Pete Boggs

True Dippy, but doesn't the Council commission (dreadful word) a service from them at number 1? I suppose it would come down to whether the Council is funding a separate service or a joint one with the trust. Good to see a campaign being organised to defend these facilities. The Council doesn't have a good record when it comes outsourcing (another dreadful word) health/social services. Or any other kind of service come to think of it. What are all these highly paid managers we read about in the Hereford Times actually doing for their money?

I'm not on an expert on this, but has there been/is there going to be any consultation regarding 1 Ledbury Road? The law on consultation is unclear in a lot of cases but there might be grounds to challenge the Council's decision if they haven't consulted families and service users on their plans to cancel the service. Also have they given due consideration to their public sector equality duty under the Equalities Act 2010? As a first step might be worth asking the council are they going to consult? If not, why not?

Just a guess on my part, but could they have brought in to advise the Council over the setting of residential home rates which has been ongoing for at least a couple of years now. Alternatively, advising on the Shaw Homes contract?

Thanks Dippy, but I can't really claim any credit. It's a longstanding armed forces joke where they dubbed the standard issue SA80 rifle the Civil Servant, for reasons previously stated.

Ah, now that reminds me of the old army joke - to rephrase: It's called a Balfour Beatty gun because it doesn't work and you can't fire it.

I see that yokelyokel has nicked my "on the square" line for their post in the comments section of the HT: http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/13329499.Herefordshire_Council_appoints_a__new__director_of_resources/ YY if you're reading this you owe me rent, we'll call it a pony all right?

I'm sure it was all done fair and (on the) square.

Dippy, this strikes me a legitimate concern given the entryist tactics they've adopted to try and infiltrate the Council at officer and member level. Trying to control or influence an organisation that's concerned with educating young people would be right up their street. Hopefully the embryonic Hereford university will adopt the same attitude to this sinister cult that Swansea did. I don't think we can count on it though.

All true Jimbo, and let's not forget the two deputy chief executives Annie Faulder and Dean Taylor, brought in at exorbitant rates to do the dirty work that Chris Bull didn't have the guts for. They're also the primary architects of the Hoople fiasco, which they've no doubt listed as a noteworthy achievement on their overinflated CVs.

Overtures to neighbouring councils about shared chief officer roles have not progressed, with no workable models emerging. I'd hazard a guess that's because nobody wants to touch them with a bargepole. They're finding recruitment difficult further down the ladder as well. Like I said before, word gets around. Am I reading that article right? They spent a load of money on recruitment consultants who suggested putting an ad in the Municipal Journal. Could they not have figured that out for themselves? Evidently not.

I used to think he was a bit of an obsessive always banging on about litter in the HT letters section, but having seen the state of the city and wider afield I'm forced to concede he's entirely correct. I wish him all the best in his campaign.

And let's not forget Snowzell was the man who said "we can start storming nations". More than a whiff of the brown shirt right there wouldn't you say?

Wow, dig that funky red, white and black iconography. Can anyone think of another would-be world dominating movement that used the same colour scheme? Hint: Godwin's Law may apply.

Same probably goes for officers as well. Isn't the Council currently borrowing Shropshire's Director of Public Health on a part time basis? The two previous Herefordshire incumbents both disappeared in mysterious circumstances i.e. likely to have been paid off.

Jonathan Bretherton? Weren't Hereford Failures and FC webbed up at one point? The latter's ghastly barracks of a headquarters seemed strangely immune from the threat of being CPO'ed unlike a lot of other premises in the area.

Hi Dippy, I suspect my info is already in the public domain, as per your post, but just in case: I believe the contract award was investigated by the Council's audit department circa Autumn 2010 but don't know what the outcome was. Reading the profiles of FC members it seems to me, if you'll forgive the crude expression, there's a fair amount of p*ss and wind involved: Taking down the giant of pornography. Yeah, good luck with that. Regardless of our individual views on the harmfulness and easy availability of porn I'd suggest that the sheer practicalities of getting rid of it are rather beyond a sect of God-botherers from a provincial English town. Much as I enjoy mocking the happy clapper brigade I'm forced to agree that it's worrying that this bunch of loons seem to be gaining influence in the county.

You're right there DH. I seem to recall some ructions a few years back after the contract for a young persons advice/counselling service was given to a Freedom Church front. It later became apparent that some of the Council officers responsible for the award had FC links. It looks to me that the church is using an entryist strategy of the type traditionally practiced by political extremist groups to infiltrate organisations that they want to control for their own ends. I'm guessing the Freedom Church's copy of the bible doesn't have that story about the rich man, the camel and the eye of the needle in it?

Perhaps the Council's East German style Gerontocracy is planning on moving back in once the place has been converted?

For what it's worth Colin I think you've done the right thing. As others have observed you're a tolerant chap, you gave Cardin more than enough rope, it's certainly not your fault that he duly hanged himself with it. I have to confess I'm bemused by the comments from those seeking to excuse his vile behaviour - Comments along the lines of: “Oh he's from oop north...he does a lot of work for charidee†etc etc as if that somehow gives him licence to abuse everyone who doesn't agree to the letter with his often eccentric (to put it mildly) opinions. I'm sure he's done sterling work exposing malpractice in Wirral. I dare say he's been through a lot cr**, but so have a lot of people (especially if they've had the misfortune to work for Herefordshire Council) but they don't go around foaming at the mouth at anyone who expresses disagreement with them or just raises a polite enquiry. Cardin seems to believe he's fighting a war, and perhaps he is, if so wouldn't he be more sensible trying to recruit allies instead of making enemies at every turn?

I think you'll find peadophile rings in a lot of places. Most recently we've heard about what's gone on in various northern towns. Private Eye has been sniffing around Elm Guest House for years. I'm not saying paedophilia is in any way normal or should be tolerated but it is widespread, unfortunately, and cuts across all sorts of boundaries, geographical and social.

And that gives him the right to come on here spewing bile over all and sundry does it? That's nice. And for the record I do not condone the mistreatment of vulnerable and disabled people. That fact that I haven't given the requisite number of "likes" to your favourite threads hardly constitutes evidence of my lack of morality or empathy. If you actually take the time to read the bullying of disabled staff I passed on some info to Maverick that I thought might help them in their fight.

The fact that someone disagrees with you doesn't entitle you to heap a load of vile abuse on them. Unfortunately it seems to be your default mode of debate. For that reason alone I'll be glad to see the back of you, although not having to scroll down through the ranting, tin-foil hat screeds with which you pollute various threads on this board will be an undoubted bonus. Try not to slam the door on your way out.

I shall be very surprised if any of the porcine, red faced buffoons that make up the present administration forgo their wack. They'll be wanting it back dated naturally.

Isn't it just though? All these people interested in Leadership, Personal Development and all that tosh. Maybe a touch of Common Purpose as well? Management jargon as holy writ...hmmm.

Apart from the twenty-odd bishops that sit in the House of Lords?