A friend of mine is seconded to Lambeth Council and he says that hardly anyone gets in before 10am and most people have left by 4pm with the exception of one man (I won't let on to his nationality) who is running his import and export business from the offices first thing in the morning when there's no one around to disturb him
Working for local government is one cushy number. It gets ripped off left-right and centre both by its employees and the companies who hold the contracts. When I'm not at uni I work for childrens social services. If you saw how much some of the childrens homes charge the council per week for placements it'd make your eyes water. Also, we can only buy IT equipment from the approved contractor, and the prices are 50% more than standard prices in your high-street shops. In fact, that goes for everything.
Good to know where your council tax is going. Glad I don't pay any!!
My wife parked outside the sons school to drop him off last week, there is an understanding between the school and the local council that parents can park in the restricted zone while they drop there children off at nursery, the restricted zone stops at 9.30 the good lady got a ticket at 9.29, commision driven or just thick, only they can answer it,
Just wondering but if you'd got a ticket fom a Lambeth warden over the last couple of weeks or so you'd possibly have a case for refusing to pay(assuming that it can be proved that the ticket was issued by an illegal immigrant that is)....if you've already paid it would probably be a bit tricky to get your money back and maybe not worth your while, but fresh cases that are yet to be paid...I'd give it a go wouldn't you...Christ yes I certainly would?
[cite]Posted By: Chunes[/cite]Working for local government is one cushy number. It gets ripped off left-right and centre both by its employees and the companies who hold the contracts. When I'm not at uni I work for childrens social services. If you saw how much some of the childrens homes charge the council per week for placements it'd make your eyes water. Also, we can only buy IT equipment from the approved contractor, and the prices are 50% more than standard prices in your high-street shops. In fact, that goes for everything.
Good to know where your council tax is going. Glad I don't pay any!!
I work in Local Government and I work bloody hard - So does my team and the people I associate with in my building. Yes there is corruption, but it's not as rife as in the private sector. When it's found it's stopped - I know I speak from experience.
As for prices that Social Services pay - well that's the going rate, trust me not many small and independent homes make money - only the big guys make any money. ICT Equipment - well funny you should say we pay 50% more, we don't - I've just replaced all our IT systems with Laptops, so we can smartwork - we paid £190 for each laptop, 50% less than you pay on the highstreet for the same machine.
Back on subject - ALL employees in my authority and the others I have worked for check residency and CRB check all new applicants. If Lambeth failed to do so, then they need to employ better and more robust solutions.
Please on't make general sweeping statements about Local Govt. There are bad authorities, but here are more better authorities. The better they are run, the more money they get from Central Govt. Which means that those of us who have to pay it, pay less Council Tax for better services.
[cite]Posted By: Chunes[/cite]Working for local government is one cushy number. It gets ripped off left-right and centre both by its employees and the companies who hold the contracts. When I'm not at uni I work for childrens social services. If you saw how much some of the childrens homes charge the council per week for placements it'd make your eyes water. Also, we can only buy IT equipment from the approved contractor, and the prices are 50% more than standard prices in your high-street shops. In fact, that goes for everything.
Good to know where your council tax is going. Glad I don't pay any!!
I work in Local Government and I work bloody hard - So does my team and the people I associate with in my building. Yes there is corruption, but it's not as rife as in the private sector. When it's found it's stopped - I know I speak from experience.
As for prices that Social Services pay - well that's the going rate, trust me not many small and independent homes make money - only the big guys make any money. ICT Equipment - well funny you should say we pay 50% more, we don't - I've just replaced all our IT systems with Laptops, so we can smartwork - we paid £190 for each laptop, 50% less than you pay on the highstreet for the same machine.
Back on subject - ALL employees in my authority and the others I have worked for check residency and CRB check all new applicants. If Lambeth failed to do so, then they need to employ better and more robust solutions.
Please on't make general sweeping statements about Local Govt. There are bad authorities, but here are more better authorities. The better they are run, the more money they get from Central Govt. Which means that those of us who have to pay it, pay less Council Tax for better services.
Blimey, times must have changed since you worked for Greenwich Dave, I don't ever remember you working bloody hard? :-)
Working for local government is one cushy number. It gets ripped off left-right and centre both by its employees and the companies who hold the contracts. When I'm not at uni I work for childrens social services. If you saw how much some of the childrens homes charge the council per week for placements it'd make your eyes water. Also, we can only buy IT equipment from the approved contractor, and the prices are 50% more than standard prices in your high-street shops. In fact, that goes for everything.
