Public sector monster needs to be tamed

Old_Slaphead

beingjdc wrote: »

They would. On the other hand if a customer of a private company consistently failed to pay, they'd be told they were no longer welcome to do business with them. That's not an option for Councils, it's not legally in their power to say things like "You haven't paid your council tax, so your kids can't come to school, you can't walk on our pavement, and your gran can't have her meals on wheels any more".

One of the differences I was talking about earlier between the challenges of the public and private sector.

That's a fair point.

Out of interest what are other council collection rates like?

nb the 86% or 88% would include collection of previous year balances too so the ongoing undercollection would still be around 12%

beingjdc

Old_Slaphead wrote: »

That's a fair point.

Out of interest what are other council collection rates like?

nb the 86% or 88% would include collection of previous year balances too so the ongoing undercollection would still be around 12%

The average in-year collection rate last year was 97.1%, it varies quite a bit - high in well-off areas with lots of houses lived in by long-standing white English homeowners, lower in areas with high turnover buy-to-let flats, transient immigrants and foreign students. About 99% in Richmond, about 92% in Hackney.

I'm strongly of the view that the responsibility for council tax should fall on the owner rather than the occupier, in rented properties.

bigheadxx

MyLastFiver wrote: »

Who are you to say they are non-jobs? One is someone who trains councillors, and the other is the person who oversees facilities for councillors. Just because you don't understand the job titles, you can't just say "Huh. Non-jobs."

You know what Bighead? You may have a point about oversized and inefficient local governments, but you argue so poorly that your points are lost.

Why does this have to be two jobs though? The public sector will spend as much money that is thrown at it and plenty more besides. Public Sector workers are less likely to be efficient for 2 reasons:

They dont generally operate in a competitive environment
They are able to get away with it.

My argument goes beyond local councils and it is particularly the NHS that I have issues with. The amount of silly little perks I have become aware of is crazy and the staff cant believe them either. £30 for a spoiled meal if you miss your lunch break? It happens believe me.

The pension issue is the one that most people cannot come to terms with though. If it was affordable then fair enough but it is plainly not affordable and it will be private sector employees with only minimal provision who will pay the price.

Old_Slaphead

bigheadxx wrote: »

pension issue is the one that most people cannot come to terms with though. If it was affordable then fair enough but it is plainly not affordable and it will be private sector employees with only minimal provision who will pay the price.

Don't worry - the public sector can only function if we have a vibrant private sector to finance it.

From what I've seen in the last few months it looks like private businesses are going to hell in a handcart. Give it another 12 months and hardcore 4 million unemployed and the IMF will be demanding massive public sector cutbacks.

beingjdc

bigheadxx wrote: »

Why does this have to be two jobs though?

Member services manager will be in charge of all sorts - agenda and minutes, allowances, casework support, code of conduct, scrutiny, area committees, devolved area and councillor budgets, councillors' IT support, securing legal advice, appointments to other bodies on which the council has representation, right down to room bookings in the council offices and the mayor's diary for opening fetes - it's potentially quite a big team in a large council like Devon.

The member training officer is just one specific part, and I think they're doing something quite sensible in the advert I posted by having one person for all the councils in Devon. In less financially challenging times I can imagine each council in Devon (Devon County, South Hams, Exeter, etc) thinking they should employ one each.

chipfire

beingjdc didn't give a damn when his private sector was earning much more than the public sector so why should we give a damn about him.

beingjdc

chipfire wrote: »

beingjdc didn't give a damn when his private sector was earning much more than the private sector so why should we give a damn about him.

Translation? Anyone?

MissMoneypenny

beingjdc wrote: »

Translation? Anyone?

I think it should read

"beingjdc didn't give a damn when his private sector was earning much more than the public sector so why should we give a damn about him."

Old_Slaphead

his private sector ????? Does he own it?

Public servants should be very concerned about the health of the private sector as it impacts directly on the ability to pay public servants wages.

Andy_L

bigheadxx wrote: »

Why does this have to be two jobs though?

How many Councillors do you think there are in all of Devon for them to develop?