tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post1993436103832997188..comments2023-11-18T08:59:54.598+00:00Comments on Carmarthenshire Planning Problems and more: Budget cuts - The listcaebrwynhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17233902574832152764noreply@blogger.comBlogger13125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-58314895449998239782013-10-26T22:28:58.140+01:002013-10-26T22:28:58.140+01:00A s an observer, one interesting fact was that non...A s an observer, one interesting fact was that none of the Councillors were offered any copies of the proposals. It was explained that there was no time to make 74 copies at the table I observed. This means that, with the brevity of the individual points, only the few Councillors with exceptional memories or who made notes will have any clear idea of what was exactly discussed or decided. <br />It does say a lot about the staffing levels if no -one can be found to photocopy an important list of prospective cuts for the elected members at this meeting?<br /><br />Sian Caiach Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-73764938474455018982013-10-25T12:46:48.931+01:002013-10-25T12:46:48.931+01:00I totally agree with Muppetman - thank goodness fo...I totally agree with Muppetman - thank goodness for bloggers - it's the only way we as taxpayers ever find out how our councils conduct themselves, and how our elected councillors either fulful their duties - or not as the case usually is here in Carmarthenshire. Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-35949579767139387242013-10-25T12:05:56.092+01:002013-10-25T12:05:56.092+01:00To anyone who disputes the value or worth of blogg...To anyone who disputes the value or worth of bloggers - you wouldn't have gotten this information any other way...<br /><br />Muppetmannoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-14191383908101227062013-10-24T22:32:17.272+01:002013-10-24T22:32:17.272+01:00Non-jobs, and also non-work staff time spent in tr...Non-jobs, and also non-work staff time spent in travelling to meeting, meetings, talking shops, policy formations, and as anon at 21:43 points out - a lot of effort put into saying "no". The cost of the staff time wasted in aforementioned, and leading to the conclusion of "no", or maybe "yes" - after a lot of waffle - it would be so much cheaper just to say yes and get on with whatever.Tessanoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-73704121000710229652013-10-24T21:47:13.537+01:002013-10-24T21:47:13.537+01:00Close St Pauls Llanelli { old premises with only ...Close St Pauls Llanelli { old premises with only 50% occupancy } £900,000 Close either Tegfan or Glanmarlais not both and save 800k <br /><br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-31896805298282853922013-10-24T21:43:20.820+01:002013-10-24T21:43:20.820+01:00Too many officers who can and do say No to everyth...Too many officers who can and do say No to everything and almost no officers able to or prepared to say Yes. As a result "decision making" is actually "pass the parcel" with everyone who simply handles the parcel thinking that they are indispensible and no-one actually unwrapping it when the music stops!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-27005120432661913672013-10-24T21:16:50.361+01:002013-10-24T21:16:50.361+01:00Surely the biggest saving would be if they reduced...Surely the biggest saving would be if they reduced the numbers of senior managers, who are paid exorbitant sums of money.<br /><br />Having once worked for the local authority, I found it hard to fathom out what many of them did. From what I could see it was all about creating red tape an pointless work processes.<br /><br />They had an outfit called the Democratic Services, that acted as a link between Councillors and the numeorus Council Departments. Surely it would have been far more efficient and quicker for Councillors to have direct contact with officers.<br /><br />Then there was a Head of Policy, Performance and Review. To my knowledge this person never wrote any policies and what he reviewed I have no idea.<br /><br />To my mind there are too many 'non jobs', that have little or nothing to do with providing a service to the public. Get rid of all these and they'd save a fortune.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-51223508553860381372013-10-24T20:13:42.421+01:002013-10-24T20:13:42.421+01:00Anon 19:00
I suspect they may well have been.
Ju...Anon 19:00<br />I suspect they may well have been. <br /><br />Just a thought but I'm sure the council would be happy to answer queries, they call themselves the 'listening council' after all.... <br /><br />To Anon 19:12 who left a comment - I agree, I'm sure Rhodri Glyn Thomas is right and yes, the way in which the last meeting was closed certainly reinforces this.<br />caebrwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17233902574832152764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-27813986750689408252013-10-24T19:00:36.406+01:002013-10-24T19:00:36.406+01:00Who were the "Businesses" invited? Might...Who were the "Businesses" invited? Might they have been Care Home providers?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-40080907077212457512013-10-24T18:53:06.257+01:002013-10-24T18:53:06.257+01:00Anon 16:33 I don't think the senior officers w...Anon 16:33 I don't think the senior officers who drew up the list had anything like that in mind, the 'seminar' was a PR/support seeking exercise.<br /><br />To give an example, Cllr Darren Price pointed out at the last council meeting that he has been waiting for a year and a half for the details of how much is spent on external consultants - this information still hasn't been supplied. And the subject doesn't seem to appear on the list either..<br /><br />Anon 17:47<br />There are scrutiny support staff to assist councillors with the process, this may be the target. However, according to the Plaid Cymru statement issued last week the real target is scrutiny full stop;<br />"In his letter to the Local Government Minister, AM Rhodri Glyn Thomas has exposed that the Chief Executive has recently proposed changing the format for full council meetings which will remove entirely any opportunity for councillors to scrutinise Executive Board decisions in full council meetings"caebrwynhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17233902574832152764noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-38908157687905102952013-10-24T18:11:46.000+01:002013-10-24T18:11:46.000+01:00Sounds suspicious to me but I could be wrong.Sounds suspicious to me but I could be wrong.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-42214526607231592522013-10-24T17:47:14.417+01:002013-10-24T17:47:14.417+01:00"Democratic process – Reduce scrutiny, especi..."Democratic process – Reduce scrutiny, especially of Executive Board"<br /><br />What does this mean?<br />Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-791817892794754996.post-81731627286997675972013-10-24T16:33:33.984+01:002013-10-24T16:33:33.984+01:00As a matter of interest, did any of the invited me...As a matter of interest, did any of the invited members come up with ideas of their own?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com