UK debt over 1 trillion again.

[Chris_Sleeps]

Unlike your plan it's a plan that will work.

I don't believe I've voiced one. It's difficult. I might even agree with you in a way. We don't need "suits" on 125k+ per year, but we do need nurses and doctors. I don't have the answers.

 

There's plenty of other places to start as you well know.

I certainly do. But the management and senior civil service is quite small in number. After their cuts it is only natural to lead to front line service cuts.

[Jim Graham]

Just for once can we leave party politics out of this. It isn't helpful.

 

I think most people would like to see top civil servant's pay cut, and the civil service reduced. Until that happens I don't want to see 1 essential worker lose their job. The clue is in the job description - they are essential.

 

The problem is how to get the expensive non essential workers at the top out. Not all, but they can surely be reduced.

 

 

Politics and the public sector are inseparable. Politicians are at the top of every public sector organisation and that's why you can't leave politics out of it. They are the policy makers.

 

If I was running the council as a business I would do what all private sector organisations have to do every day. I would cut out waste, sack the slackers, slim down processes, reorganise to be more efficient and cut costs.

 

Politicians simply don't have the skills to run a business. More importantly, they never have to take responsibility for running the business. If it's my business I sink or swim on my decisions and skills. The council can't sink, although Labour have tried very hard to ruin it financially. Politicians are in competition with each other so they have to make the others look bad to keep themselves in power. They are also in hock to their financial backers, the unions. That's why they will sacrifice their own people to keep that power. There is nothing noble or altruistic about it. Politics is a snake pit and they'll kill their own to survive.

 

The council and all of the public sector crammed with non essential people. But who has the guts or the talent to start getting rid of them when dumping on frontline staff will get you better headlines? And the media hysteria over cuts, including our very own Star, makes better headlines than "Good management leads to cost effective service provision".

[MrSmith]

Politics and the public sector are inseparable. Politicians are at the top of every public sector organisation and that's why you can't leave politics out of it. They are the policy makers.

 

If I was running the council as a business I would do what all private sector organisations have to do every day. I would cut out waste, sack the slackers, slim down processes, reorganise to be more efficient and cut costs.

 

Politicians simply don't have the skills to run a business. More importantly, they never have to take responsibility for running the business. If it's my business I sink or swim on my decisions and skills. The council can't sink, although Labour have tried very hard to ruin it financially. Politicians are in competition with each other so they have to make the others look bad to keep themselves in power. They are also in hock to their financial backers, the unions. That's why they will sacrifice their own people to keep that power. There is nothing noble or altruistic about it. Politics is a snake pit and they'll kill their own to survive.

 

The council and all of the public sector crammed with non essential people. But who has the guts or the talent to start getting rid of them when dumping on frontline staff will get you better headlines? And the media hysteria over cuts, including our very own Star, makes better headlines than "Good management leads to cost effective service provision".

 

I was thinking of writing that but you saved me the trouble.

[Jim Graham]

I don't believe I've voiced one. It's difficult. I might even agree with you in a way. We don't need "suits" on 125k+ per year, but we do need nurses and doctors. I don't have the answers.

 

 

I certainly do. But the management and senior civil service is quite small in number. After their cuts it is only natural to lead to front line service cuts.

 

 

I don't know the exact figures but I'm pretty sure the bulk of the government spending goes, not on staff, but on benefits. They are trying to row those back but look at the hoo hah that's caused. The government are in a no win situation. If they cut spending they lose, if they borrow more they lose. Part of the problem is simply that people don't want to hear or try and understand just how bad things really are. Of course, Labour just stand on the sidelines sneering at and abusing every attempt to sort out the mess they created.

 

If you don't want the front line to be cut there has to be cuts elsewhere. Personally, I think the whole benefits system is chaotic, unfair and wildly extravagant. I think they should start there.

[Chris_Sleeps]

Politicians simply don't have the skills to run a business.

The fundamental point I suppose is that they don't have the skills because they aren't businessmen. A city isn't a business. A country isn't a business. If someone is lazy at work, you can get rid of him. If he is a lazy citizen, he still needs a roof and food. If you take away food he'll turn to crime, because people don't starve quietly. Politics is complex, and running UK Inc with the ideals of business isn't any answer to measure things by.

[ricgem2002]

If I was running the council as a business I would do what all private sector organisations have to do every day. I would cut out waste, sack the slackers, slim down processes, reorganise to be more efficient and cut costs..

while putting up the costs for its services/and making millions of pounds profit from the tax payer yea well done

[retired]

I don't know the exact figures but I'm pretty sure the bulk of the government spending goes, not on staff, but on benefits. They are trying to row those back but look at the hoo hah that's caused. The government are in a no win situation. If they cut spending they lose, if they borrow more they lose. Part of the problem is simply that people don't want to hear or try and understand just how bad things really are. Of course, Labour just stand on the sidelines sneering at and abusing every attempt to sort out the mess they created.

 

If you don't want the front line to be cut there has to be cuts elsewhere. Personally, I think the whole benefits system is chaotic, unfair and wildly extravagant. I think they should start there.

 

I too think that our benefits system has got out of hand. Never mind getting rid of the civil servants, they will be replaced by private Co's, it is silly to think that a Country does not need civil servants. At least Civil Servants pay tax and NI.

 

I know of plenty of people who are claiming sickness benefit and they are not sick they are plain lazy and love their easy way of living. Sort out the benefit system to the point where it is worth going to work rather than live off the state.

[splodgeyAl]

I don't know the exact figures but I'm pretty sure the bulk of the government spending goes, not on staff, but on benefits. They are trying to row those back but look at the hoo hah that's caused. The government are in a no win situation. If they cut spending they lose, if they borrow more they lose. Part of the problem is simply that people don't want to hear or try and understand just how bad things really are. Of course, Labour just stand on the sidelines sneering at and abusing every attempt to sort out the mess they created.

 

If you don't want the front line to be cut there has to be cuts elsewhere. Personally, I think the whole benefits system is chaotic, unfair and wildly extravagant. I think they should start there.

There you go

 

 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/news/datablog/interactive/2011/oct/26/public-spending-uk-government-department