What Public service wastages do you see?

robin_banks

In terms of waste, one of the big things I see is the amount spent on office space, that is underutilised.

Approx 70 staff based in our building, many of whom spend relatively little time on this office (we have approx 100 other sites), yet they have a desk, pc etc.

sss555s

carolt wrote: »

I was saying yesterday to my OH that the real problem with the HMRC is that all the best people know they can get much higher salaries if they turn poacher instead of gamekeeper.

My brother started work as a young, unemployed, barely qualified man aged 19. After a few years working there, he joined a tax accountancy firm, and worked his way up. They saw his potential and trained him up. He's now been a tax accountant for many years, helping the rich avoid paying taxes, but makes so many times what he could ever have earned if he'd stayed at the Inland Revenue (as was), that it's hard to know how they could have attracted him to stay. As you say, the career prospects/salaries aren't there.

If you're going to be trying to get tax off people who can afford to pay specialists to avoid tax, you need to be able to attract people at least as good to fight them.

If that had been the case he would have never got the job in the first place as the last guy wouldn't have left.

It's the way the world is and you rarely get a job as a 19 your old unemployed that will keep you content all your life.

Old_Slaphead

carolt wrote: »

I was saying yesterday to my OH that the real problem with the HMRC is that all the best people know they can get much higher salaries if they turn poacher instead of gamekeeper.

My brother started work as a young, unemployed, barely qualified man aged 19. After a few years working there, he joined a tax accountancy firm, and worked his way up. They saw his potential and trained him up. He's now been a tax accountant for many years, helping the rich avoid paying taxes, but makes so many times what he could ever have earned if he'd stayed at the Inland Revenue (as was), that it's hard to know how they could have attracted him to stay. As you say, the career prospects/salaries aren't there.

If you're going to be trying to get tax off people who can afford to pay specialists to avoid tax, you need to be able to attract people at least as good to fight them.

There's a very simple answer - simplify the tax system.

Just a couple of ideas for starters....

Have a rule that anything that is given as a reward for service has a value that must be declared and is taxable.

No tax relief for any expenses - anything 'wholly and exclusively' should be either paid by employers or incorporated into salary.

david39

I suddenly realised what a waste of money is being made lighting the motorway system throughout the night.

I drove from Manchester Airport to Leeds at 2.30 in the morning (about 60 miles) along the M62. Every light standard, even those out in the wilds of the moors, was lit up and there were never more than three or more vehicles in sight of each other at any one time.

I realise that there is a safety angle in this, so maybe we need to keep the lights on to some extent, especially near intersections or along motorways in urban areas, but to fully illuminate hundreds of miles of motorway every night throughout the country is totally ridiculous.

It can't be beyond the powers of imagination to have the lights linked together so that after, say, midnight then only those on the edges are lit, or just those in the centre reservation or even, just every third light unit. Then, maybe, emergency services could override this, should they need full illumination in the case of accidents.

It would save millions of pounds over a year and be much greener for the environment, too.

Orpheo

I have another.

12 months ago, we lived in Lancashire, my wife was referred through the NHS to a consultant audiologist who provided her with a hearing aid and she was given a card that allowed her to obtain parts. 4 months ago we moved to Lincolnshire, my wife requires parts for her hearing aid and her GP has said that as she has moved between counties, she will have to be referred again to a consultant audiologist to begin the whole process anew.

Our 12 year old daughter, who requires dental braces, has a similar issue - she has gone through the process of consultations, but because we have moved before the braces have been dispensed the orthodontist has refused to dispense the braces and we must begin the entire process again. I dare say the orthodontist has been well paid; now another orthodontist will be paid to do what has already been done.

Norfolk_Jim

fimonkey wrote: »

I've just been employed part time by a university to undertake some research. I will be working off site, will never ever even set foot in the uni buildings, yet I have to attend courses on Health and Safety, Equality and Diversity and a new staff induction. All compulsory and all will waste 3 days of my time....

Anyone remember the Hitchhikers guide to universe, where they sent all the insurance salesmen, hairdressers and other 'middle men' off on a spaceship to find a new world, telling them they had an important job to do? .... I'd have voted for Douglas Adam's over David Cameron anyday (and I have nothing against those professions per se, I like my hairdresser.. the training staff at this university could take their place. ;-)

I also sometimes work in a clinical environment - wastage = giving out appliances (crutches etc) willy-nilly without any deposit taken or incentive for the patient to return them.

You say that - I tried desperately to return a wheelchair, some crutches and zimmer frame to the NHS and they wouldn't take them. It was a nightmare - something about a sticker being missing. I felt like I was being accused of a crime, not trying to return loaned appliances for the next person to use. In the end they went into the scrap metal at the household waste site.

chewmylegoff

robin_banks wrote: »

Yep, agree entirely I knew one guy who charged £120.00 an hour to clients, this was in 2003.

my charge out rate for doing personal tax returns (which i did for a quarter in 2002) was £90p/h, and i wasn't even qualified then. charge out rates for senior corporate tax accountants at large firms are much more than that though. £650p/h easy.

samhuzz

Oooh there's loads of examples I could give but I think I'd be too easily identified by my employers if I did. I think that some staff don't care about the job enough and make mistakes etc and they are not disciplined, that really annoys me. Plus we have a new e-purchasing system which means we can only purchase from certain suppliers even though there are cheaper deals to be had elsewhere. If/when I get made redundant though, I'll spill the beans on the rest of the stuff!