Barmy Bureaucrats throwing away our cash - Page 3

pendy · 24-08-2004, 12:36

I don't think HBC can refuse to accept payment in cash, just so long as it is in legal tender (i.e. you can't give it to them in pennies, more's the pity). There is no law yet that says you have to have a bank account, and therefore they cannot refuse cash.

It is probably a job creation scheme - you have one employee to send out the direct debits, one employee to file them, one employee to ignore them, and four employees to send out threatening messages and Summonses.

Acrylic-bob · 25-08-2004, 07:40

I notice that in Clayton the residents have been complaining about litter strewn streets. Only to be told by HBC's Cleansing Manager, Steve Riley, that Clayton's street sweeper could change his route to deal with problem areas but that this would mean that other areas would go untreated.

This was reported in the Observer, on the same day it carried a full column article by the numerically and linguistically challenged Peter Britcliffe, in which he said "That's why here at the Council we need to work even harder to improve your public services, so that you get value for money and the job well done."

Which, if true, would be a novel departure indeed. Sounds to me like the cue for another round of pointless feasibility studies. 'CLEAN, GREEN, SAFE AND LOCAL' my backside!

Disident · 06-09-2004, 06:01

Hi tealeaf and busman747. You do not know what throwing away cash means. Braunstone Council estate in Leicester was given £49.5 million under the NDC program, that is New Deal for Communities for run down areas to improve them. That in its self is a joke, but it is tax payers money, your money. It started as a dream of a better future for the residents then turned into a nightmare. Bureacrats so called experts and vultures landed here in droves. They saw gold in Braunstone and moved in with every bright idea to relieve us of as much as possible and boy are they doing a good job of that. It is called resident led. What it really means is residents led by the nose, they selected the most gullable they could find. Many other residents like myself who dare to speak out are branded disidents. Government have secret files on us as if we are a threat to the country. Braunstone is a good place to live, we moved here 45 years ago, this money could have helped many people change their standard of living, but that is not to be. The average wage of the staff is 30 grand a year for doing very little but talk about how clever they are and we have around 70 of them. The council have just sold 250 council houses for £250 to the accountable body housing association, not bad for them.
I am looking round for other areas to seek points of view to see if I am wrong for fighting the system. One company dug up asbestos in the estate but told no one, another buried hundreds of tons of contaminated rubbish in the back gardens of people homes, is this regeneration.

Alan.

Tealeaf · 06-09-2004, 15:59

I really don’t believe this. This is the quote that started this thread, by yours truly:

19.April 2004

Quote..”I've just read saturdays Telegraph website. The Bureacrats at County Hall in Preston have decided to spend money on putting up road signs reading "Welcome to Lancashire" on all the major roads coming out of "Blackburn-with-Darwen". They're already up on the roads coming out of Blackpool.

Is this not the most incompetent piece of bureaucratic nonsense yet devised? How much will this cost us, and why? Can anyone think of other examples to match this loonacy, from either Lancashire or Hyndburn Council? Unquote”
I have now had a quick look at tonight’s evening telegraph, and here is an abridged quote from the paper:

6th Sept 2004

Quote “Drive to cut road signs clutter
A REVIEW of Lancashire's road signs has been launched amid fears they are making the county look untidy.
Lancashire County Council's highways chief has ordered a review to make sure signs aren't cluttering up roadsides unnecessarily.
Coun Jean Yates fears many signs are now surplus to requirements because they direct people to places which either don't exist or now have an easier access route.

She wants to see, wherever possible, directions all placed on one sign, rather than on several staggered down a road.

Her move is backed by the Campaign to Protect Rural England (CPRE), which, by coincidence launched a campaign to reduce the number of signs on the roads.

Coun Yates said: "Lancashire is a very attractive county but I am concerned that that is somewhat spoilt by the proliferation of road signs." Quote

For once, I am afraid words have failed me….no doubt some of you will wish to comment on how the good use that your money is being applied to.

WillowTheWhisp · 06-09-2004, 16:28

If it wasn't for the fact that it's our money they are wasting the irony of it would be laughable wouldn't it?

I thought "Welcome to..............." signs were intended for county boundries so that you knew you were leaving one and entering another. Maybe the powers that be in County Hall don't realise Blackburn is part of Lancashire?

