My age would surely not be a reason to reject my job app for this or this
And I think I am well qualified to give sensible advice.
Showing posts with label COUNCIL. Show all posts
Showing posts with label COUNCIL. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Wednesday, April 02, 2008
Tipping point?
Just watched a piece on the BBC proposed increases on Landfill Tax being imposed by the guv'mint on Local Authorities... and hence on to us.
I do hope this is an April fool, like the flying penguins (great CGI)**.
Because the other day I opened my council tax demand, and it was not small*. In fact on top of massive increases across the board in other areas, from energy costs, food, BBC licence fee, car tax, etc, I am still trying to cope with a council rise of 4.5%, with police and fire broken out on top at 4.9%.
So when is this new one going to kick in?
And, as noted in the piece, no matter how good at reusing or recycling we might be, it seems it is to be imposed on you no matter what. I thought there were 'per use' proposals in mind, or is that too close to the 'poll tax' nemesis of Mrs. T's era?
I also thought the BBC piece was a bit twee, showing a householder*** strolling out to the garden to deal with the food waste in 3 separate bins. Good on her. But what was not mentioned is the poor sods without such land area options, or the fact that no matter how diligent one is there is going to be a load more that really is very hard to deal with. I have every plastic tray stacked up in the basement in testimony!
________
*Or...apparently not (My house is perhaps the exception?):
PR as received, edited for length (ie: deleting bullsh*t obfuscation from various breeding groups of over-salaried and golden-pensioned senior public parasites, whose empires and personal nests all this is really to fund than any better services):
(CLG) Lowest increase in council tax for 14 years announced
Eleven successive years of above inflation grant increases from Government - and a continued threat of tough action against excessive increases - have led to the lowest increase in council tax for 14 years, and the second lowest ever, Local Government Minister John Healey has announced.
Figures for 2008/09 published today show that the average Band D increase in England will be 4.0%. 265 (58%) authorities will have increases below the 4.1% Retail Price Index, 69 (15%) below the 2.5% Consumer Price Index, 18 (4%) have no increase and three (0.66%) are reducing council tax bills.
Ministers have said consistently that they expect the average council tax rises to be substantially below 5% and the vast majority of local authorities have complied.
"Our commitment to take action combined with our 45% above inflation increase in Government grant for local services up to 2010-11 has helped bring down council tax rises to a fourteen year low, and most councils have contained their costs and budgeted prudently.
The Minister announced that authorities' 2008-09 budget requirements are excessive if they set a budget requirement increase of 5.0% between 2007-08 and 2008-09, and a council tax increase of more than 5.0% in the same period. Authorities must exceed both principles to be designated for action.
All of the authorities designated for action have 21 days in which to make their case. The Government will carefully consider any representations made before taking further decisions.
Information on capping principles, budget requirement and council tax increases for all authorities is available on the Communities and Local Government website.
**Brand Republic - BBC launches iPlayer campaign with flying penguin footage
Penguins
***I owe the lady in question if not an apology but at least a clarification. In her blog - 'The Rubbish Diet' - she makes very clear the case pro and con. And shows herself to be highly thoughtful on all the issues. I still have maintain that I often find the major media less diligent in what they punt out, from slavish agenda propaganda by some government supported entities, to highly superficial scare stories that ignore commercial realities or local conditions such as LAs can face from tabloid rags. The losers, inevitably, are the consumer, and in their confusion or kicking back, the environment.
ADDENDUM - STOP PRESS!!!!
But it's all OK. prices of things such as vacuum cleaners and TVs have gone down. So... let me get this straight... they are really trying to offset trying to put a roof over our heads, eat and stay warm with buying a bunch of tat once a decade?
ADDENDUM 2 -
I am grateful to reader Christine of isitfair (hope I have the correct URL link) for some nice humour, albeit gallows, on the subject!
I do hope this is an April fool, like the flying penguins (great CGI)**.
Because the other day I opened my council tax demand, and it was not small*. In fact on top of massive increases across the board in other areas, from energy costs, food, BBC licence fee, car tax, etc, I am still trying to cope with a council rise of 4.5%, with police and fire broken out on top at 4.9%.
