My local council are a bunch of idiots.

Poppy9

wurlitzerwilly wrote: »

"When the Council screwed up last year over a similar problem, I tried phoning but could not get them to admit they were at fault and remedy the matter, so I paid them a visit and suffered the indignation of having to wait for an interview in a room full of people, some smelly and loud and frankly beneath my contempt. When I finally got to see a minion, it was in an open area with two side panels, so everyone else could hear the conversation, and wonder of all wonders the Council (through said minion) admitted their blunder, but apologise? Not a snowball in hell's chance."

Hence my extreme reluctance to have any dealings with them.

Regards,

Alan.

Re the open area. Staff hate it too but the public demand it. Those that regularly visit council offices complain about screens and barriers as they want an audience for when they shout, scream and hit the staff. Staff have to put up with on a daily basis the people you hate sharing a waiting room with.

Council tax and housing benefits sections for these very reasons have an extremely high turnover of staff. Staff are physically and verbally abused on a daily basis. Senior management seem incapable of addressing the issues facing staff. New systems, in conjunction with the private sector (because the private sector is always better:rolleyes: , are introduced before testing. The systems don't work properly, staff complain and are told tough this is the system we have and have paid millions for live with it. Staff get frustrated and cannot do their job properly and as soon as possible move to another job so you then end up with more poorly trained, inexeperienced staff, using a crap system who are unable to do their paperwork because the computer should do that for them while you deal with visitors to the office and telephone callers.

Complaining to a department head rarely works as they are usually part of the problem. All councils should have a corporate complaints department (ask them for their leaflet on "how to complain" as all councils have to thave one) - you usually get more job here. You can also complain to your local Councillor.

wurlitzerwilly

Poppy9 wrote: »

Re the open area. Staff hate it too but the public demand it. Those that regularly visit council offices complain about screens and barriers as they want an audience for when they shout, scream and hit the staff. Staff have to put up with on a daily basis the people you hate sharing a waiting room with.

Council tax and housing benefits sections for these very reasons have an extremely high turnover of staff. Staff are physically and verbally abused on a daily basis. Senior management seem incapable of addressing the issues facing staff. New systems, in conjunction with the private sector (because the private sector is always better:rolleyes: , are introduced before testing. The systems don't work properly, staff complain and are told tough this is the system we have and have paid millions for live with it. Staff get frustrated and cannot do their job properly and as soon as possible move to another job so you then end up with more poorly trained, inexperienced staff, using a crap system who are unable to do their paperwork because the computer should do that for them while you deal with visitors to the office and telephone callers.

Complaining to a department head rarely works as they are usually part of the problem. All councils should have a corporate complaints department (ask them for their leaflet on "how to complain" as all councils have to have one) - you usually get more job here. You can also complain to your local Councilor.

That does seem to put some perspective on the matter.
Whilst I can discuss, get heated and bluster here, I have long realised that there's no point in bellowing at minions, it just gets you forcefully ejected. I can't see why the idiots that do self-indulge can't see that there's not much mileage in screaming abuse in front of an audience of that sort. The general public attending this sort of event may or may not be sympathetic, but they generally have no clout, so it's a fruitless exercise. Far better to go in calmly armed with a newspaper reporter as witness and simply out-logic them, which is why I prefer to go to Court - a safer environment for all concerned.
I wonder what would happen if I did re-visit the Council offices along with my son as witness/representative who would be armed with a video camera? We're encouraged to take video in the case of other bad service/law breaking/holidays from hell etc. Presumably they will by now have CCTV to "protect" their interests? Works both ways in my book!

Regards,

Alan.

liney

So write them a letter lest you drop down dead from heart failure. Try not to use the work W**kers, T***ers, morans, plebs, peasants etc, and politely request a payment plan whilst inclosing the cheque for the money that hasn't been collected.

I have left you a spelling mistake to pickup on, as i understand that the most experienced of internet ranters resort to becomming the spelling police when confronted with a reasonable solution to their 'problem'.

wurlitzerwilly

liney wrote: »

So write them a letter lest you drop down dead from heart failure. Try not to use the work W**kers, T***ers, morans, plebs, peasants etc, and politely request a payment plan whilst inclosing the cheque for the money that hasn't been collected.

