Somethings not quite right about the way the 'Organisational Review' of the Children and Families Department is being handled - frankly, I smell a rat.At yesterday's Committee meeting, we were told by the Convener that the reason the Organisational Review wasn't going to the proposed (and now cancelled) 12th February extra meeting was all down to more time being required to consult the Unions.
I did make my frustration at this clear - 'said Convener' and the Council Coalition are in charge of the Review and if they can't manage the timetable properly to allow decent scrutiny (or is that the point!) then that's entirely their fault. Taking the Review to the main budget-setting meeting of the Full Council on Thursday 21st February is lunacy and will certainly ensure that the Review will be rammed through without any proper consideration - mind you, maybe that's the point once again!!
But to make matters worse (and murkier) I'm now picking up on the 'Union-grapevine' that the reason they haven't yet seen (and I do know that to be true) the draft proposals is because managers are telling them that elected Members haven't yet been consulted?
Well, I can assure you that Opposition elected Members haven't seen any draft proposals. All sort of suggests that some want as little scrutiny of what's going on as possible, which usually only means one thing - a controversial mess.
It's all a classic stitch-up if you ask me ...
... oh, and what about our bright, new future whereupon we were all "to have real opportunity to participate in decision-making"?
Streamlined committee system alright - no one's involved :-((
8 comments:
John
... just a little defamatory for such a clean-living blog as this, so I'm deleting. Sorry.
Andrew
Didn't think it was that bad really - but glad to know, you know, who I was speaking about. I've definitely seen worse in other places. Sorry - bum well and truly slapped.
That new CLD review isn't nice at all - and why two days after the committee meeting? Bad news for community centres and needs a revisit. I believe the link has another option.
John
On your second paragraph - I agree - we voted against it remember, and still strongly consider there to be many more suitable areas for 'savings' than these services.
By the way, that link is the first I've seen of the so-called 'consultation paper' ... sort of backs up my last few paras in this post :-((
Andrew
I have been reliably informed that the paper is somewhere on Cpol - however as you know, searching for information on Cpol is totally impossible. I searched for a direct quote from the paper (Change of this nature will be supported by a different approach to local management) and actually got zero results although I had unchecked the box to allow it to search all words. Whoever has the contract for supplying your search engine should be taken out at dawn and shot lots and lots and lots of times and then their back account raided to get the city's money back.
I have advised you before to contact this reputable company who are the best in class and not even too expensive. The council could at least send someone along to FastForward 08 to speak to someone about the council's requirements. If they want to save a wad, they could just call the company up and they will be happy to send someone out to speak to the council - +47 23 01 12 00.
I can tell you from experience it is money well spent. What you have now is money down the drain and it has continued for ? years.
I also see from the link supplied earlier on that site that sucks that those naughty people have fixed the link through to the full report.
John
I do think your reliable source is wrong ... I don't think that paper has been anywhere near a Committee and is not up on CPOL?
As for FastSearch - I have noted your point/s, but given my current status there is a decidely low-threshold to my powers of 'officer-instruction' these days :-((
Andrew
Nope. It is on CPOL. It was taken from CPOL last night and emailed around. It is just that the person cannot remember how they arrived at the document and is unable to retrace their steps (wasn't me btw). Check your email.
I see what you mean about my e-mail ... but I still don't think it's up on CPOL and has not been to any Council Committee - at least not to the best of my knowledge?
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