It's a council that's trying to shed 465 jobs in an effort to save cash. It has also imposed an above-inflation increase on its taxpayers.You just know there’s a big ‘But…’ coming, don’t you?
However, officials at Derby City Council still managed to find £28,000 so 85 headteachers could have a get-together at a luxurious health spa.Ah, there it is…
Mark Wallace, of the TaxPayers' Alliance, added: 'This is an utterly indulgent location. It's particularly absurd given that the council owns plenty of facilities itself.So, why didn’t they use those facilities then?
'When local taxpayers are struggling in the recession and schoolchildren are still not meeting the required standards, there are far higher priorities for our money.'
A spokesman defended the extravagant location, saying council-owned buildings would have been inadequate.Gah..!?
Sorry, ‘inadequate’?
You mean, the taxpayers of Derby haven’t allowed you to build anything as extravagant as a luxury spa to hold your back-patting sessions in? Why, that’s an outrage, so it is…
He said: 'This was a training and development event, not a conference. It gave headteachers the chance to share good practice and improve pupils' achievements.Oh, the poor deprived darlings!
'Hoar Cross was the nearest place without too much travelling. It was the cheapest viable option. If anyone-chose to use spa facilities that weren't included in the cost of the room, they had to do so with their own money.'
Alison Woodhouse, headmistress of St Peter's Junior School, in Derby, attended the conference.Excellent!
She said: 'If you take teachers to a rubbish place to learn, they are not relaxed. We are only human after all. I didn't go to the spa but I left the conference feeling re-energised.'
Well, £ 28,000 of taxpayer’s cash is worth it then, if Alison is now feeling ‘reenergised’….
5 comments:
'If you take teachers to a rubbish place to learn, they are not relaxed.'
And if you put pupils in a rubbish place to learn, they aren't relaxed either. Doesn't stop councils, teachers and "educationalists" doing it, though.
'This was a training and development event, not a conference. It gave headteachers the chance to share good practice and improve pupils' achievements.
Designed to inflame their socialist ire!
On the assumption that they are using the Yoxall - the original - Hoar Cross Hall (DE13 8QS) it is about 40-60 minutes from central Derby.
There is no point in using it for serious conference work, although there are meeting rooms available. It is a luxury spa, not a training centre, lacking say, networked rooms and role-place facilities. A college or university would be a much better place and has suitable halls of residence on site. Only, you might have to hold the conference during the head teachers' precious holidays, oh dear.
If Derby council paid £330 per head for a two-day, one-night package they were either done up like kippers, or they are lying.
Make it a Night to Remember
Mid Week Luxury Spa Break
2 Day 1 Night for £172 per person
This fabulous 2 day 1 night stay is now available Sunday to Thursday nights. Included in your break is one 25 minute relaxing facial for Ladies, 25 minute massage for Men and a complimentary session of toning tables each, upgraded accommodation to a Superior Bedroom, breakfast, lunch and à la Carte dinner, spa facilities, free classes and outdoor activities for £172 per person (two persons sharing). Arrive between 11.30am & 1pm for an additional lunch with our compliments.
So they are also lying about the delegates using their own money for spa treatments. The taxpayers had already coughed up.
Given that there were 85 teachers and the cost per head is £175 (includes all the food) that bill should be £14,875 and even I'd have been able to negotiate a deal for a few local authority wranglers, so call it £16,000.
But the Mail quotes £28k. Divide that by 85 teachers to get to a price of just under £330 each.
Somebody is telling fibs. What or who was the other £12K spent on, given that all the food and coffee etc was included in the price?
Here's a speculation. £28,000 divided by £175 (assuming nobody can negotiate group rates) gives space for 160 people, which is suspiciously near 2 x 85.
Did they book double rooms for everybody, you can't expect head teachers to share a room, even a twin bedded room, or did they perhaps allow them to take spouses/squeezes, on the argument that they had paid for the double room anyway.
"And if you put pupils in a rubbish place to learn, they aren't relaxed either. Doesn't stop councils, teachers and "educationalists" doing it, though."
Good point!
"Designed to inflame their socialist ire!"
I doubt very much else went on; as WoaR has noted, the place isn't conducive to the usual training event activities: "It is a luxury spa, not a training centre, lacking say, networked rooms and role-place facilities. A college or university would be a much better place..."
Ah, if only they could have found a nearby college or university with a spa and room service...
"Did they book double rooms for everybody, you can't expect head teachers to share a room, even a twin bedded room, or did they perhaps allow them to take spouses/squeezes, on the argument that they had paid for the double room anyway."
Hmm, could well be. If so, I'd be surprised if the 'Mail' hadn't slipped a hotel insider some cash to dish the dirt.
Oh, what am I thinking?! Expecting them to be reporters...
'If anyone-chose to use spa facilities that weren't included in the cost of the room, they had to do so with their own money.'
Which means that the general spa facilities WERE included in the cost of the room, but the extras, like the 'Elemis' and 'Clarins' body therapies came at extra cost.
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