KCC Accounts – No publicity please on advertising

Some time back in the summer, I was taking a gander at KCC accounts, just to see if the extravagant claims made for the now defunct KCC project Kent TV, saving vast amounts of wonger could be quantified or justified in any black and white way.

Not being an accountant, to be honest, despite my interest, I felt the life forces draining away, after a quick gander at the Statement of accounts, even though, it shed some light on the extraordinary, profligate spending by Kent Tories, I was drained.

At the time I could find no sign of Kent TV in the Statement of Accounts published by KCC, and haven't since, however stumbling across some comments I noted, I felt should revisit, KCC's Statement of Accounts for 2007-08 08-09 since to be honest the amounts spent on promotion are worthy of an enquiry.

As a public service Bignews Margate has to report on the mind numbing waste, of Kent council's advertising,  in fact an advertising campaign on the subject of waste cost £624,000 during the year 2008/09, still this is a drop in the ocean compared to the big ticket item "Recruitment" now I don't know if you're like me but when I'm looking for work, I tend to delve quite deep, like Jobcentres and company web sites as well as papers, still it would appear KCC prefer lavish advertising or how else can you explain not one, not two but a stonking great big figure of more than three million £3,009,000 during 2008-9 for job ads.

In fairness I suspect because of objective reporting from the likes of Bignews Margate, and newspapers like KOS and Kent Messenger, tuning into Kent Tories hare brained, slack grip on costs, has at least resulted in advertising spending having come down from a mind boggling near six million (£5,985,000) in 2008-9 to a still outrageous five mill (£5,130,000) in 2009-10.

Interestingly last years statement of accounts no longer carries detailed info on advertising, apparently its not a requirement and hell, why worry us taxpayers, anyway thanks to the helpful staff at KCC, not the ones on fat bonuses, but those who retain the public service ethos lost by those helping themselves to bonuses.

Still not surprisingly the often made assertion that Kent TV, saved Kent taxpayers money seems to me to have been without foundation and appears hidden from the accounts, still if you know different, please comment.

Kent council has to communicate with taxpayers but five million budget half of which is spent on job advertising is pure waste, still I suggest if you pay tax, take a gander at how KCC spends your money, also a final question the last years accounts now detail bonus payments made to the bosses (chief exec 31 grand for what its not explained 2008-9) why are these pages shown side ways, is this so we get a pain in the neck trying to read them?