ChatterBank42 mins ago
Newly invented non-jobs
26 Answers
http://www.dailymail....-Nazis-quite-mad.html
This brilliant worded article by Richard Littlejohn, highlights perfectly what is going wrong in Brown's Town Halls.
/// Newly invented non-jobs include a £41,000-a-year 'promoting healthy weight' adviser in Lewisham and a £19,000-a-year 'temporary mass participation' worker in Bromsgrove.///
/// Mid-Suffolk has recruited a development officer to teach juggling to youngsters. Fife has a cheerleader and a 'teen funk' instructor.///
/// When the Government announced plans to encourage people to abandon their cars and walk to work, I predicted that it would spawn a whole new job creation scheme.///
/// Within weeks, the Guardian was running adverts for 'community walking coordinators'.///
Giv'us a job!
This brilliant worded article by Richard Littlejohn, highlights perfectly what is going wrong in Brown's Town Halls.
/// Newly invented non-jobs include a £41,000-a-year 'promoting healthy weight' adviser in Lewisham and a £19,000-a-year 'temporary mass participation' worker in Bromsgrove.///
/// Mid-Suffolk has recruited a development officer to teach juggling to youngsters. Fife has a cheerleader and a 'teen funk' instructor.///
/// When the Government announced plans to encourage people to abandon their cars and walk to work, I predicted that it would spawn a whole new job creation scheme.///
/// Within weeks, the Guardian was running adverts for 'community walking coordinators'.///
Giv'us a job!
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>When you are robbing Peter to pay Paul, you can always rely on support from Paul!
The trouble is when "Peter" has run out of money, or is fed up with paying out half their salary in tax, or loses their job, then you run out of money to pay "Paul".
Unles like Gordon Brown you just borrow it, and borrow it, and borrow it, and borrow it, till you are trillions of pounds in debt.
And then "Peter" has to pay for this debt for the next 50 years.
The trouble is when "Peter" has run out of money, or is fed up with paying out half their salary in tax, or loses their job, then you run out of money to pay "Paul".
Unles like Gordon Brown you just borrow it, and borrow it, and borrow it, and borrow it, till you are trillions of pounds in debt.
And then "Peter" has to pay for this debt for the next 50 years.
I get really fed up with you guys attacking those of us doing such socially useful jobs. After I went to Uni and got a pass degree in media studies at a really good uni (Thames Valley), I thought long and hard about what I could do to benefit my fellow man and finally decided to set my career in the advisory industry, where we advise people on what they should do. Our council has been doing a great job enabling people like me with good degrees in Media Studies to help people whilst earning a good salarywith loads of benefits and great security. I can work my way up to Director Of Advisory Activities, where I get to advise people on what they should be seeking advice on and what could be more socially useful than that?
People ask us all sorts of difficult questions on what they should do, like If i find a fiver in the street should I keep it, or should I let my children walk to school, when it is a tiring five minute walk or how do I make sure I get my maximum state benefits, without becoming stressed.
It is hard enough holding down this responsibility without people like you coming on here to take the micky. I mean if you had a problem like filling in a council survey form, where would you go to get help?
People ask us all sorts of difficult questions on what they should do, like If i find a fiver in the street should I keep it, or should I let my children walk to school, when it is a tiring five minute walk or how do I make sure I get my maximum state benefits, without becoming stressed.
It is hard enough holding down this responsibility without people like you coming on here to take the micky. I mean if you had a problem like filling in a council survey form, where would you go to get help?
Just because you do not understand the job description does not necessarily mean the post is a non-job and a waste of money.
The Health Promotion jobs that you have highlighted are an attempt to tackle the Obesity problem, which is currently costing the NHS about £10billion a year. Now you could do nothing and see that £10billion rise to £45billion by 2050, or you could attempt to educated people, particular the young, on how to live the rest of their lives more actively.
Such preventative measures could, in the long run, save the NHS and the taxpayer, many £billions.
The Health Promotion jobs that you have highlighted are an attempt to tackle the Obesity problem, which is currently costing the NHS about £10billion a year. Now you could do nothing and see that £10billion rise to £45billion by 2050, or you could attempt to educated people, particular the young, on how to live the rest of their lives more actively.
Such preventative measures could, in the long run, save the NHS and the taxpayer, many £billions.
Yeah but wouldn't that be a real waste of all the training, hard work and investment that has got me to this really useful job................. You have a duty to help me to continue to spend your money wisely and not waste it inthe private sector where they just make things and sell them to for something as selfish as to make profits.
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Zeuhl,
Lardhelmet's suggestion or my personal recommendation would be a basket of Community Safety, Planning enforcement and Environmental Elf.
