jj4wxm
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This is bad news for the area, another employer who was paying good money going. I feel for the familys that will be affected by this.
@thewayneinspain 4622 wrote:
why the need for a dig?
sorry time+beer = poor reading, took dig to mean ‘dig’ for info.
Not a dig really, just one of those off the cuff comments we all make – bit of authority bashing. To be fair to the council, when I, and several others, raised concerns about the local development plan that would have affected our street they did listen and the site was removed from the proposal. I know that some of the others were not as lucky, and that some things the council do without the support of the community (city status bid number 2)-I think its just in our (British) nature to “have a dig” every now and again.
@thewayneinspain 4622 wrote:
why the need for a dig?
Just backing up what I say with facts, wouldn’t want certain members asking me to prove it…..:D
No, in all seriousness, I always think that if other people want to check something out we should tell them where the information is so comments aren’t easily dissmissed.
But my main reason was I seem to remember a rumour/article going around at the time indicating that there may have been a more sinister motive for trying to move the housing stock over to an association at the time – possibly to do with the way that rents were controlled differently under a housing association but couldn’t find it, so it was probably a discussion over a beer (it was over 8 years ago).
From some friends I know who were in council accommodation at the time this was a concern.
@wxm 4592 wrote:
Wrexham should seriously consider moving its housing to a trust or mutual, and use what are currently reported as surpluses to enable financial reserves to be grown. With that and improved efficiencies, the trust could successfully take care of itself as so many do in the UK, and Wrexham Council reduces its overhead by not having to run it housing (takes £110m out of the budget, and a quarter of its work).
As previously said, they tried to do this back in 2004.
BBC NEWS | Wales | Tenants reject homes transfer
To be fair on Wrexham Council, for a change ;), they did what most of us want them to do – give the people affected a say! The people spoke and the rest is history.Hi all, this is my first post so be gentle!
I often browse the forum, but am not very social so don’t post. This time is different, as the subject of many of the posts was making my blood boil! I, like many of you, were thinking how dare they (councillors) get these devices for free when all other useful services (like kerbcraft mentioned on the forum) are under threat or are cut, and when everyone else has to buy them!
The post from the wayneinspain tipped me over the edge – your posts do tend to get me all het up ;) -regarding an extra 17 iPads that might have been bought. I was thinking, “Who else has got one? They’ve all got their noses in the trough!”………have another pint, calm down a bit……..read a bit more of the forum and feel the rage build up again!
So, I decided to get on the Wrexham website and trawl through for some information – and trawl through I did! That website is not the easiest to navigate to get what you would think to be some easily accessible information. Who did they employ to create that monstrosity, a blind Bulgarian bricklayer?!? Anyway, I digress!
I finally came across this beauty:
https://www.wrexham.gov.uk/MinutesData/DemServs/Reports/HCCS13812.pdf
Which looks like the report original report presented to one of the committees for the “Review of ICT Provision for Elected Members”.
Now, I know that the figures bounded about were the back of the fag packet stuff using figures from the mis-leader – Wayne’s words not mine ;). But, this may be the drink talking, some of this made sense! No, seriously hear me out! I’m not taking the piss honestly!
In the report, they quote that in 2011/2012 £36,000 was spent on printing of agendas and minutes for committee meetings for Elected Members and Senior Managers (don’t worry not typing all this in, copy and paste stuff). £36k, thirty six grand! WTF! The councillors also had (6 year old) laptops provided, with possible on costs being hinted at – I work in the Computing field and would assume that this is for licensing f products (Windows CAL licences, software assurance, security products etc). In addition, £4,320 per annum was spent on providing broadband for 24 members.
So, in total over £40k a YEAR for councillors to get emails and printed agendas!
The report looks to offer councillors one of three options, four if you’re a lead member by the look of it, and the implicit fifth (non of the above).
1. An iPad @ £431 plus £20 per annum.
2. A laptop @ £453 plus £50 per annum.
3. Use your own mobile device with provided software @ £125 plus £20 per annum.
4. (for lead members only) instead of option 1, a 3g iPad.
Right, so got the figures. £431, seems expensive for an iPad! But, included in the price is a case and stylus and a “Secure Email Software” called Good @ £125 – that got me curious, what is Good? More later ;)
So the breakdown is:
Total of £431 – £125 = £306 for an iPad, case and stylus! I would think that £20 is about right for a case and stylus, so the iPad costs around £286ish. That’s not a bad price for an iPad, I would hazard a guess and think that they are probably iPad2 16Gb (WiFi only), so lowest of the range last year.
@Rob, you’ve seen one of these devices, is that right?
So, WTF is Good? After asking Google, I came across this:
Good Technology
It seems like a software version of Blackberry that allows you to lock/wipe the device if lost – sensible I suppose, imagine if Neil Rogers would have lost it instead of dropped it, there might be sensitive information on it.
So, at £431 for 57 councillors is £24,567 minus the 2 who didn’t have them is £23,705.
What’s interesting is by taking the broadband of those 24 members pays for these devices over a 5 year term. So any savings in printing is additional – hopefully earmarked for kerbcraft ;) Although with this lot I wouldn’t hold your breath!
The big question is really should the members be paying for these devices out of their allowances! But that’s for a different topic – I need another beer!