So when is this new one going to kick in?
And, as noted in the piece, no matter how good at reusing or recycling we might be, it seems it is to be imposed on you no matter what. I thought there were 'per use' proposals in mind, or is that too close to the 'poll tax' nemesis of Mrs. T's era?
I also thought the BBC piece was a bit twee, showing a householder*** strolling out to the garden to deal with the food waste in 3 separate bins. Good on her. But what was not mentioned is the poor sods without such land area options, or the fact that no matter how diligent one is there is going to be a load more that really is very hard to deal with. I have every plastic tray stacked up in the basement in testimony!
________
*Or...apparently not (My house is perhaps the exception?):
PR as received, edited for length (ie: deleting bullsh*t obfuscation from various breeding groups of over-salaried and golden-pensioned senior public parasites, whose empires and personal nests all this is really to fund than any better services):
(CLG) Lowest increase in council tax for 14 years announced
Eleven successive years of above inflation grant increases from Government - and a continued threat of tough action against excessive increases - have led to the lowest increase in council tax for 14 years, and the second lowest ever, Local Government Minister John Healey has announced.
Figures for 2008/09 published today show that the average Band D increase in England will be 4.0%. 265 (58%) authorities will have increases below the 4.1% Retail Price Index, 69 (15%) below the 2.5% Consumer Price Index, 18 (4%) have no increase and three (0.66%) are reducing council tax bills.
Ministers have said consistently that they expect the average council tax rises to be substantially below 5% and the vast majority of local authorities have complied.
"Our commitment to take action combined with our 45% above inflation increase in Government grant for local services up to 2010-11 has helped bring down council tax rises to a fourteen year low, and most councils have contained their costs and budgeted prudently.
The Minister announced that authorities' 2008-09 budget requirements are excessive if they set a budget requirement increase of 5.0% between 2007-08 and 2008-09, and a council tax increase of more than 5.0% in the same period. Authorities must exceed both principles to be designated for action.
All of the authorities designated for action have 21 days in which to make their case. The Government will carefully consider any representations made before taking further decisions.
Information on capping principles, budget requirement and council tax increases for all authorities is available on the Communities and Local Government website.
**Brand Republic - BBC launches iPlayer campaign with flying penguin footage
Penguins
***I owe the lady in question if not an apology but at least a clarification. In her blog - 'The Rubbish Diet' - she makes very clear the case pro and con. And shows herself to be highly thoughtful on all the issues. I still have maintain that I often find the major media less diligent in what they punt out, from slavish agenda propaganda by some government supported entities, to highly superficial scare stories that ignore commercial realities or local conditions such as LAs can face from tabloid rags. The losers, inevitably, are the consumer, and in their confusion or kicking back, the environment.
ADDENDUM - STOP PRESS!!!!
But it's all OK. prices of things such as vacuum cleaners and TVs have gone down. So... let me get this straight... they are really trying to offset trying to put a roof over our heads, eat and stay warm with buying a bunch of tat once a decade?
ADDENDUM 2 -
I am grateful to reader Christine of isitfair (hope I have the correct URL link) for some nice humour, albeit gallows, on the subject!
Tuesday, August 14, 2007
A Proactive Council That's Getting Things Right
Its not often that I find myself commending a local council initiative, but this one is really worth a mention. This from the Society Of Procurement Officers highlights a scheme introduced by the London borough of Richmond whereby the first 1,000 residents who install cavity wall or loft insulation will be given a £100 rebate on their council tax bill. Even when that particular pot is empty, anyone else will still receive £50 from British Gas.
A typical cost for installing cavity wall insulation in a three bedroomed semi is ~ £250 and for loft insulation ~£275. OK, the rebate's not earth shattering, but its a start, and, as they say, every little helps. And I commend the Richmond councilors for pushing this through.
What a shame that central government doesn't appear to be able to learn something from the initiatives driven by their more local brethren.
