The Guardian today published a photo of a bit of derelict yard where kids had been playing, as evidence that because of cuts the local council – Blackburn – could not afford a proper playground.
The reason Blackburn council cannot afford a proper playground is nothing to do with cuts. It is because. like most local governments in this country, it blows far too much money on the excellent lifestyles of fatcat senior officers. In the town hall of Blackburn there are an astonishing 16 council officers on over £75,000 per year plus allowances, gold-plated pension, car and benefits.
The chief executive is paid more than the Prime Minister. A council deputy leisure centre manager in Blackburn gets £42,000. A friend of mine is deputy food and beverages manager at a famous Central London hotel – he gets £26,000.
Yesterday saw the British establishment through pomp and show, and a display of jewels looted with violence and rape from foreign cities, announcing policies to worsen the lives of the poorest on benefits, and clamp down further on the immigrants who do so much to keep this ailing economy active. But despite their willingness to attack the vulnerable poor or foreign, what the political class do not do is attack their own. The point of the state is to divert money from the taxpayer to the political class and their paymasters.
The high-ups in Blackburn Council may be bottom feeders within that system of privilege, but boy! their bottoms are certainly getting fed. Doubtless they all take the Guardian, the newspaper of those “living high off the taxpayer” classes. Maybe they could have a whip round from their inflated salaries and build a little playground?
Sorry to bang on about this Surrey CC CEO, but he has been awarded a bonus of £100k, secretly it seems. It is payable in 2018 dependent on his performance. Bloody hell!
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2133380_council_defends_100k_chief_executive_bonus
He landed in Surrey in 2009 from Trafford.
This poor old lady was in the care of Mr McNulty and his cohort. I see that the ‘strategic’ director of adult social ‘care’ takes home between £125-£145k pa. Shame on the whole bunch of them.
No criminal charges over woman left to starve
By Nick Edmondson
May 09, 2013
NO criminal charges will be pursued in the case of a woman who was left without care in her home for more than a week.
Gloria Foster, an 81-year-old widow from Banstead, died in Epsom Hospital on February 4 this year after being discovered abandoned, starving and dehydrated.
Her care was being provided by Sutton-based firm Carefirst24, which was shut down following a raid by the UK Border Agency and Metropolitan Police in January.
The responsibility to arrange replacement care at her Chipstead Road home was passed on to Surrey County Council (SCC).
/..
http://www.getsurrey.co.uk/news/s/2133854_no_criminal_charges_over_woman_left_to_starve
@Jon,
Perhaps I put it badly but I don’t think that those in private sector boardrooms are “better behaved” … All this started in the private and not the public sector and I think that the endemic culture of greed that has developed in the private sector over the last 30 years (actively encouraged by actions of successive governments) has infected every part of our public sector also – and, you’re right, that includes Union officials – but I have a feeling that the majority of those greedy public officials are pale imitations of their private sector counterparts who don’t just say “I’m all right Jack, get your hands off the edge of the boat” but actively stamp on Jack’s fingers as well.
@Jon
I just thought of not a bad quote to illustrate what I perceive as the difference between the two … I can’t remember it exactly (or who said it!) but it want something like this:
“Mitterand was totally corrupt … Chirac merely greedy”.
Blackburn are cutting Councillors’ allowances and expenses.
http://www.lancashiretelegraph.co.uk/news/blackburndarwenhyndburnribble/10409988.Blackburn_with_Darwen_councillors_in_row_over_expenses_cap/
Not sure about the pay issues but I do take issue with The Guardian using that photo to start on some hobby-horse rant.
Looks like typical kids’ stuff to me and I have fond memories of making such “camps” with bits and pieces we found around the neighborhood when I was a kid. The Guardian would like to spend loads of money on sanitized play areas that would probably just get ripped apart by vandals? Let kids be kids and they may learn a thing or two while growing up.
DavidH 2.39am,
Good post,i agree.
