Special treatment

Jojo_the_Tightfisted

j.e.j. wrote: »

unlike private rental.. but that's a whole nother thread!

OP I think yes it depends on who you ask and how you ask, plus a lot of luck! Dealing with the nhs is similar, in many ways.

I've worked in the NHS for many years. Nobody got preferential treatment; if there was additional information provided that made things more urgent and if there was any way to make that possible, then appointments or surgery would be brought forward. Which isn't the same.

paulineb_2

teawithmilk wrote: »

You must be frustrated with that pauline, thats horrible.

Everyone I worked with was totally demoralised.
At my old council they were not replacing staff who fixed potholes or did winter gritting. So the state of the roads was getting much worse and complaints were going up...But on the other hand they set up a "sustainability" team to manage the effect of climate change on the council! Our highways staff were paid an average of around 17k a year basic wage for working a 40+ week (often in the worst of winter conditions)...the starting salary for a "sustainability" officer (there were 3 of them) was £27k and the manager of the unit was £40k. Im not saying that sustainability and climate change isnt important but they were cutting front line staff!!

I worked at a small outlying office and non of the senior managers EVER came to visit us there or spoke to any of the manual staff. Many policies were brought in without even consulting the staff who were to implement them. We just used to groan whenever there was a new "initiative"..not because we were averse to change but just because we just didnt even have time to do "the day job" never mind take on new stuff.

They dont grit pavements in my area in the winter, even the main ones nearest the road, they are just left. They used to, they dont now. And if I get a bus into town, theres no way I can access my flat without crossing paths and going down stairs that havent been gritted. The council is divided into two sections, north and south. In the very harsh winter a few years ago, all the roads in south could be driven on, the roads in north where I live was full of abandoned vehicles because the roads were just a nightmare.

I have a bruised tailbone which Im still in pain with (not really been my year has it ) and ended up in physiotherapy because I fell on a council path that hadnt been gritted,towards the end of last year, I didnt see the patch of ice, it was black and before I knew it I was flat out on the pavement.

Some of the people who live around here are elderly (theres a couple of the towers that are sheltered housing) and I assume that unless they get lifts from family or use any of the dial a bus services that they simply wont go out in winter, because its taking your life in your hands going out on those paths.

This year I have yaktrax. Im actually thankful it wasnt my arm I broke, because I broke my arm in a fall a few years ago and I dont want to do it again. Some of the council staff get given grippers or yaktrax depending on the job they do, my mum works for the council, but I bought her a pair as her area is the same, paths are just left.

paulineb_2

My councillor actually did help me get an answer as to what was happening with the outstanding repair. He contacted the dept in question and they got back to me that day. When I spoke to the guy who phoned me, I was perfectly polite and said that I had had no issue with waiting for the repair being done, I just didnt have a clue or any kind of timescale as to what was being done and when.

And he knew, the message just hadnt been passed to me, somewhere along the line, they had changed their mind about the way it was getting done, but had forgotten to pass the message to me. And that was all I wanted to know, because my view was, I had spent enough time and effort already trying to get an answer and didnt want to start the merry go round of phoning the repairs team and being passed here there and everywhere again.

My MP doesnt deal with housing issues, if you contact him about something to do with housing, he wont deal with it. But if its a councillors job to help people (and this is the first time Ive ever had to contact a councillor about an issue with my landlord), if people have tried every other avenue and got nowhere, then Id certainly say send them an email, its not likely to make matters worse.

Ive never ever wanted extra special service from any department or any preferential treatment whatsoever. Just for something to be sorted out that will hopefully make my life a bit easier.