Leeds City Council plans 3,000 job cuts to save £90m

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Tue 08 Feb, 2011 12:44 am

What you do is allow private concerns to take over services. They pay people minimum wage >> employ them on a fixed term contract so they are easily got rid of >> charge councils / government a premium to maximise own profit >> council / government has no hassle actually running an HR department and observing workers' rights. Simples.

Reginal Perrin · Post by **Reginal Perrin** » Tue 08 Feb, 2011 10:26 am

We all like to talk in extremes but the reality is usually rather different. What you describe is opretty much a Toryboy wet dream, loads of mini Thatcherites creaming off the easy contracts whilst getting rich and moving on. It's the wrong way to go. That said, we don't need half of the council employees, we don't need half of the services they "provide" and they are payign the price for this bloating. They should have stuck to what they were good at and should still have had bus drivers employed rather than some of tha fancy pastoral tummy rubbing roles they seem to harbour now. The Council tax should be halved along with their budget. They should be given a list of areas they need to take care of and leave the rest alone.

String o' beads · Post by **String o' beads** » Tue 08 Feb, 2011 7:19 pm

If it is the case that they are employing 'tummy rubbers' then of course they should be first out.But it doesn't happen. Instead they close loss making facilities like sports centres and libraries.

Leeds-lad · Post by **Leeds-lad** » Tue 08 Feb, 2011 9:16 pm

Reginal Perrin wrote: Leeds City Council have 3,000 employees? It's billed as one in 6 so that means we currently have 18,000 employed by the council.One employee for every 41 people. Is this necessary?What do these people do? Actually your figures are quite wrong.there are approx 15.000 Employees who work for Education Leedsbut these Employees are not included in this round of cuts.I may have to go repairing potholes in the school playgrounds soonbut only on a weekend when the kids are off!Double Time and all that,but not in the rain though.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Tue 08 Feb, 2011 10:28 pm

anybody volunteering to fill the gaps?

Crazy Jane · Post by **Crazy Jane** » Wed 09 Feb, 2011 12:10 am

Geordie-exile wrote: Simples. Oh, I'm sure Crapita are waiting in the wings.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Wed 09 Feb, 2011 1:53 am

According to the last edition of the Sunday Express localcouncils are sitting on millions of pounds of 'reserves' but seem loatheto spend them on anything.Time for a rethink on cuts to 'essential'services.Not local but an example of public spending thinking,we cut back on front line defence budgets yet award pay rises and bonus payments to so called 'desk jockies'.We have more admirals than ships and probably more air marshalls than aircraft and more officers than we will ever need in the army.Look at the needs in each departmental budget and spend it properly,needs before new carpets,taxi fares and of course spurious bonus payments.What is truly lacking is common sense.

Cardiarms · Post by **Cardiarms** » Wed 09 Feb, 2011 1:22 pm

Nobody wants reserves until the proverbial hits the fan and then there's not enough cash to buy more grit etc. it would be irresponsible to not have reserves. i'd rather have a truck full of grit next december than some nice freshly painted gates on a roundabout.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Fri 11 Feb, 2011 5:21 pm

The huge cost involved in employing consutants and high cost agency staff needs to be closely examined.Revealed in the latest issue of 'Private Eye' is a case on the Isle of Wight(small population - yes)XXXX Ltd. were paid £76962.5 for providing treasury 'services'betweenApril and September 2010 = £148000 p.a.The said XXXX had retired in 2007 as Chief Executive of a London Boro,on a final salary of £158982 (with a huge pension no doubt)Apparently local govenment rules decreee that if you return to LG employment your new salary and pension should not excede the finalsalary with the first employee.Any surplus is deducted from pension payments.Form your own company (one man band ?) and screw the public purse for all its worth.Certainly smacks of 'Jobs for the boys'If this is replicated elsewhere God only knows what services you coluld keep funding and possibly expand.Cut if you have to but start at the top and weed out such deals as this.

dogduke · Post by **dogduke** » Fri 11 Feb, 2011 11:24 pm

Just to clarify the above post.the article includes the phrase,"Islanders had thought that the director of finance was a council employee named XXXX"