London's Burning

Interesting that many of the London residents interviewed on the news appear to blame the recent rioting at least partly on an absence of police. How times change. Thirty years ago I found myself driving down Coldharbour Lane in Brixton, South London, on the eve of what developed into a pitched battle. Lord Scarman's subsequent report described the Metropolitan police as "an occupying army." Meanwhile, here in the 21st century, Devon & Cornwall police "monitor social networking sites" as their contribution to maintaining law and order. I gather an announcement is due shortly on how many officers are to be sent from Devon & Cornwall to help reclaim the streets. The overtime bill is going to be horrendous.

STOP PRESS: 25 Devon & Cornwall police sent to London "for several days."

Time to start counting our spoons?

When the fanfare of trumpets last month announced a transformation in the way Cornwall Council delivers services it seemed too good to be true: saving £10 million of taxpayers' money while protecting 3,000 existing council jobs. A miracle?

Now that we're starting to see the detail, it might be time to pause and consider. Next week's Audit Committee, warned of the "significant risks" inherent in this project, will be told of 50 posts "removed from the current restructure..."

The County Hall mantra for the past couple of years has been how Cornwall is to become a "commissioning council" which secures best value by "outsourcing" (the 21st century word for 1980s-style privatisation.) Maybe I'm just a cynical doom-monger who always thinks the worst, but might it not be a good idea to see what happens at Suffolk county council before the restructuring becomes irreversible?

Time to start counting our spoons?

When the fanfare of trumpets last month announced a transformation in the way Cornwall Council delivers services it seemed too good to be true: saving £10 million of taxpayers' money while protecting 3,000 existing council jobs. A miracle?

Now that we're starting to see the detail, it might be time to pause and consider. Next week's Audit Committee, warned of the "significant risks" inherent in this project, will be told of 50 posts "removed from the current restructure..."

The County Hall mantra for the past couple of years has been how Cornwall is to become a "commissioning council" which secures best value by "outsourcing" (the 21st century word for 1980s-style privatisation.) Maybe I'm just a cynical doom-monger who always thinks the worst, but might it not be a good idea to see what happens at Suffolk county council before the restructuring becomes irreversible?

Not telling the whole story

My not-totally-serious suggestion that Cornwall Council would soon be facing Freedom of Information questions about, er, Freedom of Information questions has come spookily true even faster than I thought. But it is indeed the case that without an FoI question, we would not know that when the council is hauled before the Information Commissioner to justify its refusal to release information required under FoI, it has a losing record of 8-1.

New car parking charges triumph

Revenue from Tregantle car park, near Torpoint, May 2010: £579
Revenue from Tregantle car park, near Torpoint, May 2011: £4.58

A despatch from the posh seats

First class train journeys 1 April 2009 - 31 March 2011:

Kevin Lavery - Chief Executive

23.04.09 York to London,1st class return, £199, Meeting with Treasury

21.10.09 Gatwick to Brighton, no class option £20.4 Solace Annual Conference

13.11.09 London to York, 1st class single £111.50 return from meeting with Department of children, Families and Schools (DCFS)

20.01.10 Truro to London 1st class return £180 Meeting at House of Commons

15.02.10 York/London/Truro 1st class singles £282.50 Meeting with DCFS in London

18.03.11 London to Truro 1st class single £189.50 return from Soft Market Testing
meetings

"First class travel has to be justified in individual cases based on the travel options available for a particular journey and the need for the Chief Executive to work during the journey."

Gill Steward - Head of Communities

2.12.10 London Paddington - St Austell - returning from a meeting in London about the development of Shared Services - £96

1.4.11 London Paddington - St Austell - returning from attending a Shared Services Forum with other Authorities - £114

"First class rail travel was arranged to enable the Director to work on the
journey back."

The following senior figures at Cornwall Council have made no claims for first class rail travel in the past two years: Paul Masters (Assistant Chief Executive), Kim Carey (Adult Social Care director), Michael Crich (Corporate Resources director), Tom Flanagan (Environment, Planning and Economy director), Trevor Doughty (Children, Schools and Families director), Alec Robertson (leader of the council) and Graeme Hicks (cabinet member.)

Too much information?

Was there ever any doubt that some Freedom of Information requests are politically-motivated? Cornwall Council has today answered (at a cost to the taxpayer of about £150) a question which could surely have been dealt with by other means: the details of allowances claimed annually by three individual Liberal Democrat councillors in Penzance. Coming soon - FoI questions to find out who is asking FoI questions. Yawn.