Tell them that there is a private enterprise rip-off merchant making money by breaching section 4 of the Elf and Safety at Work Act, where noise, traffic and offensive and dangerous gases are being released, he is in breach of his planning consent and has refused gypsies permission to camp in his car park. Not to mention his employees are throwing their fag ends in your garden and he is running an illegal escort business out of hours. By the time they've finished their investigations, he will have died of boredom.
Lardhelmet's suggestion or my personal recommendation would be a basket of Community Safety, Planning enforcement and Environmental Elf.
Tell them that there is a private enterprise rip-off merchant making money by breaching section 4 of the Elf and Safety at Work Act, where noise, traffic and offensive and dangerous gases are being released, he is in breach of his planning consent and has refused gypsies permission to camp in his car park. Not to mention his employees are throwing their fag ends in your garden and he is running an illegal escort business out of hours. By the time they've finished their investigations, he will have died of boredom.
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"It is a known fact that Brown's Britain has more Tsars than Russia has ever had. "
Oh my God.
Sorry... I can't believe you actually just wrote that. I mean, jeez... Did that... did that actually sound really, really good in your head before you wrote it? I bet it did. Ugh. That's, like, on a par with a political dad-joke.
---
Anyway, on the original article - I think it's very telling that Littlejohn singles out HIV prevention workers as being pointless. Working to preventing HIV is actually highly cost-effective (AIDS is a pretty slow, nasty piece of work - it's expensive to deal with a sufferer, not to mention all the drugs etc for HIV) - investing in promoting safe sex and HIV awareness strikes me as extremely prudent.
It's also quite telling that he dismisses transgender-related workers. If you've ever spoken to someone who's had to deal with being transgendered, then you'd probably know that they need all the support they can get and that the work done by support services has been invaluable.
I've got to say, I don't know anything about 'walking coordinators' or anything like that, but I do know that Littlejohn has deliberately framed the article in order to make just about every position he lists look as ridiculous and sensational as possible, so I'm rather mistrustful of his conclusions. I'd be interested to read something a little more genuinely investigative.
Oh my God.
Sorry... I can't believe you actually just wrote that. I mean, jeez... Did that... did that actually sound really, really good in your head before you wrote it? I bet it did. Ugh. That's, like, on a par with a political dad-joke.
---
Anyway, on the original article - I think it's very telling that Littlejohn singles out HIV prevention workers as being pointless. Working to preventing HIV is actually highly cost-effective (AIDS is a pretty slow, nasty piece of work - it's expensive to deal with a sufferer, not to mention all the drugs etc for HIV) - investing in promoting safe sex and HIV awareness strikes me as extremely prudent.
It's also quite telling that he dismisses transgender-related workers. If you've ever spoken to someone who's had to deal with being transgendered, then you'd probably know that they need all the support they can get and that the work done by support services has been invaluable.
I've got to say, I don't know anything about 'walking coordinators' or anything like that, but I do know that Littlejohn has deliberately framed the article in order to make just about every position he lists look as ridiculous and sensational as possible, so I'm rather mistrustful of his conclusions. I'd be interested to read something a little more genuinely investigative.
So let’s be a little more “investigative”. Jobs in today’s Guardian:
Senior Cultural Policy & Projects Officer (GLA, £44k-£46k). “A key position in the Culture Department..important role in shaping the cultural agenda for London...a number of strategic cultural initiatives... flagship Fourth Plinth Commissioning Programme.”
Humanitarian Advisers (5 posts) (Dept for International Development £44k-£56k) “.. alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity during and in the aftermath of man-made crises...able and willing to serve in fragile and conflict-affected countries.”
Child Care Planning Manager (London Borough of Camden, £44k-£47k) “...develop good working practices with the Integrated Children Looked After teams so that we can together implement the forthcoming IRO Handbook and other care planning guidance.”
Policy & Partnerships Manager (London Borough of Waltham Forest, £45k-£47k) “...brand new role..you’ll play a key role in keeping our plans firmly on track.
Healthy Schools Advisor (2 posts) (Warwickshire County Council, £39k-£43k). “Warwickshire Healthy Schools is a successful team looking for two new advisors who will have a key role in implementing the Healthy Schools enhancement model. “
So then, £300k (or thereabouts) worth of “work”, some of which is not being done at present, and by the sounds of it most of which does not need doing at all. Mr Littlejohn does not have to look too hard to find many similar (and possibly more outrageous) examples of taxpayer funded profligacy. All talk of "cuts" centres around doctors and nurses, but the validity of "jobs" such as these is never properly challenged.