_____________
And while central government prevaricates (see 'Coming clean on going green' below), the local councils forge ahead. Now more than 130 local councils have signed up to the Nottingham declaration - as reported in the Plymouth Herald.
A typical cost for installing cavity wall insulation in a three bedroomed semi is ~ £250 and for loft insulation ~£275. OK, the rebate's not earth shattering, but its a start, and, as they say, every little helps. And I commend the Richmond councilors for pushing this through.
What a shame that central government doesn't appear to be able to learn something from the initiatives driven by their more local brethren.
_____________
And while central government prevaricates (see 'Coming clean on going green' below), the local councils forge ahead. Now more than 130 local councils have signed up to the Nottingham declaration - as reported in the Plymouth Herald.
Tuesday, June 26, 2007
Democracy Inaction 2
Last night, after a long day, I struggled up the hill to the local council offices for a meeting about the 'Town Plan'.
I was flattered to have been asked, especially as the invitation was based on my potential contribution to proactive and positive environmental measures. So long as no one was expecting me to do a Canute on the floods, I was hoping to have something to offer.
I'm afraid to say I ended up leaving after an hour and a half when, after the obligatory tea break, the next session looked like an equally pointless point-of-order marathon as the first. With nothing on matters environmental looking like being anywhere in the frame.
I come from a different world, obviously. In advertising, time is money, and everything is designed to shorten the first and reduce the second. So the brief is all, and being brief even better. So while meetings are inevitable you have a clear agenda and ensure only those who need to be there are, and you bang through what everyone needs to do to arrive at actions as soon as possible.
What I stumbled into was a masterpiece of vague, over-populated mainly by those with no other commitments in their waking hours save for the task of putting others to sleep. And an inordinate love of their own voices. The only high, and amazing point, was the presence of some committed young folk who actually cared enough to attend, one presumes in the hope that they will make a difference. Big up to them. And good luck.
There was talk of the democratic process, but as a town resident I would never have heard of it unless invited, seemingly through being a bit known for Junkk.com, but also for making some noise about other local issues of late. And though there was a fair spread of folk there, I'd say a few dozen was hardly representative and honestly most were, like me, and with a few exceptions, the wrong side of 50, mainly councillors or parish representatives. Let's face it, at 7pm you are not going to get many with families to feed, or simply be with at the end of a working day.
I also got to pondering who was paid to be there, who was compensated (travel at least), and who was there on a voluntary basis. Because a lot was being served up that seemed to be calling on folk to do even more for no compensation beyond 'contributing to the community'. Noble for sure, but also the realm of those who do not have other commitments or calls on their earning hours, or keen and able to play the system for firmly held beliefs.
Now I'll try to do my bit. But with no agenda, the whole exercise seemed to be spinning on its axis, with all sorts of pockets of priority jockeying for position. I had no idea where the money for all this was coming from, where it was going, or indeed what it was intended to do. And as a further layer of consultation and feedback, I had to wonder what on earth the various elected representatives (paid and not) I'd recently gone through the trouble of voting for... were for. Most were there, rather silent, and seemingly waiting for a bunch of others to step in to act as a buffer zone for some rather ill-defined discussions with, to me, the end result being anything but clear.
I do care about the direction my home area takes, but honestly couldn't cope with being part of this effort to be part of how it gets taken there. And that, I guess, is to my demerit.
But it did get me thinking about what is needed to rekindle an interest in the democratic process in the silent public majority, and that, to me would chiefly involve clear communication and a commitment to making the process as entertaining as possible. With a definite sense of reward (in this case, seeing a clear result) for taking the time to participate.
And while it is difficult to balance, I simply cannot see how organising free-for-all bunfights, with everyone shouting at once, is going to arrive at anything remotely rational. If at all, it will always be those who shout loudest or put up a more united block who will prevail. That may seem democratic, but in a time-poor, career-driven society, it really still does play into the hands of the few. I may have had a contribution to make, but simply could not see how I could make it in such a zoo, or how such efforts would pay off. So I left early. It will be interesting to see how it gets reported and what actually does get achieved over the years (which is the timeframe indicated). I guess I cannot complain if it does take things in a direction I don't like, as I had a chance to be part. But then isn't what I gave my proxy to elected representatives to do? And should I wish to get my views across I can surely approach them one on one directly for a meaningful exchange and leave them to fight my corner in such debates I cannot, or choose not to attend?
