We're All in this Together

gynn · 18-11-2010, 00:33

We were all shocked by the news in last months LET.

"MORE than 6,000 jobs are expected to be lost after Lancashire County Council announced a massive programme of spending cuts.

The council’s directors, who were asked last year to identify possible cuts in their departments, have now been dispatched to come up with ways to make extra savings."

So how, we wonder are they getting on in their search for savings? Not very well, judging from tonights LET.

"Lancashire County Council has promoted its resources boss the top job of chief executive.

Phil Halsall has landed the post, which comes with a salary of £194,655."

or about 105 quid an hour.

Oh Dear!

Back to the Drawing Board.

As our esteemed PM is often heard to say "We're all in this together!"

shillelagh · 18-11-2010, 02:34

thats how theyre making cuts ...

17 East Lancashire council bases shut in bid to save cash (From Lancashire Telegraph)

By the way i heard on the radio by one of the head honchos on the council the bloke they've given the job as chief exec was the deputy chief exec .. and the post of deputy chief exec is to be abolished ...

gynn · 18-11-2010, 06:23

Quote:

Originally Posted by shillelagh

.. and the post of deputy chief exec is to be abolished ...

Well that's good news. It will save the Council money......but hold on...

Knowing how local government works, it will give the directors below deputy chief executive level more responsibility, so they will each get more cash.......

So the first move by the "directors, who were asked last year to identify possible cuts in their departments" is to take advantage of the fortuitous departure of the chief executive by grabbing part of the cash for themselves, and presenting the rest to the Council as a saving. So everybody's happy!

That's why the guy is worth 195 grand a year!

Allegedly

Bernard Dawson · 18-11-2010, 09:39

Quote:

Originally Posted by gynn

Well that's good news. It will save the Council money......but hold on...

Knowing how local government works, it will give the directors below deputy chief executive level more responsibility, so they will each get more cash.......

So the first move by the "directors, who were asked last year to identify possible cuts in their departments" is to take advantage of the fortuitous departure of the chief executive by grabbing part of the cash for themselves, and presenting the rest to the Council as a saving. So everybody's happy!

That's why the guy is worth 195 grand a year!

Allegedly

I don't know how you can be so cynical. Doesn't everyone in Local Government have the best intrests of the ratepayer at heart.

jaysay · 18-11-2010, 09:54

To be honest the same operational work would be done by half the staff it takes at county hall, in the private sector, anybody ever been round county hall, how many people do they employ, I've never seen so many people walking around aimlessly holding blank pieces of paper looking important

Acrylic-bob · 18-11-2010, 10:42

If they can find 6000 jobs that were not strictly necessary so easily, it kinda makes you wonder how many more they can find if they are really pushed. It also makes one wonder, if these 6000 jobs are deemed not strictly necessary, why we have been paying for them for years and years and years?

Parasites, the bluddy lot of em!

Benipete · 18-11-2010, 10:50

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

To be honest the same operational work would be done by half the staff it takes at county hall, in the private sector, anybody ever been round county hall, how many people do they employ, I've never seen so many people walking around aimlessly holding blank pieces of paper looking important

There's a hell of a lot more in Westminster.100.000 at least.

jaysay · 18-11-2010, 10:54

Quote:

Originally Posted by Benipete

There's a hell of a lot more in Westminster.100.000 at least.

Don't get me going on Westminster Beni

800, 000 new jobs were created between 1997 and 2100

heth · 18-11-2010, 10:57

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

new jobs were created between 1997 and 2100

John what are the lottery numbers on Friday & Saturday?!

jaysay · 18-11-2010, 11:02

Quote:

Originally Posted by heth

John what are the lottery numbers on Friday & Saturday?!

Don't know, they don't print them in the press were everybody can read them

heth · 18-11-2010, 13:06

Quote:

Originally Posted by jaysay

Don't know, they don't print them in the press were everybody can read them

You must know them if you can see to the year 2100!!!!

Acrylic-bob · 18-11-2010, 13:11

Looks like we've all got fat-finger-itis today.

jaysay · 18-11-2010, 18:59

Quote:

Originally Posted by Acrylic-bob

Looks like we've all got fat-finger-itis today.

Every day for me Bob

MovedtoBolton · 18-11-2010, 19:19

Quote:

Originally Posted by gynn

We were all shocked by the news in last months LET.

"MORE than 6,000 jobs are expected to be lost after Lancashire County Council announced a massive programme of spending cuts.

The council’s directors, who were asked last year to identify possible cuts in their departments, have now been dispatched to come up with ways to make extra savings."

So how, we wonder are they getting on in their search for savings? Not very well, judging from tonights LET.

"Lancashire County Council has promoted its resources boss the top job of chief executive.

Phil Halsall has landed the post, which comes with a salary of £194,655."

or about 105 quid an hour.

Oh Dear!

Back to the Drawing Board.

As our esteemed PM is often heard to say "We're all in this together!"

There seems to be one minor point missing from this thread / comment. I'm not defending high salaries but there has been a saving made. LCC has, in it's own terminology "disestablished" Halsalls previous post of Director of Resources. This it is claimed equates to £500,000 over the next 3 years. Net gain to Halsall £30k per year, gross saving to LCC £166k per year. Like I say, I'm not defending it, just keeping it objective.

entwisi · 18-11-2010, 21:08

194K is still a crazy amount of money for that role, the PM doesn't earn that IIRC. OK he will make it on Memoirs etc but its still far too much for the role.

As others say, why has it taken global recession for these people to start spending OUR money as if its their own. even in my job where the money is just numbers on a spreadsheet I wont spend it if I think its too much for what I get. I could have spent nearly 200K last month and it would have been authorised but it simply wasn't value for money for what we got so I worked out a way to do it that cost me all of 500 quid using old decomissioned kit.

All I ask is our politicians and councillors do the same.