Good to know where your council tax is going. Glad I don't pay any!!
*****
Never before have I read such a load of ill informed bollocks.
During my 10 years with local government I have often sat back and thought this is a really cushy number. Whilst working in estate management and being assualted twice in the line of duty I remember thinking this is such an easy life, whilst my wife was being threatened by an ex tnt I again thought things can't get any better than this, working frequent 10-11 hour days is always easy......
Your comments about IT purchasing are also at best ill informed. Working now as an IT manager for a very local governemt I can assure you that us simpletons who sign this contracts certainly do not partner with companies charging 50% more.
To be honest your Council Tax comment (a classic often quoted at public sector workers) just about sums up how feeble minded you really are. As you so eloquently inform us, you don't pay any so why are you questioning where it goes? As an aside have you actually ever bothered to see where "your" council tax goes?.
Next time you consider sending a post like this have a little think about who you might be insulting before spouting your feeble minded crap.
I think we all agree that there are some very fine local councils...conversely there are some that are truly appalling...and Lambeth being the very worst I fancy.
Dartford Council is quite reasonable, they dont insist you recycle, your choice (you get more out of people with sugar than vinegar), they actively promote St Georges day and hold a superb 2 day free festival every summer.
Agreed DA9, always thought Dartford have been pretty good. As well as what you've mentioned, getting the football club into the town and having one of, if not THE best stadium in non-league is a huge plus for everyone there.
Dartford Park/Tescos should be interesting to see how its dealt with though...
[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]Dartford Council is quite reasonable, they dont insist you recycle, your choice (you get more out of people with sugar than vinegar), they actively promote St Georges day and hold a superb 2 day free festival every summer.
A free festival...but not free beer I fancy....now that really would be putting out a message!!
[cite]Posted By: DA9[/cite]Dartford Council is quite reasonable, they dont insist you recycle, your choice (you get more out of people with sugar than vinegar), they actively promote St Georges day and hold a superb 2 day free festival every summer.
A free festival...but not free beer I fancy....now that really would be putting out a message!!
It is a top 2 days, (no free beer though), top acts have been there, Chas & Dave closed it this year, and lots of tribute bands, park up with deck chairs and coolbox and its superb
First let me just say that I accept it was a broad and generalising statement, for which I do apologise. We're all guilty of those from time to time - they slip out. I didn't mean to offend anybody, but I realise now that I should've expected it, as it seemed I was tarring everyone with the same brush. Still, I think you overdid it on the vehement.
Notes from a feeble mind...
Having worked with social workers for 4 years I have nothing but praise for what they do and how hard they work. They have a lot to put up with and do it with minimal complaint. I'm sure that this work continues in all aspects of local government, adults services, housing etc.. There are many, many fine people who work for the community and not for themselves.
My comment about employees ripping off the sector was not meant to be construed as being financial corruption. My issue with employees in local government is with their immutable job security. I have personally witnessed more than few people sitting in highly paid jobs who do practically nothing all day. If I could have bet on one of my old managers playing solitaire whenever I walked into his office, I could be a very rich man. Another problem lies in those who, at some point and for whatever reason, have been promoted to a position for which they don't have the competence. There are managers here who do not offer support to their workers as they are clearly incapable, and in turn workers who struggle to do their jobs for the same reason. Yet there is no performance clause in their contracts. They are locked there, earning their money, and unless they breach some form of conduct there's little anyone can do about it. There have been examples of a team having to hire two workers to fill one role as one of the workers 'struggles' with their job. The rest get shipped round on secondments in the hope that they'll get sick of being moved and just leave. The rules that were used to aide workers rights now aide a slack use of resources. Although, as I said earlier, this does not apply to everyone; is this good use of funding?
The 50% comment. I don't think I have to say that was a bit of an exaggeration. If I'm being honest, this was based on when I first started work here, before the council signed a new contract with a major IT business provider. Flipping through our order catalogue for something as simple as USB keys (and a bulk order, too), the same models were significantly cheaper on your usual go-to IT product websites. My statement was based on that. My role no longer includes ordering IT equipment, but I believe now that we are contracted to a 'big one', this would no longer be an issue. I'm sure there are less fortunate councils around, though.
So, just to reiterate, I apologise if my sweeping generelisation offended those people for whom the community would be a much worse place without. My comment was meant to be aimed at the office-worker rather than those who took the job to help. They are better people than I and have my full respect.
You can rest assured that everytime the phone rings I think it's the director about to sack me for gross misconduct.