Senior Cultural Policy & Projects Officer (GLA, £44k-£46k). “A key position in the Culture Department..important role in shaping the cultural agenda for London...a number of strategic cultural initiatives... flagship Fourth Plinth Commissioning Programme.”
Humanitarian Advisers (5 posts) (Dept for International Development £44k-£56k) “.. alleviate suffering and maintain human dignity during and in the aftermath of man-made crises...able and willing to serve in fragile and conflict-affected countries.”
Child Care Planning Manager (London Borough of Camden, £44k-£47k) “...develop good working practices with the Integrated Children Looked After teams so that we can together implement the forthcoming IRO Handbook and other care planning guidance.”
Policy & Partnerships Manager (London Borough of Waltham Forest, £45k-£47k) “...brand new role..you’ll play a key role in keeping our plans firmly on track.
Healthy Schools Advisor (2 posts) (Warwickshire County Council, £39k-£43k). “Warwickshire Healthy Schools is a successful team looking for two new advisors who will have a key role in implementing the Healthy Schools enhancement model. “
So then, £300k (or thereabouts) worth of “work”, some of which is not being done at present, and by the sounds of it most of which does not need doing at all. Mr Littlejohn does not have to look too hard to find many similar (and possibly more outrageous) examples of taxpayer funded profligacy. All talk of "cuts" centres around doctors and nurses, but the validity of "jobs" such as these is never properly challenged.
Perhaps you can tell me what’s short sighted about this Quinlad:
The UK is facing the biggest financial crisis it has ever had to. The reasons for it are of no interest for the purposes of this debate; the situation we are in is not disputed.
The various parties are squaring up for an election and, understandably, the economy is high on the agenda for debate. Each of the parties is presenting plans to the electorate, and they all involve “cuts” or “efficiencies” or call them what you will. All the effort into this debate centres around so-called front line services and how they may be effected. However, meantime in the background there is a plethora of jobs being undertaken (and the Guardian adverts only scratch at the surface) which never form part of the debate. Why is Waltham Forest Council advertising a £50k post for somebody to “keep their plans on track”? This is surely a function of the managers already there. Why is the “fourth plinth” project a GLA “flagship” and why does that project warrant another £50k post? Why should we be prepared to spend £300k a year to send people to places where civil war is rife?
These aims are all very laudable when the country is awash with money. However, at present there is debate raging about (among many other things) how many hospital beds will be lost and how long-term care for the elderly is to be funded. Of course Littlejohn goes over the top. That’s his job. But beneath his exuberance is a serious message which does not seem to have got through to all politicians of all parties. And that is that the excessive benevolence of the State has got to stop, and stop quickly. The “non-jobs” which he highlights are one of the most potent symbols of that benevolence.
The UK is facing the biggest financial crisis it has ever had to. The reasons for it are of no interest for the purposes of this debate; the situation we are in is not disputed.
The various parties are squaring up for an election and, understandably, the economy is high on the agenda for debate. Each of the parties is presenting plans to the electorate, and they all involve “cuts” or “efficiencies” or call them what you will. All the effort into this debate centres around so-called front line services and how they may be effected. However, meantime in the background there is a plethora of jobs being undertaken (and the Guardian adverts only scratch at the surface) which never form part of the debate. Why is Waltham Forest Council advertising a £50k post for somebody to “keep their plans on track”? This is surely a function of the managers already there. Why is the “fourth plinth” project a GLA “flagship” and why does that project warrant another £50k post? Why should we be prepared to spend £300k a year to send people to places where civil war is rife?
These aims are all very laudable when the country is awash with money. However, at present there is debate raging about (among many other things) how many hospital beds will be lost and how long-term care for the elderly is to be funded. Of course Littlejohn goes over the top. That’s his job. But beneath his exuberance is a serious message which does not seem to have got through to all politicians of all parties. And that is that the excessive benevolence of the State has got to stop, and stop quickly. The “non-jobs” which he highlights are one of the most potent symbols of that benevolence.
Well, taking just one example, the proper provision of childcare will help parents in Camden to return to work, boost the local economy and reduce dependence on benefits. Not to mention the longer-term benefits to the children's development.
Still, not as media-friendly as spending that money on a nurse, though. Lovely nurses. Lovely friendly nurses in their nice uniforms.
Out of interest, given that we're not awash with money, should we cut ALL funding for culture and the arts?
Still, not as media-friendly as spending that money on a nurse, though. Lovely nurses. Lovely friendly nurses in their nice uniforms.
Out of interest, given that we're not awash with money, should we cut ALL funding for culture and the arts?
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