Colin
Pray tell me where I was being critical?
I suspect that the general public in the UK have perceptions of local government that are pretty similar to my own? If those perceptions are misguided, please don't blame the public. As a local government officer (a fat cat by your own admission) you and your colleagues surely only have yourselves to blame? Frankly, (and here I am being rather critical) your 'I know better than you' attitude on this subject is precisely what we, the general public, find to be so distasteful about local government.
Truth is that the general public are sick to death of being forced to fund the index linked retirement annuities for the of likes of yourself when they can't afford to fund their own retirements. The realisation that there are also apparently large amounts of cash on deposit all over the place is a new revelation that will certainly raise the eyebrows of long suffering Council Tax payers - wrong perceptions or not?
Local government is grossly overweight - it should be a quarter of the size that which it currently is. Jobs in council offices should be real jobs - and please don't try to sell it to this Forum that they are, we do read the job advertisements in newspapers. Whilst we're on the subject, we would also like to see local councils reverting to the position were they actually provide us with real services for our hard earned money. Weekly refuse collections would be a good start?
If there is anything to be gained from the current financial crisis, I truly hope that it is reflected in vastly improved efficiencies, and a much reduced wage/pension bill in local government. It is truly in dire need of root and branch reform.
Colin, I hold nothing personally against you, or what you were before retirement. I do also sincerely hope that this exchange will be taken, as intended by me, in the best interests of freedom of open discussion, and that neither of us will lower the tone of this thread to that of a personal slanging match - something that I am most anxious to avoid. I will defend my own position most vigorously though, as is my right.
My best regards, Malcolm