Monday 17 June 2013

Well, Stop Them Defining ‘Vital Services’ For Themselves, Then…

Dozens of local authorities are on the brink of financial collapse but ministers have failed to come up with adequate contingency plans to prop up vital services, according to a committee of MPs.
Oh, really? ‘Vital services’, eh..?
Hodge warned that some councils may have no option but to cut services as a result of tight finances.
"Local authorities are tending to cope with funding reductions. But in the long term there might well be little room for further efficiency gains and services would have to be cut. There needs to be frank and open dialogue between central and local government and the public on just what services councils will be expected to provide in a prolonged period of declining funding."
Well, I’ll tell you what I consider to be 'services councils should provide', and I’ll certainly tell you a service that they shouldn’t provide.

Feeding other people’s kids for ‘free’:
Free healthy breakfasts could soon be on the menu at all primary schools in Hull, the Mail can reveal today. The move is part of a fresh drive to improve the health of children in the city, as figures confirm rising obesity rates.
Let’s get this straight – feeding children is the responsibility of their parents. It’s not the responsibility of the school, or the council, or anyone else.
The board, which is a partnership between the council and public health experts, is expected to approve a number of new initiatives costing about £200,000 at a meeting later this month.
There’s £200,000 that can be saved immediately, then, and put to work on repairing potholes, ensuring that refuse is collected and fly-tippers prosecuted and that local parks are maintained. All services the council should be providing…
Cllr Inglis said: "What I have been trying to do is focus the board's activities on younger age groups.
"This really has the same principles behind the free school meals initiative – catch them early, get them into good habits and we all reap the benefits in 20 or 30 years' time.
"For me it's almost a no-brainer."
It certainly takes a no-brainer to come up with it, though perhaps not in the way you meant!
Blackpool council leader Simon Blackburn said as well the nutritional and educational benefits, the scheme was designed to tackle poverty.
"This is not about helping kids whose parents are on benefits, it's about people earning £12,000-a-year and struggling to make ends meet."
Perhaps you should ask yourself why people earning that amount might struggle? Could it be because they are paying too much in tax that then goes to feed other people’s children?

7 comments:

Furor Teutonicus said...

XX as figures confirm rising obesity rates.XX

So. The answer is, to give them ANOTHER meal!!??

Weekend Yachtsman said...

And get rid of the quarter-mil-a-year jumped up town clerk described as "Chief Executive".

There, that's another £200K saved every year. Plus all the expenses, pension contributions,freebies, jollies etc.

Next?

Anonymous said...

If the councils have to cut services, then there will be no need for so many council employees. I would suggest every 5th person, with names taken from a hat, be given the push. That way there can be no accusations of racism, sexism, genderism or relionism. Just chanceism!
Penseivat

Anonymous said...

One local council employee I know of is looking for ways to spend money left in her department's printing budget. It doesn't really matter whether or not it is spent on anything useful, if it isn't spent then they won't get the same next year.
Of course, it never occurs to them that perhaps they don't need so much next year, so maybe the excess money could be spent more usefully by another department or even... (gasp!) by the council tax payers themselves.

Anonymous said...

Bunny

Where I live in the UK is a suburb of Liverpool, it has its own independent council and come the end of every March if there is any money left in the pot. There is a frenzy of activity as gangs go out searching for pots, carrying out additional maintenance etc. That's how to spend the last of your budget.

microdave said...

"Catch them early, get them into good habits"

Like the "Climate Change" indoctrination they get when they are too young to question for themselves...

As Pink Floyd said "Teacher, leave them kids alone"

JuliaM said...

"So. The answer is, to give them ANOTHER meal!!??"

Well, quite!

" I would suggest every 5th person, with names taken from a hat, be given the push. That way there can be no accusations of racism, sexism, genderism or relionism. Just chanceism!"

I like this idea! :)

"and come the end of every March if there is any money left in the pot. There is a frenzy of activity as gangs go out searching for pots, carrying out additional maintenance etc."

In mine, we get trees planted. Lots of trees!