Sadly, what I see these days, from national to this most local of levels, is anything but 'democratic'. Process but no product. Waffle and jargon and procedure. Unaccountable layers.
It may not be the best system, and it may be the best there is, but by heavens if it is designed to confuse or bore me into submission when I do care enough to try to be part, lord help us if decisions are based on what the rest of the public can be inspired (or, rather not) to engage with.
Maybe if they did it as a version of Big Brother: the Town Plan, more people would be inclined to take part.
I was flattered to have been asked, especially as the invitation was based on my potential contribution to proactive and positive environmental measures. So long as no one was expecting me to do a Canute on the floods, I was hoping to have something to offer.
I'm afraid to say I ended up leaving after an hour and a half when, after the obligatory tea break, the next session looked like an equally pointless point-of-order marathon as the first. With nothing on matters environmental looking like being anywhere in the frame.
I come from a different world, obviously. In advertising, time is money, and everything is designed to shorten the first and reduce the second. So the brief is all, and being brief even better. So while meetings are inevitable you have a clear agenda and ensure only those who need to be there are, and you bang through what everyone needs to do to arrive at actions as soon as possible.
What I stumbled into was a masterpiece of vague, over-populated mainly by those with no other commitments in their waking hours save for the task of putting others to sleep. And an inordinate love of their own voices. The only high, and amazing point, was the presence of some committed young folk who actually cared enough to attend, one presumes in the hope that they will make a difference. Big up to them. And good luck.
There was talk of the democratic process, but as a town resident I would never have heard of it unless invited, seemingly through being a bit known for Junkk.com, but also for making some noise about other local issues of late. And though there was a fair spread of folk there, I'd say a few dozen was hardly representative and honestly most were, like me, and with a few exceptions, the wrong side of 50, mainly councillors or parish representatives. Let's face it, at 7pm you are not going to get many with families to feed, or simply be with at the end of a working day.
I also got to pondering who was paid to be there, who was compensated (travel at least), and who was there on a voluntary basis. Because a lot was being served up that seemed to be calling on folk to do even more for no compensation beyond 'contributing to the community'. Noble for sure, but also the realm of those who do not have other commitments or calls on their earning hours, or keen and able to play the system for firmly held beliefs.
Now I'll try to do my bit. But with no agenda, the whole exercise seemed to be spinning on its axis, with all sorts of pockets of priority jockeying for position. I had no idea where the money for all this was coming from, where it was going, or indeed what it was intended to do. And as a further layer of consultation and feedback, I had to wonder what on earth the various elected representatives (paid and not) I'd recently gone through the trouble of voting for... were for. Most were there, rather silent, and seemingly waiting for a bunch of others to step in to act as a buffer zone for some rather ill-defined discussions with, to me, the end result being anything but clear.
I do care about the direction my home area takes, but honestly couldn't cope with being part of this effort to be part of how it gets taken there. And that, I guess, is to my demerit.
But it did get me thinking about what is needed to rekindle an interest in the democratic process in the silent public majority, and that, to me would chiefly involve clear communication and a commitment to making the process as entertaining as possible. With a definite sense of reward (in this case, seeing a clear result) for taking the time to participate.
And while it is difficult to balance, I simply cannot see how organising free-for-all bunfights, with everyone shouting at once, is going to arrive at anything remotely rational. If at all, it will always be those who shout loudest or put up a more united block who will prevail. That may seem democratic, but in a time-poor, career-driven society, it really still does play into the hands of the few. I may have had a contribution to make, but simply could not see how I could make it in such a zoo, or how such efforts would pay off. So I left early. It will be interesting to see how it gets reported and what actually does get achieved over the years (which is the timeframe indicated). I guess I cannot complain if it does take things in a direction I don't like, as I had a chance to be part. But then isn't what I gave my proxy to elected representatives to do? And should I wish to get my views across I can surely approach them one on one directly for a meaningful exchange and leave them to fight my corner in such debates I cannot, or choose not to attend?