A few years ago, I spent a Summer working as a receptionist in a local government housing office. It’s the kind of job where you get to know everyone. There were some staff who worked incredibly hard – the folks in the homeless person’s unit coming tops in that respect. But some of the ‘middle managers’ (all middle class graduates) were massive piss takers. Late to work, 2 hour lunches, home early – every day, week on week. And what they did for their duck sauce dinners was evidently very little. As for the head of housing, he DID work hard (and was indeed well remunerated), and clearly loathed these idlers. However, said arse scratchers were quick to run to the trade union if under threat – and I am certainly not a trade union basher, by any means – it’s just that these well educated skivers were incredibly smart when it came to protecting their own interests.
A conference of campaigners and academics, entitled “How Corrupt is Britain?”, will hear evidence that wrongdoing is not confined to a few corrupt officials but is systemic within leading institutions.
The conference organiser, Dr David Whyte, of the University of Liverpool’s School of Law and Social Justice which is hosting the event, said the aim was to challenge two “long-outdated” assumptions.
“First, that corruption is a problem that happens in far-away places, in governments that do not have our traditions. Secondly, that corruption is something that we can understand merely as a problem that stems from the actions of a minority of public officials who are ‘on the make’, rather than something that is routine in our most venerated institutions,” he said.
(Emphasis mine – K)
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/scandal-just-how-corrupt-is-britain-8610095.html
‘Today’ had a brief discussion on this earlier, er, today, but I can’t find it on the BBC site.
There is an association of play equipment manufacturers.
http://www.api-play.org/api-member-details/memberprofiles
I see Hollywood has got in on the act. Get ’em young.
http://www.api-play.org/warner-bros-park-leisure
There is also a Disney Interactive.
Gove made the cuts.
Playground plans shelved under government spending cuts
Coalition makes cuts to £235m Playbuilder scheme intended to create 3,500 community playgrounds across England
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2010/aug/11/playground-plans-frozen-spending-cuts
There is a charity called Play England. Funding:
http://www.playengland.org.uk/about-us/how-we’re-funded.aspx
It is newly registered on the Charity Commission website so there are no details yet.
I could not find out the total value of the spend on play equipment by UK local authorities. It is obviously big business, or was.
Craig,
I like the cut of your gib and will be reading regularly. Good work.
Woman in £1m hat speaks on austerity
http://trotskyite.files.wordpress.com/2012/06/queen.jpg 😉
@ Brendan 10.33PM – re your comment “A dictatorship or managed democracy may have a parliament, as long as that parliament is full of corrupt empty-heads who do what they are told, when push comes to shove.”
Quite so – except they don’t have to be empty-heads. If they are a little bit corrupt (like fiddling an expense account) they can be easily blackmailed into line by those in the know. And organizations like MI5/6 can be in the know if they want to be. But it goes far beyond MPs; a managed democracy also requires a “wilfully blind” media who know when to look the other way and what not to report on.
@ post at 17h09 today :
“Woman in £1m hat speaks on austerity”
Bearing in mind that the crown is not Her Majesty’s personal property (it belongs to the state), what point is the commenter trying to make?
@Roderick Russell
… a managed democracy also requires a “wilfully blind” media who know when to look the other way and what not to report on.
At the risk of repeating what is oft spoken of on these threads it goes even further than wilful blindness … the popular press has become not just a spokesman for its multi-millionaire owners but also for the government … while the BBC … enough said.
So those media outlets not only choose what they report with great care but also how they report it. They are not only full of omissions but also half-truths, value-judgements and downright lies.
And these are the media most read and listened to by the greatest number of people.
So the general population are conned and give their passive consent to this ‘dictatorship of managed democracy’.
Sorry to see this in the UK, I actually know a few kids whose parents decided to emigrate there “for a better life” from Lithuania. I’m sure that the UK will eventually catch up with Lithuania, at least in terms of children’s playgrounds, someday.
Until then, keep sending us your EU funds (for children’s playgrounds, hospitals, road projects, and the such).
