And If This Works...

...then maybe the NHS can ask the police to pay for abortions, on the basis that future criminals will be prevented?

Cash-strapped Croydon Council could turn to local health services to help pay for gritting the borough’s roads in icy weather.

Around three times as many casualties with fractures, dislocations and sprains were admitted to the hospital’s accident and emergency department on December 21, compared to an equivalent non-icy Monday in 2008.

Not seeing the connection? Well:

The surge in injuries caused during freezing weather has persuaded council chief executive Jon Rouse to approach the PCT and his Mayday Hospital counterpart, Nick Hulme, to discuss bearing the cost of making the roads safe.

Now, there will no doubt be some (there always are) who applaud this idea as useful prevention. Step forward Croydon Central MP Andrew Pelling, who:

...praised the decision to consult health services about chipping in funds as “preventative medicine”, which would save both parties money in the long term by protecting residents from injury.

Pity he wasn't so keen to protect his own wife from injury. But I digress...

The point is that, if funding for running the borough (waste management, roads maintenance, etc) is running low, perhaps Croydon Council should look elsewhere for savings, rather than attempt to raid another organisation's pot?

For example, they could stop advertising for jobs that don't need to be done by anyone, let alone a council. 'Employment coach'? 'Assistant Lead Attendance Officer'? 'Marketing executive'? 'Sports therapist'?

Oh, and if Croydon Council is so terribly keen to prevent harm to its residents, then vetting their bus drivers a little better in future might be a bit of a higher priority too...