Sadly, what I see these days, from national to this most local of levels, is anything but 'democratic'. Process but no product. Waffle and jargon and procedure. Unaccountable layers.
It may not be the best system, and it may be the best there is, but by heavens if it is designed to confuse or bore me into submission when I do care enough to try to be part, lord help us if decisions are based on what the rest of the public can be inspired (or, rather not) to engage with.
Maybe if they did it as a version of Big Brother: the Town Plan, more people would be inclined to take part.
Saturday, June 23, 2007
There's what was. There's what is. And there's... what????????
I watched a BBC news slot this morning when it seemed that all involved with the last decade of government (and staying on) seemed to be awarded a 'get out of everything free' card.
Me... I prefer to look at track records and facts. Or such as they are. And here's one: Council tax 'doubles in 10 years'
Or, to put it another, equally walletally-painful way: 'three times higher than the rate of inflation and twice the increase in average earnings'.
Now, there is an attempt at balance, and: "Councils may well turn round and say well that's because they're providing better services."
O........k. What do we reckon?
Maybe there could be another reason; one raised a short while ago.
Now, there was a slight tweak back to the 'Cross of Ross' posting in the reply section, but really, can there be much doubt as to where a large wadge of the money seems to be going, and 'increased services' are hard to reconcile when weekly rubbish collections are moving in a distinctly unincreased direction.
I'm afraid all this does is push my trust factor in government, and some rather... cooperative... aspects of publicly-funded media, even lower.
BBC - Brown interview: key quotes - I am simply intrigued as to how what is factual 'cannot be accepted' in so many cases. What the heck does that mean?
NOT Gordon Brown
So he has learned, will reach out, build consensus and answer questions at last.
But if the answers to such questions are, and allowed to be (especially in the case of what is surely easily established fact) 'I don't accept that', I'm afraid to all of the above I can only have one reply:
"I don't accept that".
But, as always in this newsflip era, that's probably all there is time for. Shame. On all involved, and complicit.
Friday, 22 June, 2007 - Not looking like many others were too impressed with either the interviewee, or ers. For all the good it does.
Me... I prefer to look at track records and facts. Or such as they are. And here's one: Council tax 'doubles in 10 years'
Or, to put it another, equally walletally-painful way: 'three times higher than the rate of inflation and twice the increase in average earnings'.
Now, there is an attempt at balance, and: "Councils may well turn round and say well that's because they're providing better services."
O........k. What do we reckon?
Maybe there could be another reason; one raised a short while ago.
Now, there was a slight tweak back to the 'Cross of Ross' posting in the reply section, but really, can there be much doubt as to where a large wadge of the money seems to be going, and 'increased services' are hard to reconcile when weekly rubbish collections are moving in a distinctly unincreased direction.
I'm afraid all this does is push my trust factor in government, and some rather... cooperative... aspects of publicly-funded media, even lower.
BBC - Brown interview: key quotes - I am simply intrigued as to how what is factual 'cannot be accepted' in so many cases. What the heck does that mean?
NOT Gordon Brown
So he has learned, will reach out, build consensus and answer questions at last.
But if the answers to such questions are, and allowed to be (especially in the case of what is surely easily established fact) 'I don't accept that', I'm afraid to all of the above I can only have one reply:
"I don't accept that".
But, as always in this newsflip era, that's probably all there is time for. Shame. On all involved, and complicit.
Friday, 22 June, 2007 - Not looking like many others were too impressed with either the interviewee, or ers. For all the good it does.
Monday, June 18, 2007
Council tax funds pensions!!
DAILY MAIL
So now I'm beginning to understand just why some councils are moving to fortnightly bin collections - much of their (sorry, but shouldn't that be OUR?) allocated cash goes straight into 'gold-plated', index linked pensions. .... And they can still retire at 60 whilst the plan is that the rest of us will have to work until 68!