What gets right up my nose is workers, in the private and public sectors, who have time to post comments on internet message boards about which women they like to shag, which bands they like and why some of them are not spending the money they have in effect "stolen" from their employers on travelling up and down the country to watch some two bob football team.
chunes my man i think that in all companies there are those that get moved upwards or sideways when most of us think they should be sacked for lazziness and incompetence i have often wondered why that is maybe easier for the senior mgr who employed them.
well done for coming back on and putting your point across
Actually, they weren't sacked. They got wind of checks on their papers and just never turned up for work again. Not that that makes it any better of course.
Actually Henners, I was on leave today - My eldest son's 10th birthday ;-) I'd never log on at work and post now would I??
Chunes - Thanks for coming back and clarifying. Councils, local authorities, call us whatever have changed, we've had to. A lot of dead wood has gone. We're leaner than before but I will be the first to admit we could be leaner still. There are still bad councils and yes Lambeth are one of them. It all comes down to leadership and what direction out political masters want to take.
As for Job security, well speaking from my point of view - no job is safe these days - No longer is it a job for life. My job and my service area are currently under review and I could well end up being made redundant, it's not a nice place to be, but I understand why they are looking at us. Yes people are moved upwards, sideways. It happens in every sector, private and public.
We may get more leave than the private sector, but we don't get bonuses and, as yet, we don't even get pay rises.
According to the news they weren't even employed by Lambeth but by a private company. So it's the private sector to blame then.
There are now fines in place for people employing people illegally so let's hope APCOA get done. A few £10k fines per person will soon put a stop to this.
And it also said that as long as the Traffic Warden has been properly trained then any tickets are valid.
"Forty-eight traffic wardens have departed their jobs in South London after new management carried out immigration checks.
Half of all the wardens who had been patrolling Lambeth resigned or were sacked. They had been part of a team run by the Apcoa company.
When NCP Services took over the contract and began checks on the status of staff, dozens failed to turn up for work. Several brought in passports found to be forgeries. It is believed that Lambeth council will now investigate how Apcoa recruited staff. NCP said: “In Lambeth, 48 staff resigned when we began making checks. We do not know whether all of them did not have the right to work in the UK, because they resigned of their own accord.”
Apcoa refused to comment. A spokesman said: “We would not want to comment on a contract that is no longer ours.”
Lambeth council said: “We absolutely support NCP in their efforts. It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the practices of the previous contractor at this stage.”
Comments
not surprised in the least
I used to work for them in their head office and they blatenly knew allot of their wardens, parking attendants etc were dodgy and illegal!!
Good to know where your council tax is going. Glad I don't pay any!!
But what then deprted?
Nah way free hosuing and another job i thinks
How do you know?
Why make such a general statement when you know little about what services a Local Govt provides? Read this to find out what we do.
I work in Local Government and I work bloody hard - So does my team and the people I associate with in my building. Yes there is corruption, but it's not as rife as in the private sector. When it's found it's stopped - I know I speak from experience.
As for prices that Social Services pay - well that's the going rate, trust me not many small and independent homes make money - only the big guys make any money. ICT Equipment - well funny you should say we pay 50% more, we don't - I've just replaced all our IT systems with Laptops, so we can smartwork - we paid £190 for each laptop, 50% less than you pay on the highstreet for the same machine.
Back on subject - ALL employees in my authority and the others I have worked for check residency and CRB check all new applicants. If Lambeth failed to do so, then they need to employ better and more robust solutions.
Please on't make general sweeping statements about Local Govt. There are bad authorities, but here are more better authorities. The better they are run, the more money they get from Central Govt. Which means that those of us who have to pay it, pay less Council Tax for better services.
Blimey, times must have changed since you worked for Greenwich Dave, I don't ever remember you working bloody hard? :-)
You don't ask for much, BDL... ;-)
Good to know where your council tax is going. Glad I don't pay any!!
*****
Never before have I read such a load of ill informed bollocks.
During my 10 years with local government I have often sat back and thought this is a really cushy number. Whilst working in estate management and being assualted twice in the line of duty I remember thinking this is such an easy life, whilst my wife was being threatened by an ex tnt I again thought things can't get any better than this, working frequent 10-11 hour days is always easy......
Your comments about IT purchasing are also at best ill informed. Working now as an IT manager for a very local governemt I can assure you that us simpletons who sign this contracts certainly do not partner with companies charging 50% more.
To be honest your Council Tax comment (a classic often quoted at public sector workers) just about sums up how feeble minded you really are. As you so eloquently inform us, you don't pay any so why are you questioning where it goes? As an aside have you actually ever bothered to see where "your" council tax goes?.
