Local authority cuts

[pacharan]

Care to expand?

Yes. From what DP said, I would say that the ethnic makeup of the NE does not reflect the multiracial, multifaith society of the rest of the country. So, get in some more diversity officers and let the people of the NE have some.

[Old Greg]

Both the cliched right-winger "flog em, let the feckless get jobs" Daily mail brigade and the equally tired left-winger "lets help them up the ladder" posts on this thread are totally missing the point.

There are no jobs and no ladder to climb anymore.
Due to successive waves of incompetent politicians of all political stripes and a misguided, naive and simple view of the free market, Britain's national cake is now too small for its population.

HTH

You are right about the no jobs and no ladder IMO.

However, the population is irrelevant. The cake size is not absolute (so that a lower population will mean more cake per person), but relative to the population size. There isn't meant to be enough cake. That way, the populace can be kept by the capitalist / statist (delete according to politics) class underpaid and docile.

[Mich the Tester]

Yes. From what DP said, I would say that the ethnic makeup of the NE does not reflect the multiracial, multifaith society of the rest of the country. So, get in some more diversity officers and let the people of the NE have some.

Sure, we all believe you. Really.

[pacharan]

Sure, we all believe you. Really.

Oh come on.

I have no problem with multiculturalism. In my ideal multi culti city, there would be Chinese for their great food, Spanish for a party, Brazilians to create a carnival atmos and some West Indians to supply the music.

[Sysman]

Are there no local sports clubs, drama clubs, music clubs, Cadet Forces, scouting clubs or others that might be glad to have new members with parents prepared to volunteer their services?

As far as I am aware, all those (with the possible exception of Cadet Forces) cost money to join.

[Mich the Tester]

As far as I am aware, all those (with the possible exception of Cadet Forces) cost money to join.

Yep, that might be an issue. However, at my rugby club here in Holland, although we charge a membership fee it can be waived for people who really can't afford it, in return for some volunteer work for the club; it wouldn't surprise me if other sports clubs etc are prepared to do the same deal.

[Sysman]

They should stop letting anyone from Europe just come across the border and work.

That will sort out the deficits

Nope. Retaliation from the rest of the EU could make it difficult for large numbers of us to escape.

[Sysman]

With purple carrots?

If I can find them in the shops. I could put a couple of interesting mushrooms in too.

I can get purple carrots. Yellow ones too if you want.

P.S. Some marketing type was trying to persuade me that the reason most carrots today are orange is that sometime long ago the Dutch promoted orange ones. National colour and all that. Was it BS or is there a grain of truth?

[Platypus]

one can only hope that they've taken the axe to their armies of superfluous penpushers beforehand.

I think not. My local council is still p1ssing money away with useless free newspapers and replacing perfectly good street signs with new signs.

So actually, what's needed is a group of parents who club together and form some club with their kids, perhaps aligned to the scouts or cadets, and thereby teach their kids about initiative, organisation and getting things done.

Good one Mich!!!!

I live in a "nice middle class area" and I assure you that almost no-one CBA to do that. When I served my time on PTAs, it was always the same parents at every event. Year after year.

However, at my rugby club here in Holland, although we charge a membership fee it can be waived for people who really can't afford it, in return for some volunteer work for the club

Work? Work?? Work???
Oh stop it, you're killing me!!

I only raise the point because I can't help think that there is some political motivation behind these cuts - make it hurt so it reflects badly on the Tories.

I think this is very likely true.


Call me a cynic but the "I can't be bothered" "Why should I" "Not my problem" attitudes are now so prevalent, I believe it's impossible to reverse.

I think that 'call me Dave' has the right idea with the 'Big Society' but he forgot to take into account the people of Britain.

[RichardCranium]

Some marketing type was trying to persuade me that the reason most carrots today are orange is that sometime long ago the Dutch promoted orange ones. National colour and all that. Was it BS or is there a grain of truth?

Completely true. Absolutely.

Wanna buy some tulips bulbs? Great investment for the future...