I have left you a spelling mistake to pickup on, as i understand that the most experienced of internet ranters resort to becomming the spelling police when confronted with a reasonable solution to their 'problem'.

You'll have to do better than that. Nearly fooled me but there are definitely three spelling mistakes in your missive, obviously one intentional. do I get a prize if I guess which one was deliberate?

morOns, Enclosing, becom[strike]m[/strike]ing. My guess is the ultimate!

Regards,

Alan.

smcaul

uktim29 wrote: »

I think you'll find mistake would probably be a better adjective. I know it doesn't sound as damming, never mind. But incompetence would assume that your local council would be unable to deal/sort out/manage whatever issue for everyone (not just you) and it to be of a consistent nature across the board. I very much doubt you have time to do this kind of analysis of your council to be confident of that. Therefore I think you'll find mistake(s) technically fits better.

I have quite enough evidence on certain issues to prove incompetence. Incompetence leads to mistakes. Mistakes do not lead to incompetence.

Therefore I feel "Incompetence" is an acceptable adjective to use when talking about councils.

Cerro

smcaul wrote: »

I have quite enough evidence on certain issues to prove incompetence. Incompetence leads to mistakes. Mistakes do not lead to incompetence.

Therefore I feel "Incompetence" is an acceptable adjective to use when talking about councils.

Well said! I know plenty of people with similar problems (although not quite as bad as the situation the OP is in), just from mentioning this sort of thing - so the problem is widespread and not just a one-off mistake.

Nothing is ever done because people simply pay - despite the amount of stress and hassle it causes (again, not on this scale). No one in the local council will do anything about it, because they don't care and its not their problem nor their responsiblity to fix it.

Voyager2002

This is just unbelievable!

Five pages of discussion about a simple problem that could be solved over the telephone in a few minutes. And yes, of course it is the fault of the council, arising for the kind of reason that Poppy9 has very ably explained.

OP, why don't you get a life? If you want to complain and combat injustice and incompetence, there are plenty of important issues crying out for you attention, but this is not one of them.

smcaul

Voyager2002 wrote: »

OP, why don't you get a life? If you want to complain and combat injustice and incompetence, there are plenty of important issues crying out for you attention, but this is not one of them.

So you feel that the way Councils mis manage the funds they are paid by yours and mine hard work is not a worthwhile cause? You are happy to pay, and to continue to pay for their mistakes are you? I for one am not, and likewise it seems the OP is not. Without people like us, who do see this type of incompetence as a just cause, your tax burden would be far higher and increasing all the time.

Mark7799

I do not feel the potential use of firearms are an appropriate action to take.

I have a wife and family - I would not be prepared for them to see me sent to prison for a dispute such as this.

There are ways and means of dealing with this - personally I think the OP is making a mountain out of a molehill by his actions.

Poppy9

Sometimes I can see why council officers are loathed. Today OH rang me in work to say when the recycling glass was collected today that they dropped a bag, glass bottles fell into the road and they left it there (not my bag because he forgot to put it out in time!!) He'd tried ring the council twice but it was engaged so he rings me because he thinks I am the council:rolleyes: . I ring and get through to the Waste Management call desk. I explain about the glass. "How much is there she asks me?" Umm not sure and explain about OH ringing me etc. "well unless I know how much is there I can't decide whether to send a cleaner out". I asked her nicely to ring him but "oh I can't do that, we don't ring people". Why I ask. "I don't know she says". So I suggested she go and ask someone why she can't ring people back. "Ok she said and hung up"! So I ring OH at the council's expense - normally I use the private call code so I get charged for ringing home - and tell him that he has to ring them so if he holds the line I will transfer him. See the council end up paying for the call.:p Anyway the good news is that within 5 working days someone will come and pick up the broken glass as it was too dangerous for the original collector to pick up broken glass!!:o

If it was outside my house I would have cleared it up but it's outside my horrible neighbours house and came from his bag. He will not clean it up.

The people in the office with me who overhead my call were amazed that this department wouldn't ring back. In my department we don't transfer calls unless we are certain we are putting people through to the right person. If in any doubt we take their number and get someone to call them back. We are obviously the only section working as "one council" (that's our logo!!).

So tomorrow if it's still there by lunchtime I will ring my local councillor. I know it will be cleared then and the rubbish men (sorry persons) hate working Friday afternoons!!