Next time you consider sending a post like this have a little think about who you might be insulting before spouting your
feeble minded crap.
Dartford Park/Tescos should be interesting to see how its dealt with though...
A free festival...but not free beer I fancy....now that really would be putting out a message!!
It is a top 2 days, (no free beer though), top acts have been there, Chas & Dave closed it this year, and lots of tribute bands, park up with deck chairs and coolbox and its superb
First let me just say that I accept it was a broad and generalising statement, for which I do apologise. We're all guilty of those from time to time - they slip out. I didn't mean to offend anybody, but I realise now that I should've expected it, as it seemed I was tarring everyone with the same brush. Still, I think you overdid it on the vehement.
Notes from a feeble mind...
Having worked with social workers for 4 years I have nothing but praise for what they do and how hard they work. They have a lot to put up with and do it with minimal complaint. I'm sure that this work continues in all aspects of local government, adults services, housing etc.. There are many, many fine people who work for the community and not for themselves.
My comment about employees ripping off the sector was not meant to be construed as being financial corruption. My issue with employees in local government is with their immutable job security. I have personally witnessed more than few people sitting in highly paid jobs who do practically nothing all day. If I could have bet on one of my old managers playing solitaire whenever I walked into his office, I could be a very rich man. Another problem lies in those who, at some point and for whatever reason, have been promoted to a position for which they don't have the competence. There are managers here who do not offer support to their workers as they are clearly incapable, and in turn workers who struggle to do their jobs for the same reason. Yet there is no performance clause in their contracts. They are locked there, earning their money, and unless they breach some form of conduct there's little anyone can do about it. There have been examples of a team having to hire two workers to fill one role as one of the workers 'struggles' with their job. The rest get shipped round on secondments in the hope that they'll get sick of being moved and just leave. The rules that were used to aide workers rights now aide a slack use of resources. Although, as I said earlier, this does not apply to everyone; is this good use of funding?
The 50% comment. I don't think I have to say that was a bit of an exaggeration. If I'm being honest, this was based on when I first started work here, before the council signed a new contract with a major IT business provider. Flipping through our order catalogue for something as simple as USB keys (and a bulk order, too), the same models were significantly cheaper on your usual go-to IT product websites. My statement was based on that. My role no longer includes ordering IT equipment, but I believe now that we are contracted to a 'big one', this would no longer be an issue. I'm sure there are less fortunate councils around, though.
So, just to reiterate, I apologise if my sweeping generelisation offended those people for whom the community would be a much worse place without. My comment was meant to be aimed at the office-worker rather than those who took the job to help. They are better people than I and have my full respect.
You can rest assured that everytime the phone rings I think it's the director about to sack me for gross misconduct.
Chunes
well done for coming back on and putting your point across
Chunes - Thanks for coming back and clarifying. Councils, local authorities, call us whatever have changed, we've had to. A lot of dead wood has gone. We're leaner than before but I will be the first to admit we could be leaner still. There are still bad councils and yes Lambeth are one of them. It all comes down to leadership and what direction out political masters want to take.
As for Job security, well speaking from my point of view - no job is safe these days - No longer is it a job for life. My job and my service area are currently under review and I could well end up being made redundant, it's not a nice place to be, but I understand why they are looking at us. Yes people are moved upwards, sideways. It happens in every sector, private and public.
We may get more leave than the private sector, but we don't get bonuses and, as yet, we don't even get pay rises.
Anyway, good response Chunes.
There are now fines in place for people employing people illegally so let's hope APCOA get done. A few £10k fines per person will soon put a stop to this.
And it also said that as long as the Traffic Warden has been properly trained then any tickets are valid.
"Forty-eight traffic wardens have departed their jobs in South London after new management carried out immigration checks.
Half of all the wardens who had been patrolling Lambeth resigned or were sacked. They had been part of a team run by the Apcoa company.
When NCP Services took over the contract and began checks on the status of staff, dozens failed to turn up for work. Several brought in passports found to be forgeries. It is believed that Lambeth council will now investigate how Apcoa recruited staff. NCP said: “In Lambeth, 48 staff resigned when we began making checks. We do not know whether all of them did not have the right to work in the UK, because they resigned of their own accord.”
Apcoa refused to comment. A spokesman said: “We would not want to comment on a contract that is no longer ours.”
Lambeth council said: “We absolutely support NCP in their efforts. It would be inappropriate for us to comment on the practices of the previous contractor at this stage.”