Wednesday 7 December 2011

‘Hey, It’s Only Taxpayer Money’ Part 7896

Pendle Council has been accused of 'wasting money' after paying staff up to five times the going rate for delivering leaflets.
What..?!?
Staff at the council are being offered the chance to earn extra cash by posting the council’s annual recycling calendar through doors.

They are being paid 15p per leaflet before tax, which works out at £150 per 1,000 leaflets.
A nice little earner!
But Coun Eileen Ansar branded the rate 'disgusting' and said other firms pay between £25 and £50 per 1,000 leaflets.

“When the council is supposed to be in financial crisis and is cutting a number of services I think it is disgusting that they are offering so much for this work.

“It could be done by local youngsters who are out of work or students who would be happy to do it for a lot less.

“Given the money that the council are trying to save this seems to be an outrageous waste of cash.”
Or it could, say, not be done at all? I mean, surely a calendar delivered to every home is a nonsense in the digital age?

Plus, for those not ‘switched on’ there’s always the local council rag which also gets delivered to every house…
Council bosses said that staff had been paid the same rate for the past eight years, and they used their own staff because they were trustworthy.
Ahahahahahaha…..

*pauses for breath*

….ahahahahahahahahahaha!

6 comments:

Woman on a Raft said...

It is still an over-estimate to assume that every household has on-line access. Nana Raft doesn't, for a start, so there is still a place for printed calendars.

However, there is no reason why this can't go out with the Council Tax bills in March. All they have to do is settle the recycling collection times for April 1 instead of Jan 1, and pop a card in to the envelope.

Not sure of the distribution dates; I'm guessing they need to finalize the rota by 28 Feb in order to have the print and collation done during March, but I might be adrift there.

Macheath said...

I suspect this went through on the nod because it concerns the fashionable issue of recycling - opposition might imply the objector was a less than fervent adherent of the cause.

This lot however, seem to have managed with considerably lower distribution costs - however dubious their logic:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2070573/Council-spends-21-000-leaflets-asking-residents-How-save-money.html

Mick Turatian said...

but I might be adrift there

You're on a raft for heaven's sake. What do you expect?!

Woman on a Raft said...

:)

microdave said...

"Annual recycling calendar"

NO prizes for guessing where most of these will end up...

JuliaM said...

"It is still an over-estimate to assume that every household has on-line access."

True enough - not quite as many 'Silver Surfers' as the government would have us believe..

"I suspect this went through on the nod because it concerns the fashionable issue of recycling.."

Spot on! Southend Council has just spent a fortune on changing it's dustcart livery to highlight its recycling efforts.

Cuts? What cuts?

"NO prizes for guessing where most of these will end up..."

Indeed!