I'm really sorry for the break in service - madly busy through December, and no internet connection since early last week - partly a problem at home, then travelling to somewhere without internet, mobile, or even a TV. Anyway, back on-line, and my new years resolution on keepin Blog updated is drafted.
I hope, dear reader, you and your Mum had a good Christmas at her new place. We had a good Christmas, fairly low-key which was just as well as I have the cold lurgy and am not feeling that energetic. Hope to get that out of the way before things crank up again. More later . . . .
Tuesday, 29 December 2009
Tuesday, 8 December 2009
Watermans - excellent film
"The Man who Stares at Goats" on now, a real good laugh and hunky men too (if you like that sort of thing) - to be precise Euan McGregor, George Clooney and Kevin Spacey etc - and some cute goats.
Monday, 7 December 2009
Tory Budget - What a Farce
We had our second night of scrutinising the "detail" of the Tory budget proposals tonight, looking at the Environment department, and Children's services. Except there was not a lot of detail, no explanation of the likely impact of the various proposals, and absolutely no sense of priority as to where savings could or should be made. The overall proposals are in the papers to the "November Council Meeting, pages 19-27"
Let me get this straight, I have been responsible for producing savings budgets in Hounslow, of greater and lesser severity, for many years until 2006. I am quite clear that savings can be made without impact on users/residents, or that there can be a different service that produces better outcomes for people at less cost - for example frail elderly people can usually be better cared for in their own home with addtional care services, than they can in impersonal and expensive residential care. But to make these decisions you need to have open debate about the impacts on people.
Tonight I repeatedly asked to know what discussion and information the Executive had on the relative pressures and opportunities of the different services, and I was met with a wall of silence. When I listed the known pressures on Children's Services from: a 30% increase in school age over 5 years, increased referrals of neglected and abused children since Baby Peter, and further increases in profoundly disabled children living through to adulthood, Cllr McGregor (Executive Lead for Finance) first denied these pressures existed (they've been reported to the Executive on several occasions), then waffled about "imperfect market situations". Meanwhile the 2 Executive Lead Members for Children just sat on their hands - had I touched a nerve? - they certainly didn't stand up and challenge me.
And the specifics:
- ending of subsidy of Community Use of School buildings - "Not a statutory service and not relevant to Childrens services"
- ending of School uniform Grants to the poorest families - "not a statutory service, tough"
- cutting almost £900,000 from Childrens services, play, youth, Looked After children (ie in care) and School improvement - "We're going to lose the grants anyway, so we might as well make the cut now"
On the Environment Budget the proposal is to increase charges (mainly parking) by 5% - but we pointed out that is not the same as increasing income by 5%. They looked as though they hadn't thought of that, or that they had heard of elasticity of demand.
What a way to run a Council . . . . .
Let me get this straight, I have been responsible for producing savings budgets in Hounslow, of greater and lesser severity, for many years until 2006. I am quite clear that savings can be made without impact on users/residents, or that there can be a different service that produces better outcomes for people at less cost - for example frail elderly people can usually be better cared for in their own home with addtional care services, than they can in impersonal and expensive residential care. But to make these decisions you need to have open debate about the impacts on people.
Tonight I repeatedly asked to know what discussion and information the Executive had on the relative pressures and opportunities of the different services, and I was met with a wall of silence. When I listed the known pressures on Children's Services from: a 30% increase in school age over 5 years, increased referrals of neglected and abused children since Baby Peter, and further increases in profoundly disabled children living through to adulthood, Cllr McGregor (Executive Lead for Finance) first denied these pressures existed (they've been reported to the Executive on several occasions), then waffled about "imperfect market situations". Meanwhile the 2 Executive Lead Members for Children just sat on their hands - had I touched a nerve? - they certainly didn't stand up and challenge me.
And the specifics:
- ending of subsidy of Community Use of School buildings - "Not a statutory service and not relevant to Childrens services"
- ending of School uniform Grants to the poorest families - "not a statutory service, tough"
- cutting almost £900,000 from Childrens services, play, youth, Looked After children (ie in care) and School improvement - "We're going to lose the grants anyway, so we might as well make the cut now"
On the Environment Budget the proposal is to increase charges (mainly parking) by 5% - but we pointed out that is not the same as increasing income by 5%. They looked as though they hadn't thought of that, or that they had heard of elasticity of demand.
What a way to run a Council . . . . .
Phoning Hounslow [2]
The phone was answered after 30 minutes exactly. So, should you ever need to phone Hounslow's EMERGENCY out-of-hours number (020 8583 2222) make sure you are not having an emergency, that you have enough credit and enough battery on your phone, and preferably some sandwiches, a blanket and a flask of coffee.
Saturday, 5 December 2009
Brentford Parking [2]
Well the Area Committee decided on Thursday to re-consult Hamilton, Clifden and Lateward Roads on the details of the scheme, and whether or not they still wanted to be included in a CPZ. Our apologies to all those who turned up on Thursday - we had no idea that an Area Monitoring Committee had been added on at the beginning and that they wouldn't get on to the item for over an hour.
If you are in one of the roads affected we need to know what you think should be in the detail of the next consultation: the spaces, the hours of operation etc etc. Do you live in Brook Road South or New Road? Should you be given another opportunity to be included in the CPZ rather than suffer from the knock-on parking?
Contact me here, or via the Council email - ruth.cadbury@hounslow.gov.uk
If you are in one of the roads affected we need to know what you think should be in the detail of the next consultation: the spaces, the hours of operation etc etc. Do you live in Brook Road South or New Road? Should you be given another opportunity to be included in the CPZ rather than suffer from the knock-on parking?
Contact me here, or via the Council email - ruth.cadbury@hounslow.gov.uk
Problems Phoning Hounslow Council [2]
I've been sitting with my phone on Loudspeaker waiting for Hounslow's EMERGENCY phone line to answer for 15 minutes, and have been No 1 in the queue since I first dialed. I'm trying to get hold of Hounslow Home's out-of-hours duty officer to see why the repairs team still hasn't turned up as promised at a flooded flat. It wouldn't be an out-of-hours emergency if HH had found the source of the water when first called out on Monday.
If I'd been a tenant, with a phone running out of battery or credit, and having no other line to use to try other methods, I'd be at my wits end. The family really don't want to spend another night in horrible bed-and-breakfast at the other end of the borough and neither should they.
If I'd been a tenant, with a phone running out of battery or credit, and having no other line to use to try other methods, I'd be at my wits end. The family really don't want to spend another night in horrible bed-and-breakfast at the other end of the borough and neither should they.
Thursday, 3 December 2009
Problems phoning Hounslow Council?
Is the new system deliberately designed to send us all mad - or is that just an unintended consequence of finding new ways to make money from residents? I think this is a good illustration of just how mad the "efficiency savings" have got at our Civic Centre.
Please do let me know your experience of phoning the council.
Please do let me know your experience of phoning the council.
Wednesday, 2 December 2009
Matt Harmer's newsletter
Matt published his December bulletin yesterday. An exhaustive (exhausting) run-down of what we'ver been up to over the last month - www.mattharmer.com if you're one of the few people not already on his mailing list.
Pensioners' Evening
A night off with the OH tonight, to see Bill Wyman's Rythm Kings at the Cadogan Hall. The band read like a Rock n Roll hall of fame, and were fab despite their ages - BW's older than my mother. Looking at the audience I suspect most of them had been roadies and/or groupies for the Stones in the 60s And they didn't get up and boogie till the last number - perhaps they were worried about their hips, or felt cowed by the hall - like a big methodist chapel with twiddly bits. Apart from that, a fab night with great numbers played by the best in the business.
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