Most business is probably just as inefficient, it's just harder to find their finances.

Most business is probably just as inefficient, it's just harder to find their finances.

Maybe, but there is a big difference between private and public sector firms which I think most who have worked in both would testify too. Makes a big difference when the boss whose money it is is visible and present rather than state money.

To quote William Waldegrave (of Thatcher's 'every Prime Minister needs a Willie' quote fame), anybody who believes private companies are always more efficient than the public service has never worked in real private enterprise.

I was referring more to small business where the boss is normally much more hands on and interested in the day to day stuff. I don't believe that in cases where the director is answerable to the shareholder they are particularly any more efficient.

To quote William Waldegrave (of Thatcher's 'every Prime Minister needs a Willie' quote fame), anybody who believes private companies are always more efficient than the public service has never worked in real private enterprise.

That "every PM needs a Willie" was referring to Whitelaw not Waldegrave.

That "every PM needs a Willie" was referring to Whitelaw not Waldegrave.

Oh god, of course! Shameface. It's been a long week :(

I will reply to your post tonight or tomorrow daytime Tyron

 

Been away for couple of days and got guests over today till about 10pm tonight so simply dont have the time to reply fully atm

No one ACTUALLY needs to know about that.

I feel like I should say something along the lines of 'PREACH' here.

 

I will be eagerly refreshing in the morning in anticipation of Craig's response.

 

How wrong you were Griff ;)

I assume you're talking about Bournemouth Council and the infamous IMAX. That, of course, is a Tory council.

 

I cant confirm, but new labour policies governed council policies and behaviour while they were in power. The Tory party appear to be holding up Bournemouth council as some sort of template to be followed for future policies and they should be very careful what they wish for. If there are any others on here working for Labour councils please chip in and offer opinions - I speak to people working for (and have the odd friend working for) Labour councils so I have my own views based on that but thats hearsay...

 

 

I cant confirm, but new labour policies governed council policies and behaviour while they were in power. The Tory party appear to be holding up Bournemouth council as some sort of template to be followed for future policies and they should be very careful what they wish for. If there are any others on here working for Labour councils please chip in and offer opinions - I speak to people working for (and have the odd friend working for) Labour councils so I have my own views based on that but thats hearsay...

There's national policy, yes, but a lot of what you talked about is completely down to the individual council.

North of the border Councils aren't that much better. My local authority wastes money redesigning my town centre every few years. They also have a penchant for traffic lights that they don't sync up so cause ridiculous tail backs every day.

 

At school chucking out time, my town centre is one of the most polluted place in the EU! :magic: God bless you and your traffic management Fife Council!

 

That is one specific example of me highlighting/slightly exaggerating something I think has been wasteful by my council. There is not a council in the country without hundreds of tales like that. Look at Edinburgh's bloody Tram system for example! There are inefficient processes in every sector across the land. Even within sole traders there is money wasted, just not on the same scale as a larger organisation. To think there isn't is naive.

 

I worked for 2 of the big 4 supermarkets and could lecture them both at lengthy about the money they are just throwing away. My current employer is much smaller, but no different. There are many inefficient and wasteful processes that happen every single day! For example the Finance department is split into two sections, 'Finance' and 'Research Funding Office', located at opposite ends of St Andrews! Yet we share a management structure and need the other to do certain aspects of our jobs.

 

If you go looking for negatives they are all you'll see.

Don't get me started on Edinburgh's trams. All the cities with scrapped schemes and that godawful thing went ahead.

I cant confirm, but new labour policies governed council policies and behaviour while they were in power. The Tory party appear to be holding up Bournemouth council as some sort of template to be followed for future policies and they should be very careful what they wish for. If there are any others on here working for Labour councils please chip in and offer opinions - I speak to people working for (and have the odd friend working for) Labour councils so I have my own views based on that but thats hearsay...

Seriously? Bournemouth Council has been very badly run in all the near 17 years I have been living just across the border in Poole. That includes a period when the Lib Dems were in control. They just go from one farce to another - the IMAX building, the Winter Gardens, the Boscombe surfing fiasco,... Actually, come to think of it, that does provide a very good template for the way they are running the country.

Seriously? Bournemouth Council has been very badly run in all the near 17 years I have been living just across the border in Poole. That includes a period when the Lib Dems were in control. They just go from one farce to another - the IMAX building, the Winter Gardens, the Boscombe surfing fiasco,... Actually, come to think of it, that does provide a very good template for the way they are running the country.

I can't disagree with a word you say...!

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-25...ato-scones.html

 

This woman sets the perfect example of what people should do

 

There would be no need for food banks if the poor were more responsible and made more of their own meals

Find another source and I might open it.

Have you ever been 'poor' before Sandro

I've found the blog of the woman from the Daily mail: http://thriftylesley.com

 

It's all value stuff like but a pretty clever way of making your money go further.

Have you ever been 'poor' before Sandro

 

I was born on a council estate, had to pretty much live on my brothers' 'hand me downs' for years when I was younger so I know what it is like to go without

 

But it gave me the motivation to better myself and to give myself the lifestyle I desired so my relatively poor upbringing was probably the best thing that ever happened to me