33 Million of Cost/Savings Per Annum

[oxna]

Good point, but I don't feel that there is anything like universal acceptance that the Council delivers its services efficiently. In other words, privatisation of its services may, according to many, result in savings as well as equally good services if not better.

 

 

quote="Spinner72"]Pretty much yeah.

 

(this is all hypothetical and intended for clarification only)

 

Imagine a private company operating a ferry to Yell. They start off breaking even, making a small profit but then over a few years fuel prices, regulation etc push them until fares can no longer cover the costs. They can't put them up any further as people will stop using them, so they pull the plug and leave.

 

The council can't do that. The ore obligated to continue to provide the service somehow.

 

Thats where the big shift in public opinon/reaction, call it what you will, is needed. Opposing every suggestion simply wont work, but what it can do is put the council in a position where, a few years down the line, "Serco Islands Council" *do* pull the plug and the current councillors can say "I told you so".

 

People seem to have accepted that the cuts are required, but have yet to accept that services simply have to go. Look at the reaction to something as minimal as the small changes made to the gritting service. Yet to call that the tip of the iceberg would surely be a massive understatement!

[Carlos]

Looking at the ferry service, with more demand than capacity at peak times on some routes.

 

Would the best private company response not be to raise fares at peak times until the demand reduces to match the space available? And then set the other fares and sailing times to maximise income per trip? When fuels prices go up, add surcharges to pre-paid tickets?

 

All measures that the shareholders would expect from a CEO with a captive market and an eye on the balance sheet?

[shetlandpeat]

Then, it could be said that privatisation would turn alleged losses/waste into profit. Where would that chunk of public money go, unless you set up a non-profit making company to do the job...?

 

The downside to that is less money in the community. Even though a living wage is becoming a realisation for some, removing the need to claim some benefits, I would think that many services offered by the Council at the moment will be paid at the minimum wage, with the current abuses made with some "apprenticeships" that can pay as little as £110 a week to a 30 year old, well, any age really.

 

Your council tax will not reduce and you will also find the Council will still be liable for some failures, inspections, audits and still have to pay. Handing services over to the private sector, will not be cheap. Employees will either have to be Tupe over on the same conditions, and these can be indefinite, or be sacked and taken on with new contracts. This too will put pressure on the LGPS as there will be less funds paid in. One council in London is using these funds to kick start the housing market.

[getaba1110]

Hi All...we all have suggestions, criticism and more...which is all good and necessary, however before this is all fixed it’s going to get painful...starting soon...road gritting is just the tip of the iceberg. At the moment the SIC is bit like the TITANIC (a grand ship)...but we have seen the iceberg (in time?)...will we re-write history and not sink? I’m trying to keep faith that we will avert disaster...not forgetting we’ve had it good (and perhaps to grand)!

[Lowrie]

Somebody told me at the weekend that SIC staff who are designated First Aiders get paid an additional £30 per month (if I remember correctly). I find that shocking and it must add up to a pretty considerable sum. Surely the Council paying for their initial training and refreshers should be sufficient?

[Infiltrator]

^things like this need to be looked at, but given the mess the finances are in at the moment, I doubt if this even represents the dust on the snow on the tip of the iceberg.

[Colin]

Bit of a non-story I think.

I believe that employers are required by law to have 'designated first aiders' but, unfortunately/luckily, they cannot force employees into that position.

Seems logical to me that any employees willing to take it on should be offered some kind of financial inducement.

Is being able (possibly) to save someone's life worth £30 per month?

[shetlandpeat]

Somebody told me at the weekend that SIC staff who are designated First Aiders get paid an additional £30 per month (if I remember correctly). I find that shocking and it must add up to a pretty considerable sum. Surely the Council paying for their initial training and refreshers should be sufficient?

 

Just because you have training does not mean you would be able to administer First Aid. Ask the person with the hearsay were these Appointed Persons or full fledged First Aiders, there is a big difference.

 

Most companies will train folk as appointed persons, tis the cheapest. The First Aid course, when I took it was 5 days initially then went down to four. Many now do First Aid appointed person as part of the conditions of driving a >7.5T vehicle and keeping the ability to drive one at work.

 

Imagine if they paid Fire Marshals as well.

 

£30 is a fair price, considering they could be duty bound to attend to your needs if required. It may be the only way to retain them...

 

Can you find out for sure though..

[MuckleJoannie]

Somebody told me at the weekend that SIC staff who are designated First Aiders get paid an additional £30 per month (if I remember correctly). I find that shocking and it must add up to a pretty considerable sum. Surely the Council paying for their initial training and refreshers should be sufficient?

 

Just because you have training does not mean you would be able to administer First Aid. Ask the person with the hearsay were these Appointed Persons or full fledged First Aiders, there is a big difference.

 

 

From my time at the SIC I know these are fully trained first aiders.

 

Edit

 

The sum paid to first aiders is part of a national agreement for council terms and conditions.

[getaba1110]

Somebody told me at the weekend that SIC staff who are designated First Aiders get paid an additional £30 per month (if I remember correctly). I find that shocking and it must add up to a pretty considerable sum. Surely the Council paying for their initial training and refreshers should be sufficient?

 

Just because you have training does not mean you would be able to administer First Aid. Ask the person with the hearsay were these Appointed Persons or full fledged First Aiders, there is a big difference.

 

 

From my time at the SIC I know these are fully trained first aiders.

 

Edit

 

The sum paid to first aiders is part of a national agreement for council terms and conditions.

 

 

I don’t want to sound dismissive...but this really isn’t the issue now.

[merkin]

.....Thought they were supposed to be saving money...... so why do they need to send six people to London to see Danny Alexander??? Two or at the most three would surely do.

Its about time they set an example and tried video conferencing etc.

It would be interesting to know what this one cost.

[Ghostrider]

^ Tend to agree, I saw the pic and wondered why Bell and Smith were there. Council Leader, Chief Exec, Head of Housing and Housing spokesperson, fair enough, but more than that comes over as superfluous padding.

 

Hope they at least flew EasyJet and got digs in Travelodge in their present financial state - no doubt there would be a flying pig here and there too if they did though.

[JGHR]

^ Tend to agree, I saw the pic and wondered why Bell and Smith were there.

 

Maybe they were needing to get their Christmas shopping done.

[getaba1110]

^ Tend to agree, I saw the pic and wondered why Bell and Smith were there.

 

Maybe they were needing to get their Christmas shopping done.

 

Now, now...I’m detecting the wee ‘Green-eyed monster’. The relevance of this wee trip to our financial state is simply none.

 

Let’s all have a Merry Christmas and hope that during next year our monetary issues can be resolved with minimal pain.

 

Fingers-crossed they get a result!

[Ghostrider]

Let’s all have a Merry Christmas and hope that during next year our monetary issues can be resolved with minimal pain.

 

Santa Claus may or may not visit the SIC, but I think expecting their Fairy Godmother or a Lamp with a Genie in it to turn up and solve their financial quagmire is being just a tad optimistic. Bah Humbug!