As someone who started his career in local government you won't find me rushing to bash local councils. I even stood for election once (well it was for the Labour Party in a ward where average house prices were around £2million - about ten years ago).
But flying back from a training course in Sweden last week I was moaning to Sue Dewhurst about my local council and how it's taken them 2 years to repair my local swimming pool (in which time the council up the road has build and opened two new pools).
The council has been run by the same people for years with little challenge. They take increasing numbers of decisions behind closed doors.
And then I opened my paper and saw this story. Yep - that's my local council.
Apparently the chief executive gets to work a four day week with no pay cut.
I'm not begruding someone's right to reduce their hours - lord knows I'd love to work less for the same money.
But how insensitive can you get???
The Leader of the Council is quoted as saying the downshifting CEO needs to 'indulge his passion for music'. Fantastic.
At a time when the massive investment in saving our banking system can only mean cuts in public services eventually how do you explain this one to the people who work for you?
I don't need to rant on too much, but I guess this is what you get when people don't get challenged and lose touch with what people are really thinking.
Liam
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