drives to work and uses it on his weekend rides. Just another one of the hidden perks that your average taxpayer doesn't enjoy. I suppose you don't get the time to use it for pleasure during term time, so I hope you make up for it over the summer. I really hope it doesn't rain too much.

[Ponty]

I forgot about that one. An NHS friend has just bought a fancy new mountain bike on this scheme, except he still drives to work and uses it on his weekend rides. Just another one of the hidden perks that your average taxpayer doesn't enjoy. I suppose you don't get the time to use it for pleasure during term time, so I hope you make up for it over the summer. I really hope it doesn't rain too much.

A lot of private companies offer the "Cycle to work" discount. Mine does. They just have to get off their arse and organise it. I'd imagine most don't bother.

[Johnny Bognor]

A lot of private companies offer the "Cycle to work" discount. Mine does. They just have to get off their arse and organise it. I'd imagine most don't bother.

 

But there is a cost in organising such a sheme. The business has to pay for the full cost of the bike and takes ownership of the bike which the employee uses. The employer can sell the bike to the employee at the end of the 'hire' period after 12 months. What if the employee doesn't want the bike? The employer or cyclescheme is left with a load of 2nd hand bikes. If you hadn't noticed, there is a bit of bother with the economy and such schemes are a distraction to actually trying to turn a profit / stay afloat. If 10 people want a bike each, £10k needs to be paid over at a time when credit is tight / cashflow is tight.

 

The bike is supposed to be used 50% for commuting to work. My friend never cycles to work, but in a hospital employing 1000+ staff, no one notices. Another hair brained scheme which is a drain on the public purse (through lost revenue take) which in the case of my friend has made no difference to traffic congestion / pollution whatsover.

Edited 2 July, 2010 by Johnny Bognor

[Saint George]

I'm having some building work done at the moment. My builder called Building Control at 10.30am this morning and wanted to speak to the person assigned to the case. My builder was told that he was out and won't be back until 3pm. My builder called at 3pm (because they obviously weren't going to call back) and was subsequently told he had been off all week. My builder asked to speak to someone else, but there was no one available as they had all gone home. I thought that the idea of public servants was that they are supposed to serve the public. (especially when you pay building regs fees on top of your council tax.....I am a customer, am I not?)

 

Silly me, I should have known, it is about having a cushy little number and screwing the public. No sense of customer first / customer service. If my business offered service like that, I wouldn't have a business. Planning & Building Control = complete ****ing tossers

 

Add that to the 12 non-marketing people at a marketing exhibition which has nothing to do with Local Government on wednesday and I am starting to wonder whether I really am getting value for money from my council tax when WSCC are clearly taking the ****ing ****.

 

I reckon I could save 20% off their budget, without an impact on frontline services whatsoever and manage to do that in a 37 hour week. If I worked a 50 hour week, I reckon I could save 20% and improve the service.

 

Of course you're not. You have my sympathy......I can pretty much guarantee you could strip 50% - 60% from your council tax and 'still' run efficient front line services...The rest is nothing but bloated pork and quango non job fluff that's been added bit by bit as Government extended its power and control over the years.

 

Think what would happen to the local economy if y'all had that money to spend on local businesses, instead of having it devoured by the unaccountable big black hole that is the Local Government....or 'jobs for the hopeless' as Joensuu has implied

[Seaford Saint]

My daughter wants to teach, she will start on a salary of £23K....less than a third of what I earn for doing a very much more worthwhile job

[OldNick]

My daughter wants to teach, she will start on a salary of £23K....less than a third of what I earn for doing a very much more worthwhile job

 

Did you expect your daughter to start on the same salary as you??? I doubt many people start their careers on a par with their parents salary

[Seaford Saint]

Did you expect your daughter to start on the same salary as you??? I doubt many people start their careers on a par with their parents salary

 

I would say that she'll be working for the government and yet she'll need to knock up a large debt to gain the education/qualification she needs. I have a lot of respect for public service employees. £23K a year is a paltry salary. How does a male teacher buy a house etc on a salary like that.

I can't recall the last time I earned less than £30K a year

[buctootim]

I'm having some building work done at the moment. My builder called Building Control at 10.30am this morning and wanted to speak to the person assigned to the case. My builder was told that he was out and won't be back until 3pm. My builder called at 3pm (because they obviously weren't going to call back) and was subsequently told he had been off all week. My builder asked to speak to someone else, but there was no one available as they had all gone home.

 

I suggest you get a better builder Johnny, or at least one who can think of more original excuses.

[Jonnyboy]

My daughter wants to teach, she will start on a salary of £23K....less than a third of what I earn for doing a very much more worthwhile job

 

Sounds like you are really overpaid!

You imply your job is over 3x more worthwhile than a teachers, christ are you an actual saint?

[aintforever]

I see it's not just the police in Southampton who enjoy wasting our money...

 

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/birmingham/10499030.stm

 

"A spokesman for West Midlands Police said the force accepted the need for spending cuts but the decision to change the shirts had been taken in conjunction with the Police Authority and funding had already been accounted for in this year's budget."

 

That quote just sums up everything that's wrong with the public sector - "it's in this year's budget so might as well spend it". If any business in the private sector had that attitude they wouldn't last 5 mins.

[sandwichsaint]

Don't all binmen work for private companies now? (mine certainly do and have done for prob the last 20 years)...

 

Guess what? Mine run round early on bank holidays too ... how negligent of their private sector bosses, to think they could be running around their rounds everyday.... Boooooooooooo.

[Thorpe-le-Saint]

I would say that she'll be working for the government and yet she'll need to knock up a large debt to gain the education/qualification she needs. I have a lot of respect for public service employees. £23K a year is a paltry salary. How does a male teacher buy a house etc on a salary like that.

I can't recall the last time I earned less than £30K a year

 

I can't, I have to rent :-(