Over a third of my sections' revenue budget is from external business. The same goes for our HR department. A lot of Local Authorities have traded services.
http://www.publications.parliament.uk/pa/cm201415/cmselect/cmcomloc/191/19105.htm
"4. It is important however to put these pay rates in context. Comparisons are often drawn with remuneration for senior jobs in other sectors and in other parts of the public sector. Salary levels for local government sector senior posts are significantly lower than those in the private sector,[9] and indeed lower than those in some other parts of the public sector, such as academia. Even taking account of enhanced pension provision, packages remain much lower for a top council post when compared to the packages on offer for top private sector staff. "
Annual remuneration of Chief Executives in the public sector
Go on then, give us an estimate of the percentage of Local Authority or NHS staff that are 'fat cats' - maybe you could start by defining the salary point above which they would qualify.
Dont believe the hype. ( Or the Hypo ).
As for staffing levels, one local authority up here is reducing by approx 300 jobs each year - this is the 3rd financial year of this and will at least follow into the next. How many of those do you think were / are 'fat cats' ? ( And remembr, this year I'm one of those 300, so I'm don't appreciate some of the b0ll0x that gets propagated ).
http://www.theguardian.com/society/2014/nov/19/councils-risk-financial-failure-auditors
"As the government pushes ahead with funding cuts of more than a third in local government, the National Audit Office said many single-tier and county councils feared for core services including education and social care."
Completely missing the point, as usual.
Mind you, why didn't the changes take place before this election ? Because a majority of MPs voted against - does that fit your image of democracy in action ?
But if they wouldn't have actually got any more votes it merely reinforces the faults that are apparent in FPTP, as they would have required even less votes to gain each seat.
24% of those eligible to vote voted Tory. I'm not denying the fact that they got the largest number of votes, but weigh up the various votes per seat equations for the different parties.
I have always pointed out the statistical failures of FPTP, I think it is an outdated process that breeds voter apathy and resentment. The problem has always been that it is not it the interests of the 2 primary contenders for No 10 to do anything about a system that locks them into power.
And what %age of the total national electorate voted Conservative ?
EDIT : according to the Beeb, 11,316,429 out of 46,425,386, so that's just over 24%.
That's democracy folks.
Not yet. The Mrs is a teacher, so I'm going to take a loooong summer break for once, and look for something starting in September. Luckily I won't need to go straight to JSA.