Darby · 07-09-2004, 04:28

New sign for Hyndburn:

"Welcome to the Insane Asylum" [I]

and leaving Hyndburn

" You have just left the Insane Asylum for Councils"

Disident · 07-09-2004, 05:41

Thanks Busman and Darby and all welcome postings, I have been insulted by the best Government Ministers and MPs councillors the lot. One more makes no difference you get use to them. Your site is very good, but being a retard and an old codger slows me down a little. I keep getting lost on the site. But I enjoy reading the postings. I have been in your neck of the woods many times as my job was a lorry driver for 40 odd years. Where ever you go you will always find one. I visit many sites but your site is funny and gives a good insight to your area. Many sites are council controlled and of course you cannot post the truth. I live over looking a beautiful large park, we have just been paid a visit by travellers a large area is covered in human waste and rubbish but the council do little to stop this sort of thing. Their friends get the contract cleaning up and no councillors live near the mess. A small group of residents have been battling the government for four years now over wasted money, but they all pee in the same pot and close ranks against us. It is peoples silence that lets councils and government do mad things.

Disident

Disident · 07-09-2004, 05:59

Beat this one for waste. £150.000 in a fixed inquiry to remove one resident director of the Braunstone Community Association New Deal. His crime was to ask to see the expenses of the board of directors. He ask the fraud sqaud to investigate. In three weeks he was removed. It as now been proved that the evidence used against him was fake. Beat that one, and two more directors removed and banned from restanding for election at great cost to all taxpayers. Crime speaking the truth.

Darby · 07-09-2004, 07:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Disident

Beat this one for waste. £150.000 in a fixed inquiry to remove one resident director of the Braunstone Community Association New Deal. His crime was to ask to see the expenses of the board of directors. He ask the fraud sqaud to investigate. In three weeks he was removed. It as now been proved that the evidence used against him was fake. Beat that one, and two more directors removed and banned from restanding for election at great cost to all taxpayers. Crime speaking the truth.

It's not much different anywhere in the world.... Disident.

I'm sure in Accy there are a lot of goings-on under the bedclothes.

Once the Pigs have their noses in the feeding trough, it's impossible to get them out or to let anybody else gate theirs in.

Peter Mandelson...Jobs for the Boys....People....PEOPLE.....we don't count.

This site has a lot going for it...but it's members are all REAL people with REAL stories, and they voice their opinions...just like REAL ACCRINGTONIANS.

Keep the flag flying mate!! Don't let the Bas***ds grind you down. :engsmil: :engsmil: :engsmil:

WillowTheWhisp · 07-09-2004, 08:21

At one time I was naive enough to think thatcouncils would actually do what they promised and that people putting up for election would follow through once they'd been elected. It only took a few empty promises for me to realise that when it comes to local elections not much changes whoever you vote for. Is it any wonder there is so much apathy?

I dread to think what goes on behind closed doors.

"House of Cards" vs "Yes Minister" ?

lettie · 07-09-2004, 13:19

I think it's time we launched the Accrington web party and put Tealeaf, Darby and Acrylic Bob into our council. Cats amongst the pigeons so to speak..

Acrylic-bob · 11-09-2004, 07:36

Thank you for the nomination Lettie. I'm sharpening my claws as I type.

Busman747 · 11-09-2004, 22:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tealeaf

..And what is really disgraceful is that that steam engine was given by Blythes to the Council on condition that it was erected in Church (They even offered to pay for the concrete foundation, erection and weatherproof painting)....but that was 20 years ago, because the council, having got it, said it would be better to put it somewhere else.

I have just had a quick look on the Telegraph website....these crazy fools on the council are not even looking at erecting the entire steam engine...just the wheel. This is madness and outrageous...if it is going to be re-assembled, then it should be re-assembled in full. Who do these council nutters think they are to decimate our heritage like this?

Good news or bad news Tealeaf! We all know where the "cog wheel" went, but the rest of the steam engine is no longer in its resting place! Has HBC paid for its restoration (minus a cog wheel) or maybe sold it for scrap to generate more money to pay the expenses of councillors or more likely, has it been knicked by someone who was more aware of its historical value than HBC!

Acrylic-bob · 19-09-2004, 06:07

And the sad and sorry saga continues.....

here we are, a mere six months into the new financial year and despite a critical report of the councils finances from the Audit Commission, already the Observer is reporting that HBC is, according to "Finance Chief" Joe McIntyre, facing a potential overspend of £421,000. That is nearly

HALF A MILLION POUNDS!

Thus proving that the council not only have difficulty setting a budget but that they cannot keep to it either.

And brain-dead Britcliffe's response to this revelation is to simper sweetly and say " I am quietly confident that the budget is under control and I would say to people that they should beware would-be prophets of doom." He went on "I am sure that many other local authorities would look enviously at the situation that Hyndburn is in".

Oh really, Peter. And where would these envious local authorities be, pray tell? ALBANIA? NORTH KOREA? ZIMBABWE?
CLOUD BL**DY CUCKOO LAND ? ? ? !!!!!

How about getting your snout out of the trough for a while and do what you were elected to do for a change?

How much longer are we going to put up with this pathetic charade?