Indigo, yes to your [9 May, 2013 – 11:10 pm] comment. Brendan, I wish class analyses were discussed more frequently – very apposite.
“The BBC’s Program “Bankers – Fixing The System”
http://rowans-blog.blogspot.co.uk/2013/05/the-bbcs-program-bankers-fixing-system.html
@Habbabkuk
‘Bearing in mind that the crown is not Her Majesty’s personal property (it belongs to the state), what point is the commenter trying to make?’
Can anyone wear the crown, then? No, of course not. It’s bleeding obvious what point the commenter is making, just stop picking on her will you?
Twit George Osborne tweets. He is ever so excited that Star Wars No.# will be made here thanks to all the tax breaks we hand out to the Hollywood mafia. And a tea from the WI. Miss Marple lives.
George Osborne @George_Osborne 9h
Just confirmed: the next Star Wars film will be made in UK. Great news for our creative industries. May the force be with us…..
George Osborne @George_Osborne 10h
Constructive talks today on global economy with #G7 leaders. Formal agenda ended for the day but informal discussions continue
George Osborne @George_Osborne 17h
Delighted the WI agreed to prepare a proper English tea for when #G7 guests arrive. Dropped in to say thanks https://twitter.com/George_Osborne/status/332855115176361984/photo/1
George Osborne @George_Osborne 20h
Powerful #elephantintheroom campaign. Have put tax evasion & helping developing countries on agenda at #G7 this weekend
Pathetic stuff and pathetic chancellor. Agent Cameron got the big ‘E’ from Putin on his visit to Sochi too.
http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/67535000/jpg/_67535338_67535337.jpg
King of Welsh Noir. LOL
There is a Queen in Waiting. Camilla. The good and outspoken retired Bishop of Hulme has just been on the BBC reviewing the papers. He referred to her positioning herself, or her having been positioned by others, as Queen In Waiting. Even had an oblique dig at P. Charles’ adultery. He was commenting on this piece.
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2322810/No-wonder-shes-smiling-As-Camilla-takes-centre-stage-husband-shes-lifted-gloomy-introspection-soon-queen-name.html?ito=feeds-newsxml
See the references to the Bishop’s stand on nationalism, racism and Caterpillar and others assisting the Israeli occupation!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stephen_Lowe_(bishop)
He is one of us. His views on many topics this morning, for instance on the corruption within the ANC (Tutu will not be voting for them) and the position of women within the Anglican church (he thinks the new female Dean of Llandaff has been squeezed out), were refreshing.
@ KingOfWelshNoir :
“@Habbabkuk
‘Bearing in mind that the crown is not Her Majesty’s personal property (it belongs to the state), what point is the commenter trying to make?’
Can anyone wear the crown, then? No, of course not. It’s bleeding obvious what point the commenter is making, just stop picking on her will you?”
———
I should have preferred a reply from the original poster, but still…..
Your point is…pointless. Paintings in the national galleries also belong to the nation, but no-one would expect members of the public to come along and ask to borrow them for a while to hang in thier living rooms.
So my question remains.
If the answer is so “bleeding obvious”, perhaps you, acting as a surrogate for the original poster, could spell it out for us?
Thank you.
@ poster at 09h05 :
“….retired Bishop of Hulme has just been on the BBC reviewing the papers. He referred to her positioning herself, or her having been positioned by others, as Queen In Waiting.”
———
But she IS the Queen in waiting, isn’t she? So I’m not sure what the poster means by this “positioning herself” business.
Camilla has no automatic right under the constitution to become what is known as “Queen Consort” (and shortened to ‘Queen’.) Essentially it’s the decision of Charles but to get his parent’s agreement to the marriage it was announced at the time that she would not be Queen Consort but HRH Princess Consort when he took the throne.
There has been speculation since that he’s backtracked on his prior agreement but the latest announcement can be found here:
http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2012/11/12/camilla-will-never-be-queen-prince-charles-capitulates-on-website-faq.html
@Habbabkuk
‘I should have preferred a reply from the original poster, but still…..’
