Community taking over some public services
Discussion
Was listening to news this morning and heard a topic about the idea of community/social enterprise outfits taking over the running of some public services, I don’t have an issue with this. I would however like to know how they will be funded. If local councils can’t afford to run projects how do they expect social enterprises to do it?
I think local bus routes was one given example..
I think local bus routes was one given example..
Anyone else notice one bit slipped out where any money for this was coming from?
Dormant bank accounts.
Yep, a Labour idea, i.e. nick the contents of bank and building society accounts where there has been no movement for a specified period of time.
Just lizards with differently coloured ties.
Dormant bank accounts.
Yep, a Labour idea, i.e. nick the contents of bank and building society accounts where there has been no movement for a specified period of time.
Just lizards with differently coloured ties.
Have to watch that the bigger picture is protected. Local councils until now are supposed to ensure free safe movement through their patch so that we can all travel from A to B via points inbetween.
Will a smaller picture mean gates going up around towns and villages - keep out
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
Will a smaller picture mean gates going up around towns and villages - keep out
http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...
I don't have anything against this in principle. However, in practice most community groups are run by busy-body women who simply like to stick their noses in to other people's business.
What these people really know about providing public services could be written on the back of a postage stamp.
What these people really know about providing public services could be written on the back of a postage stamp.
SystemParanoia said:
how big would the grant be?
how easy to get it?
how long do you HAVE to continue supplying the service once you receive the grant ?
Grants would vary I'd imagine, either set up or annual, agreed individually. Iirc the problem last time was accessing the funding through the jungle of bureacracy. Vol sec will be encouraged to contribute largely.how easy to get it?
how long do you HAVE to continue supplying the service once you receive the grant ?
Sticks. said:
SystemParanoia said:
how big would the grant be?
how easy to get it?
how long do you HAVE to continue supplying the service once you receive the grant ?
Grants would vary I'd imagine, either set up or annual, agreed individually. Iirc the problem last time was accessing the funding through the jungle of bureacracy. Vol sec will be encouraged to contribute largely.how easy to get it?
how long do you HAVE to continue supplying the service once you receive the grant ?
any idea of how to apply for these grants?
wouldn't mind a £2mil contract... deduct 1mil for my wage, and run everything else on a shoe string budget for the rest of the year. sorted!
Sticks. said:
SystemParanoia said:
wouldn't mind a £2mil contract... deduct 1mil for my wage, and run everything else on a shoe string budget for the rest of the year. sorted!
You forgot to add in your pension 
just get the volunteers to spend all year at traffic lights shaking buckets at motorists in bunny costumes "fund-raising due to budget cuts" etc.
brilliant
SystemParanoia said:
again.. where does one apply for this licence to print money?
that's what I'd like to know.I wouldn't mind running the local community bus servce or cutting the grass with a fleet of volunteers pusing lawnmowers...
All I can see is poorer services for the same money..
where's my pen
rs1952 said:
SystemParanoia said:
wouldn't mind a £2mil contract... deduct 1mil for my wage, and run everything else on a shoe string budget for the rest of the year. sorted!
Are you a politician in an African country or Afghanistan by any chance? 
... did i say i was going to grow fields of poppies.....but now you mention it!
But seriously though... and no I'm not David Mitchell btw, but seriously won't the public sector just end up with all the utterly crappy and probably expensive tasks that nobody in their right minds wants to do unless paid to do it?
People talk about local run and controlled services, well it's fine to, let's say, imagine being a volunteer bus driver on a sunny July day, wending your way round the local villages, picking up happy smiling yokels on their way for a bit light shopping and a cream tea.
How about early icy winter mornings when the roads haven't seen hide nor hair of a bit of grit and the grump locals just want to get to the pheasant plucking factory. Or Saturday night when the local idiots pile out of the volunteer yoof centre hopped up on vodka-red bulls, or a nice Sunday evening when all you want to do is decide between the World Cup final or Top Gear. ??!!??
In that case a run for profit bus company would want the decent bits of the service to help subsidise the crappy bits, or else would want even more support.
Easy to say ah well volunteers will take some of the load and public sector take up what is left, but when the public sector have to take up the garbage that is not wanted or in no way can be run sensibly, BUT IS STILL NEEDED then what?
Nope sorry Dave, on your bike. It was a crap idea during the elections and becoming worse every time I hear it.
People talk about local run and controlled services, well it's fine to, let's say, imagine being a volunteer bus driver on a sunny July day, wending your way round the local villages, picking up happy smiling yokels on their way for a bit light shopping and a cream tea.
How about early icy winter mornings when the roads haven't seen hide nor hair of a bit of grit and the grump locals just want to get to the pheasant plucking factory. Or Saturday night when the local idiots pile out of the volunteer yoof centre hopped up on vodka-red bulls, or a nice Sunday evening when all you want to do is decide between the World Cup final or Top Gear. ??!!??
In that case a run for profit bus company would want the decent bits of the service to help subsidise the crappy bits, or else would want even more support.
