flamboyant

Dippy I expect they will be out in droves trying to persaude us to their cause. I for one will not be persuaded easily, I am still waiting for answers to lots of questions asked but never answered.

What an absolutely wonderful thing to do, Ubique your wife sounds like an amazing lady. Thanks for posting, restored my faith which was at an all time low! Hope the little fella does well and enjoys his new home..

Well said Dip, totally agree You mention the official line and it's the official line that needs to be challenged. Where does the official line come from? People are not angry with local Councils because of a lack of funding from Central Government. They are angry with the likes of Cllr Johnson because he and others like him facilitate these lies that everything is working and things are better than they were before. What would make someone peddle a myth a lie? Preservation. The Official line is not plucked from thin air it comes from people higher up the food chain wanting to protect their personal wealth and status and I am convinced they believe their own press. I can live with a reduction in front line staff and I would gladly give up my job if I was promised every single penny saved would be spent on a child in danger, or an elderly person in need of care. What I object to is time after time I see front line staff lose their jobs under the guise of we are protection the vulnerable with the money we save. Well actually you're not because on the back of those redundancies you consistently increased your management structure. You already had too many mangers to begin with earning much more than their worth but they drew up those proposals that saw the real backbone of Councils lose their jobs and you rubber stamped it. The next time you go reporting back to whoever wants to know that all is well and everything is better than before take a long hard look in the mirror because the only person you are concerned with is starring back it you, I hope you like what you see.

TWG you've seen the show..

The Council saw an alternate delivery model for this years nativity play. The script was written by the legal team and representatives from Hoople and Herefordshire Futures were drafted in to Direct and Produce the pantomime. Savings to the Council for the production are expected to run into hundreds of thousands of pounds over the life of the 25 year Contract. The cast wore expensive designer suits and instead of a donkey, Cllr Morgan playing the Virgin Mary arrived in a peddle car waving a decision notice from the planning department. The three Kings abandoned the traditional gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh in favour of a compromise agreement, 10% money off vouchers for Debenhams and a signed photograph of the Chief Executive. The performance of the night should go to Mr Norman who played the Inn keeper. How he managed to keep a straight face when he delivered the line, "there's no room at Hereford Council try the Wirral or Torbay," I will never know! Mary screamed "let me in I'm about to produce the son of God and the sign above the door clearly says here you can!" The cabinet had been briefed to scream "on no you cant!" And where so on cue it was obvious they'd spent some time practicing. Apologies read by the Councils Finance Officer stated the CE was unable to make the event citing financial restraints, the CE had been forced to work from home since April having used up all his travel allowance for the current financial year. The Finance Director was given a standing ovation when he promised the audience that recent savings made in the depletion of front line staff would enable him to double next years expenses allowances. The room erupted when he pledged to find money to increase the Senior Management structure by a third and purchase more seating for the canteen after complaints that Senior Managers were not only expected to carry their own trays but had been forced to wait for a window seat. The highlight of the evening was undoubtedly the mud fight between the leader Cllr Johnson and Cllr James, held during the interval. Cllr Johnson took an early lead hurtling mud into the eyes of an unsuspecting Cllr James effectively blinding him. You could have heard a pin drop when Cllr James calmly wiped the mud from his eyes took a piece of 2 by 4 out from under his coat, dipped it into a bucket of shite leapt across the room like a ninja on speed and smacked the leader across the back of the head. Cllr James speaking after the event defended his actions stating, he'd spent the last 12 months wading through the shite peddled by Councillor Johnson and wanted to give him an understanding of what it felt like when your heads about to explode. Sources close to the Leader said he is recovering well and was last seen on a trolley in a corridor at the County Hospital mumbling "I don't need to know anything about staff issues its not in my remit. A truly magnificent evening tickets for Conservative Councillors are free, Directors will receive an undisclosed sum in their January pay packet. Front line staff will need written permission from the Director of service, entry will be free on receipt of a signed agreement forfeiting any pay rise for the next 5 years. Due to data protection legislation members of the public will be unable to attend and Councillors from opposition parties are welcome to watch the show online at www.herefordshiredigitalshite.com

Brilliant! From what I've been hearing lately 'Herod' has a starring role in his very own nativity and is prepared to commit any crime in order to gratify his unbounded ambition!

Opps! https://www.facebook.com/pages/Your-Hereford-Your-City-Your-Say/24538374884196 Sorry I didn't mean IOC John is from what I think used to be its our herefordshire. He was a great support to The Library Services.

Megilleland 'InterMet Media' is John Perkins. He's from This is our County. http://www.whiteeaglerecords.com/InterMetMusic/intermetmedia/index.php?artistpage=john_perkins.html

Paul, I read your link above. I thought the Whistleblowing blowing policy protected people making disclosures? How did it turn into an investigation about you?

Greenknight brilliant post! Anyone paying Unison subscriptions in the current climate is totally bonkers! Payments are around £11/ 12 pound a month and could actually be put to better use. You'd get more protection from a DFS sofa, £11 pounds a month for three yours and at least you'd have something to sit on for those three years! Most members will never ever need the Services of their Unison rep and most members will never ever go out in support of any type of industrial action. So what I'd like to know is exactly why people are throwing away £11 a month? I was a member of a Union for over 20 years and never called on their services once, although I did strike a number of times in the 80s. In the 80s Union stewards were mostly tough men who stood fast and had strong moral codes, they were feared and respected equally. They didn't deal their members down the river and members stood with them because they trusted them and respected them! Unison will make all the right noises but they won't actually achieve anything, unless it's in their best interests! Herefordshire Council Unison branch is probably one of the worst, judging by the stories I've heard! Trust me they aren't kicking anyones a*se! I would urge anyone in Unison, Unite or any other Union to stop wasting your money, if you need some advice try a Which magazine subscription its a third of the price and their Solicitors are top notch! You get a years subscription for half the price, a cracking magazine, full of interesting facts and unlimited free legal advice on all legal matters.