Why? Your question wasn’t directed at the commenter, it read: ‘What point is the commenter trying to make?’
‘Your point is…pointless. Paintings in the national galleries also belong to the nation, but no-one would expect members of the public to come along and ask to borrow them for a while to hang in thier living rooms.’
That’s right, no member of the public would be able to take works of art belonging to the nation and hang them on his or her living room wall, but the Queen does. She’s got loads. So your rebuttal actually seems to bolster the point.
@ KingOfWelshNoir :
“@Habbabkuk
‘I should have preferred a reply from the original poster, but still…..’
Why? Your question wasn’t directed at the commenter, it read: ‘What point is the commenter trying to make?’”
————
I don’t think you need to be especially smart to understand that the question was directed, in the first place, to the commenter who made the comment?
But it’s true that since that particular commenter makes a habit of never replying to questions (after all, one doesn’t challenge the word of the Popess, does one? Frightfully bad show!), I think I can inderstand that others feel a need to step in.
————–
“That’s right, no member of the public would be able to take works of art belonging to the nation and hang them on his or her living room wall, but the Queen does. She’s got loads. So your rebuttal actually seems to bolster the point.”
——-
No, I don’t think so. But more importantly, could you perhaps, acting as the original poster’s surrogate, try to explain what her point was? Her post tells us that Her Majesty wore a crown which is worth a lot of money at the ceremony of opening a session of Parliament. What precisely are we supposed to deduce from that? Could it perhaps be that:
1/ Her Majesty shouldn’t wear a crown when opening a session of Parliament.
2/. She should wear a cheap one.
3/. Free crowns should be distributed to all residents of the UK (includong illegal immigrants, of course.
4/. The crown should be sold and the money raised go towards reducing the state deficit.
I’m genuinely puzzled as to what the original commenter wanted and was getting at but I’m sure you’ll be kind enough to take the time to explain.
Thanks in advance, King! (better change that handle!)
@ Indigo :
“Camilla has no automatic right under the constitution to become what is known as “Queen Consort” (and shortened to ‘Queen’.) Essentially it’s the decision of Charles but to get his parent’s agreement to the marriage it was announced at the time that she would not be Queen Consort but HRH Princess Consort when he took the throne.”
———–
Thanks for that. But if that’s the case, why on earth was the poster at 09h05 going on about ‘Queens in waiting’ and Camilla being ‘positioned’ or ‘positioning herself’ to be Queen?
What point was the post trying to make (were it any other poster, I should have dismissed the comment as mere spite, but given the identity of the poster, that couldn’t have been the reason, could it)?
@Habbabkuk
But if that’s the case, why on earth was the poster at 09h05 going on about ‘Queens in waiting’ and Camilla being ‘positioned’ or ‘positioning herself’ to be Queen?
Why ask me? How would I know. Ask her.
This is the representative of the power behind the throne(s).
Christopher Geidt: the suave, shrewd and mysterious royal insider
MPs have in the past asked in the Commons whether Geidt – now the Queen’s private secretary – was a member of MI6
http://www.guardian.co.uk/media/2013/may/07/sir-christopher-geidt-royal-insider
Note his role in press regulation – ‘In his palace role, Geidt is now jointly responsible for setting up a charter to regulate the press. Royal charters are ultimately overseen on an ongoing basis by the Queen’s private secretary and the head of the privy council – in practice, the government.’
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Christopher_Geidt
PS The RI knows very well that I will never engage in useless circular conversations which would fill up Craig’s blog to no purpose. I noticed that the usual stupid and boring lines of ****** and the vita e bella stuff are in use again.
From Counterpunch today http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/05/10/tirado-rajapakse-corseri/
fat cats
.
by GARY CORSERI
.
.
fat cats
paw
my brain
watch me
with the
intolerable
eyes
of fat
cats.
fat cats
come
and rub
against me,
breathe
in my ear,
lick
my brain
with their
electric
tongues.
.
.
fat cats
are not
to be
trusted.
they
eat
canaries.