Easy to say ah well volunteers will take some of the load and public sector take up what is left, but when the public sector have to take up the garbage that is not wanted or in no way can be run sensibly, BUT IS STILL NEEDED then what?
Nope sorry Dave, on your bike. It was a crap idea during the elections and becoming worse every time I hear it.
F i F said:
But seriously though... and no I'm not David Mitchell btw, but seriously won't the public sector just end up with all the utterly crappy and probably expensive tasks that nobody in their right minds wants to do unless paid to do it?
People talk about local run and controlled services, well it's fine to, let's say, imagine being a volunteer bus driver on a sunny July day, wending your way round the local villages, picking up happy smiling yokels on their way for a bit light shopping and a cream tea.
How about early icy winter mornings when the roads haven't seen hide nor hair of a bit of grit and the grump locals just want to get to the pheasant plucking factory. Or Saturday night when the local idiots pile out of the volunteer yoof centre hopped up on vodka-red bulls, or a nice Sunday evening when all you want to do is decide between the World Cup final or Top Gear. ??!!??
In that case a run for profit bus company would want the decent bits of the service to help subsidise the crappy bits, or else would want even more support.
Easy to say ah well volunteers will take some of the load and public sector take up what is left, but when the public sector have to take up the garbage that is not wanted or in no way can be run sensibly, BUT IS STILL NEEDED then what?
Nope sorry Dave, on your bike. It was a crap idea during the elections and becoming worse every time I hear it.
Its a good idea, if done sensibly. For example, my parish spends £1,700 a year on grass cutting. We are looking at doing that within the village, and paying for it with food and drink tokens from the local pub. Looks like we'd save about 50% of the costs, and support the local pub. No problem organising the people, just difficult legally. People talk about local run and controlled services, well it's fine to, let's say, imagine being a volunteer bus driver on a sunny July day, wending your way round the local villages, picking up happy smiling yokels on their way for a bit light shopping and a cream tea.
How about early icy winter mornings when the roads haven't seen hide nor hair of a bit of grit and the grump locals just want to get to the pheasant plucking factory. Or Saturday night when the local idiots pile out of the volunteer yoof centre hopped up on vodka-red bulls, or a nice Sunday evening when all you want to do is decide between the World Cup final or Top Gear. ??!!??
In that case a run for profit bus company would want the decent bits of the service to help subsidise the crappy bits, or else would want even more support.
Easy to say ah well volunteers will take some of the load and public sector take up what is left, but when the public sector have to take up the garbage that is not wanted or in no way can be run sensibly, BUT IS STILL NEEDED then what?
Nope sorry Dave, on your bike. It was a crap idea during the elections and becoming worse every time I hear it.
That would save about 15% of our parish budget. We should be able to reduce the community charge, but you are not allowed to!
CMD could fix that, if this proposal is real rather than spin.
eldar said:
Its a good idea, if done sensibly. For example, my parish spends £1,700 a year on grass cutting. We are looking at doing that within the village, and paying for it with food and drink tokens from the local pub. Looks like we'd save about 50% of the costs, and support the local pub. No problem organising the people, just difficult legally.
That would save about 15% of our parish budget. We should be able to reduce the community charge, but you are not allowed to!
CMD could fix that, if this proposal is real rather than spin.
Right good comment. Originally my thought which I forgot to include in my post that this was going to be an old 20/80 rule, ie 20% of the jobs easy to fix leaving the 80% of the problem children.That would save about 15% of our parish budget. We should be able to reduce the community charge, but you are not allowed to!
CMD could fix that, if this proposal is real rather than spin.
So you've identified 15% that is a reasonable way to go. Grass cutting, fair weather activity, not needed in winter, people have the kit, fair do's.
Snow clearing? Gritting? Similar type of activity...
So what's the next three biggest budget items?
F i F said:
eldar said:
Its a good idea, if done sensibly. For example, my parish spends £1,700 a year on grass cutting. We are looking at doing that within the village, and paying for it with food and drink tokens from the local pub. Looks like we'd save about 50% of the costs, and support the local pub. No problem organising the people, just difficult legally.
That would save about 15% of our parish budget. We should be able to reduce the community charge, but you are not allowed to!
CMD could fix that, if this proposal is real rather than spin.
Right good comment. Originally my thought which I forgot to include in my post that this was going to be an old 20/80 rule, ie 20% of the jobs easy to fix leaving the 80% of the problem children.That would save about 15% of our parish budget. We should be able to reduce the community charge, but you are not allowed to!
CMD could fix that, if this proposal is real rather than spin.
So you've identified 15% that is a reasonable way to go. Grass cutting, fair weather activity, not needed in winter, people have the kit, fair do's.
Snow clearing? Gritting? Similar type of activity...
So what's the next three biggest budget items?
Insurance, safety inspections and audit.
Employing a parish clerk, about £25 a week. A lot of that of dealing with the piles of paper that arrives from the district and county council, national parks and central gov. Mainly expensively printed b
ks that gets binned. We've already cut out the fat as much as reasonable, no rate increases for the last two years.
Spend a lot of time fighting off the car haters and their demands for speed humps ans 2mph limits
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