Nicely put Councillor and some very good examples, which I'm guessing are from your personal experiences Can I ask what you would do in the following situation If you knew of a potential danger in your work place that could injure someone and you'd reported it to your managers who did nothing. Would you - Forget it and accept the danger was to remain and wait for someone to be injured, so you could say I told you so Or Continue to pursue the danger no matter what the personal cost to yourself might be

Totally agree GDJ well said. I am not sure Councillors or indeed Senior staff at the Council have a clear understanding of what actually constitutes bullying. Can we have some examples from posters? I will start off the list Making derogatory comments about someone behind their back either verbally or in an email, particularly if the comments relate to a persons disability.

It is very interesting that Unison are sharing information with local Councillors.

Maybe they didn't get the email?

Fantastic article Megilleland well spotted! Paul I totally identify with your list, which from what I have heard and read seems to be the norm. Whistleblowers don't speak out because they are going to get anything from it, they speak out because it's usually the right thing to do. It's usually people with an in-bread moral code or a strong sense or right and wrong. I would add that the mangers you accuse are usually told of your complaints well before any investigation takes place and your name and accusations are not kept confidential they are passed around the organisation. The other thing to remember is no one will thank you for it, you will be shunned by people you believed to be good people, who believed as you did. I suspect any Councillor who did take up the challenge to look into this saga was told a pack of lies which they swallowed hook line and sinker! I could be wrong, when the truth comes out and trust me it always does, if that is the case I hope they remember.

We are directing our anger at the wrong opponent, we must try and remember our elected members are not required to know! Staff issues are purely the responsibility of the Cheif Executive. Elected representatives only rubber stamp proposals to cut front line staff! http://www.herefordtimes.com/news/11503917.Herefordshire_Council___political_leaders__not_required__to_know_of_bullying_allegations_and_related_settlements/

During this restructure not 1 single person above front line staff lost their job and now we hear they've created a new post! This is and has always been the norm for Geoff Hughes Directorate. No amount of exposure or complaining will ever prevent this from happening. Two front line members of staff will lose their jobs to pay for this new post which they will label essential for what they are calling the new model of delivery aimed at saving the tax payer money and delivering better services! Plough Lane is fast becoming the playground of the suits, this is where they all gather to lunch and pat each other on the back for delivering us from doom! The previous IT scandal which resulted in the Crookall Report is a joke by comparison! Has anyone seen the Chief Exec of Herefordshire Council? I think he's done a Lucan! Or perhaps he's been working from home it is a long way to travel after all.

Growl tiger I wasn't aware the Council Solicitor earned 90k I thought it was 78k https://www.herefordshire.gov.uk/media/7696820/salaries_1012014.pdf A friend picked the figure, I never asked Dippy I always said you were a bit effeminate! Hilarious! I would undress my other half and serve them up on a plate for a million! That film was kinda my point though, the ramifications of someone's actions can be far reaching!

I agree with you Dip, I would also run for the door. Some people will do anything for money I used to think it was for power but it's not it is all about the money. People don't have the same moral code they had years ago, I was in an argument with a friend and he said if someone offered me 90k to tell a lie that could cause someone some grief I would do it. I would like to think I wouldn't but no one is ever likely to offer me that sort of money so I will never know if I have still have the moral code. He also said that he would do it without a second thought and I believe he would and he is the nicest man you could meet! Just shows you, you never really know someone!

Nice one Megilliland !

Hi all I have a question... What would you do to protect a 90 thousand pound a year salary? Would you for example- Embark on a path of wrong doing, that could effect your wife, husband or children? Lie to someone who was vulnerable? Break the law? Put vulnerable children at risk? How low would you sink for 90 k a year? Evil flourishes when good men do nothing... I'm really interested to know if their really are any good men out there?

Question from Councillor WLS Bowen Question 8 Accommodation Strategy Can the Cabinet Member please confirm: a) What is the total cost of refurbishing the Shire Hall for the use of Herefordshire Council? b) What will be the total cost of refurbishing the Plough Lane site? c) What is the expected receipt from the sale of Brockington? d) How much has been spent on Hereford Town Hall? e) If the Shire Hall received a new, energy efficient heating system. Answer to question 8 a) The works are not fully complete, current forecast total scheme spend is to budget being £2.8m b) The works are not fully complete, current forecast total scheme spend is to budget being £4m c) £1.5m. It should also be noted that there will be significant revenue savings generated by moving operations from this building. d) The Town Hall is not scheduled for refurbishment within the current accommodation strategy. e) The refurbished area is now served by two new highly efficient condensing boilers. The rest of the Shire Hall remains serviced by existing boilers which will be upgraded in future phases.

Well I hate the wheelie bins they are ugly all lined up outside peoples houses! I think they should have only been given to people who had storage at the rear of their property. The streets look awful and people are losing pride in their properties, the little two bed terrace houses on the estates have tiny front gardens and the bins take up the whole of the front gardens.

She can have a bin for storage as long as she presents the bags on collection day.

Yes best wishes Glenda hope you are well