Wasn't council tax supposed to pay for essential services? I don't remember agreeing to help provide super pensions for the faceless bureaucrats who spend all day pen-pushing and inventing new and ever more meaningless targets. But I suppose they have to employ someone to decode the data collected from the "Chip 'n Bin" devices.
So now I'm beginning to understand just why some councils are moving to fortnightly bin collections - much of their (sorry, but shouldn't that be OUR?) allocated cash goes straight into 'gold-plated', index linked pensions. .... And they can still retire at 60 whilst the plan is that the rest of us will have to work until 68!
Wasn't council tax supposed to pay for essential services? I don't remember agreeing to help provide super pensions for the faceless bureaucrats who spend all day pen-pushing and inventing new and ever more meaningless targets. But I suppose they have to employ someone to decode the data collected from the "Chip 'n Bin" devices.
Friday, May 25, 2007
Building Bridges
As I am more in the habit of burning my bridges before I get to them, it is nice for a change to see some valuable construction work bear fruit.Yesterday I was strolling back through town when I chanced upon an expo (well, a few stalls) in the Market Square, one of which was festooned with 'recycle now' banners.
Now, as may be recalled, I am a little chary of some from this sector, having felt Junkk.com to have been at best poorly served, and at worst rather dubiously treated by a couple of dodgy dealers of theoretically green-promoting largess in the past.
Anyway, fresh from swallowing my pride at Total Packaging, and with luck forging new and useful bonds with a WRAP big-wig, and having found a new soulmate at Eden Project (whose previous PR director treated me and our lovely Head of Prose and Comms Anita so shabbily a few years back) the other day in London, I decided to see if the magic may apply on a more local basis.
Well, fingers crossed, it looks like it may. I had a very nice chat with Jeremy, the officer of the day, and as a consequence ended up talking with the head bod for Hereford and Worcestershire's enviro efforts. And, thanks to this, we should see a whole new level of synergistic bonding taking place. For a start, they were happy to have our stuff on the stand, so I dashed home to get a standee and flyers to them asap. And these will now be touring around, much as the Junkk.com demo kit is currently doing in Cumbria. They help me; I help them. How sweet is that?
And to kick off from our side, I am happy to share what they were doing there, which was promoting a kitchen waste sink macerator device, with added grant. And very nice both look too, both environmentally and financially.
I initially had my doubts, and expressed them rather starkly by asking 'How the heck does flushing pureed waste down my sink help the planet?'.
Well, the answer was simply and convincing, if disappointing to learn that (as is too often the case) it is not applicable in very many other places.
Because it seems that our local water guys have in place a system to collect biogas from the sewage system, and better yet then recover the resulting dry matter for use as fertiliser. And that makes for a 'win win' in my book. So I will be applying and installing asap, as it is also not beyond the ken of a fair DIYer... apparently.
I'll still be using the compost bins for most organics as I think I can find uses for this at home, but as this machine will chew up the rest and squirt it to enviROI+ nirvana, it gets my full endorsement and with-feet vote.
Nice one council, water board and others! Let's hope such an initiative catches on everywhere.
For those in the relevant areas, once they give me the PR and details I'll upload it.
Tuesday, March 27, 2007
Woe is m... oney
Unwise councils
It's an idealistic dream to think that these things can be reversed, any more than you can uncrash a plane.
The comparison with the private sector (the more realistic, SME-one, not the big corporations who behave, especially at the top, just like government) is interesting, though I do wonder to what extent the inefficient can get weeded out at all, let alone cost-effectively, without gridlock.
There is a vast army that has been created to serve itself, and those who created it, though naked self-interest first and foremost. All within the democratic process.
It may appeal to have more and more bean counters, but eventually if there is no one left (or can afford) to make any beans to count, then cannibalism seems the only recourse. In political terms that seems to translate into social unrest.
'..they should make a point of voting for parties and individuals who recognise this profligacy cannot be sustained any longer.'
And these parties would be...? We're two months off and I am none the wiser.
So what has been written makes for interesting comment, but I don't see any practical solutions.
