The Westminster bubble in sharp focus

[Ignitionnet]

http://www.theguardian.com/commentis...ts-oxfordshire

http://www.oxfordmail.co.uk/news/139...line_services/

Cameron complains that he is “disappointed” by the council’s proposals “to make significant cuts to frontline services – from elderly day centres, to libraries, to museums. This is in addition to the unwelcome and counter-productive proposals to close children’s centres across the county.” Why, he asks, has Oxfordshire not focused instead on “making back-office savings”? Why hasn’t it sold off its surplus property? After all, there has been only “a slight fall in government grants in cash terms”. Couldn’t the county “generate savings in a more creative manner”?

Explaining the issue gently, as if to a slow learner, the council leader, Ian Hudspeth, points out that the council has already culled its back-office functions, slashing 40% of its most senior staff and 2,800 jobs in total, with the result that it now spends less on these roles than most other counties. He explains that he has already flogged all the property he can lay hands on, but would like to remind the prime minister that using the income from these sales to pay for the council’s running costs “is neither legal, nor sustainable in the long-term since they are one-off receipts”.

The ignorance of how the decisions his Chancellor is making are affecting local authorities and, in turn, their constituents is astounding.

The PM may find this uncomfortable but it's way worse in many other local authorities. Where are his platitudes and reprimands for all of them I wonder?

Yeah the reply to his council from Cameron was either disingenuous or ignorant. The obsession governments have with efficiency and backroom savings, which allows them to claim they can provide better services with less money, has led them to believing their own spin I guess.

How about they start by cutting the number of MPs and then increasing the size of their constituencies,ask them to sit at weekends,work longer hours and all for the same pay...

I know quite a few MPs who do work weekends, in their constituencies.

[Osem]

In my experience local govt. has operated with all the efficiency of the BBC for decades but there has to come a point at which significant savings can't be made without having serious knock on effects on important even vital services. It'd be nice if common sense prevailed but there's right and wrong on both sides of this equation.

Originally Posted by Hugh

I know quite a few MPs who do work weekends, in their constituencies.

As we know of doctors who do actually work at weekends..However what about the rest of my suggestions?

Originally Posted by Maggy J

How about they start by cutting the number of MPs and then increasing the size of their constituencies,ask them to sit at weekends,work longer hours and all for the same pay...

Originally Posted by Hugh

I know quite a few MPs who do work weekends, in their constituencies.

Originally Posted by Maggy J

As we know of doctors who do actually work at weekends..However what about the rest of my suggestions?

Well, since the last survey showed that MPs worked an average of 69 hours per week, and if they sat at the weekend how would they do constituency work, and if you increased the size of the constituencies (by reducing the number of MPs) there would be less chance to see your MP if you had an issue.

http://www.theguardian.com/news/data...eachers-or-mps

[Derek]

Originally Posted by Hugh

Well, since the last survey showed that MPs worked an average of 69 hours per week

It found that most of the new intake of 2010 MPs estimated they worked 69 hours a week.
It's hard to know how many hours anyone works really but MPs certainly claimed they were putting in the hours.

If an MP told me what day of the week it was I'd want to double check, they've got to justify their 11% pay rise somehow.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

How about they start by cutting the number of MPs and then increasing the size of their constituencies,ask them to sit at weekends,work longer hours and all for the same pay...

Actually, I'd far rather we devolve powers to the councils and cut the number of MPs that way.

Members of our national legislature should ideally be representing their constituents as a whole, with local issues being handled by those closer to the people.

We are something of an aberration in the amount of case work for individuals our MPs handle, which is part of the justification for there being so many of them.

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Actually, I'd far rather we devolve powers to the councils and cut the number of MPs that way.

Members of our national legislature should ideally be representing their constituents as a whole, with local issues being handled by those closer to the people.

We are something of an aberration in the amount of case work for individuals our MPs handle, which is part of the justification for there being so many of them.

That may well apply to many MPs but as my last MP (duck house man) did practically nothing but photo opportunities in the constituency,seeming to spend his time trying to set up a white elephant transport tram system that would go through a tunnel under the harbour to Portsmouth and was at one point recorded on the list of house attendance as being the third to last on the list for attendance I'll possibly be forgiven for being somewhat sceptical about just how much case work some actually have or attend to..

Just as I don't judge all teachers by the sub-standard ones, I don't judge MPs by the reports on the minority in the press.

Originally Posted by Hugh

Just as I don't judge all teachers by the sub-standard ones, I don't judge MPs by the reports on the minority in the press.

Noble of you.I guess your MP is a paragon..

[ianch99]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

The ignorance of how the decisions his Chancellor is making are affecting local authorities and, in turn, their constituents is astounding

But the constituents of this and similar counties can have no complaints. They voted this Government back in knowing these cuts are coming. I have said before, I am looking forward to the Daily Mail readers' comments when these cuts directly affect them

Originally Posted by Maggy J

Noble of you.I guess your MP is a paragon..

Actually, he is (Greg Mulholland) - and I didn't vote for him.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/116...eds_north_west

Has spoken in 53 debates in the last year — well above average amongst MPs.

Has received answers to 339 written questions in the last year — well above average amongst MPs.

Replied within 2 or 3 weeks to a medium number of messages sent via WriteToThem.com during 2008, according to constituents.

Has voted in 42.98% of votes in this Parliament with this affiliation — well below average amongst MPs. (From Public Whip)

People have made 14 annotations on this MP’s speeches — above average amongst MPs.
This MP’s speeches, in Hansard, are readable by an average 17–18 year old, going by the Flesch-Kincaid Grade Level score.

Originally Posted by Hugh

Actually, he is (Greg Mulholland) - and I didn't vote for him.

http://www.theyworkforyou.com/mp/116...eds_north_west

Well not every constituency has your luck.Indeed the Isle of Wight is currently being very badly served by their MP..