Lambeth in a pickle over council posters

StevieJ

It would seem that the Tories and supporters and not to keen for local councils to point out why services need to be cut. It is almost like central govt want to make cuts but not be the ones seen as making them.

lemonjelly

Hilariously, Gove today said that LA's are failing in their statutory duties of supporting young people in education, & they need to accept their responsibilities.

You couldn't make it up!

Wheezy_2

lemonjelly wrote: »

Michael Gove is basically using the same arguement in the EMA debate in the commons.

There is no money!

FWIW essentially it is true, so what is the issue with addressing it to constituents?

Good point lemonjelly. A bit rich from Pickles to complain about this while the cons have been doing exactly the same on a national level for the last 8 months....

...on the other hand, Lambeth council does seem to be very creative with posters as princeofpounds notes.

princeofpounds

Yep, that's one of my faves, along with TFL's which went something like 'beat the jam... walk!' which contains so much irony.

You couldn't make it up... but someone is paid to.

Mr_Mumble

The website:
http://youchoose.yougov.com/Lambeth

Is Sophie's choice stuff.

I'd cut the following:

Communications and campaigns
The campaigns and communications division aims to effectively inform local citizens about council services and to support the council's vision and corporate plan, so that satisfaction with the council improves.

We are responsible for all of the council's public and internal communications including Lambeth Life, the council website, press releases and enquiries and other marketing.

Down to £100,000pa - for essential info and a website - two employees max. Unfortunately I can only cut it down to £900,000 - why such an arbitrary number? The likes of "Lambeth Life" are not essential council services!

Another example...

Policy, equalities and performance (PEP)
The PEP team provides support, challenge and quality assurance of the organisation in relation to policy, equalities and diversity, performance management, project and programme management and research and consultation.

Supposedly £1.5m is the minimum that can be spent on this nonsense because of "statutory requirements". Oddly, no lobbying to get the "statutory requirements" revoked so they can save more than £2m!

The main problem for me about this "consultancy" is a problem inflicting the coalition at the national level. Rather than scrapping unneeded or unessential services entirely they're cutting a little bit in each department. People want to retain bin collection, the local roads, services for the disabled. What folk don't want is the propaganda council papers, the equality and diversity advisers, the billboard advertisements, PR departments, arts schemes... Yet Lambeth are not giving this choice, supposedly Lambeth must spend £586K on..

Arts development delivers a number of schemes to promote the arts in Lambeth and aims to support and sustain innovative creative and cultural activity in the borough by providing information and advice through a range of networking opportunities and partnerships.

Really, they're threatening people with jail if they don't pay council tax for this tat!

ILW

It's a bloody great jobs for the boys scheme. They do not give a toss about the residents, just their own little well paid empires.

drc

Schoolyard politics. Concentrate on providing for your constituents and their needs - you know, the ones that pay their council tax to have certain services, NOT playing "he did this, she did that" and wasting it on childish posters....(rolls eyes smiley needed here).

vivatifosi

Wheezy wrote: »

Stupid poster. What women go for a walk in 4 inch heels?

julieq

Could more accurately say "The last government p1ssed all your money up the wall, so where would you like us to make cuts"

kabayiri

Does the council believe the posters will result in more govt money?

Pathetic waste of money, if they feel so passionate about it let them spend their own money.