Which is the other sad legacy of present day life. Those make are marginalised by those who do little more than talk.
It's an idealistic dream to think that these things can be reversed, any more than you can uncrash a plane.
The comparison with the private sector (the more realistic, SME-one, not the big corporations who behave, especially at the top, just like government) is interesting, though I do wonder to what extent the inefficient can get weeded out at all, let alone cost-effectively, without gridlock.
There is a vast army that has been created to serve itself, and those who created it, though naked self-interest first and foremost. All within the democratic process.
It may appeal to have more and more bean counters, but eventually if there is no one left (or can afford) to make any beans to count, then cannibalism seems the only recourse. In political terms that seems to translate into social unrest.
'..they should make a point of voting for parties and individuals who recognise this profligacy cannot be sustained any longer.'
And these parties would be...? We're two months off and I am none the wiser.
So what has been written makes for interesting comment, but I don't see any practical solutions.
Which is the other sad legacy of present day life. Those make are marginalised by those who do little more than talk.
Thursday, March 22, 2007
What a waste
Call for council tax rise - and a charge for emptying your bin
"But Sir Michael said with local government facing huge EU fines for missing waste targets "a charging regime would act as a powerful incentive" on householders to recycle."
No, it may act as a powerful DISINCENTIVE NOT TO, and is certainly passing the burden for meeting administrative targets onto those who are meant to be served. And pay for the 'privilege'.
Another nail in the 'fine first, figure out solutions later' coffin of what's being achieved by 'green' policies we are being subjected to these days.
"But Sir Michael said with local government facing huge EU fines for missing waste targets "a charging regime would act as a powerful incentive" on householders to recycle."
No, it may act as a powerful DISINCENTIVE NOT TO, and is certainly passing the burden for meeting administrative targets onto those who are meant to be served. And pay for the 'privilege'.
Another nail in the 'fine first, figure out solutions later' coffin of what's being achieved by 'green' policies we are being subjected to these days.
Wednesday, March 21, 2007
You're on Can'd Camera!
Only that was funny ha-ha, not sadder than hell.
Cameras in cans to spill the beans on fly-tippers
Nice to see some authorities still have their priorities straight.
Cameras in cans to spill the beans on fly-tippers
Nice to see some authorities still have their priorities straight.
Monday, March 19, 2007
DO what?!!!!!
Council tax valuers recruit a spy in sky 'snooping on households'
If it's true, of course.
If it's true, of course.
At least we still have the vote. For now.
Council salaries revealed under the FoI act
One presumes this information freel... er... grudgingly shared also extends to the numbers of officers there are in total, their functions, salaries and pension consequences.
Where it might fall down is actually finding out what gets done for the money, to assess the ROI per person for this investment by the local taxpayers. But it's better than nothing (the information, I mean).
But such data is only worth having if it can be used.
And with luck the local taxpayers of Hackney will make very good use of it.
One presumes this information freel... er... grudgingly shared also extends to the numbers of officers there are in total, their functions, salaries and pension consequences.
Where it might fall down is actually finding out what gets done for the money, to assess the ROI per person for this investment by the local taxpayers. But it's better than nothing (the information, I mean).
But such data is only worth having if it can be used.
And with luck the local taxpayers of Hackney will make very good use of it.
Friday, March 16, 2007
Bin. And Gone.
Green light given to empty bins every 2 weeks
When there is no trust left, the comments here show the value of ' A Whitehall-funded study...' to convince anyone of anything.
Especially when it is unclear how ever higher rates can be justified in leading to ever fewer services. Unless local authority pensions count as a 'service'.
Yet...'Council chiefs say local taxpayers will have to foot the bill if the targets are missed and fines are applied.'
That's just an attitude that stinks.
When there is no trust left, the comments here show the value of ' A Whitehall-funded study...' to convince anyone of anything.
Especially when it is unclear how ever higher rates can be justified in leading to ever fewer services. Unless local authority pensions count as a 'service'.
Yet...'Council chiefs say local taxpayers will have to foot the bill if the targets are missed and fines are applied.'
That's just an attitude that stinks.
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