Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Kent County Council the excellent delusion

Is it, just me, who is sickened by the constant claim, now plastered on Kent's KCC website, suggesting the local authority is  somehow excellent.

The recent news that KCC, has left children at grave risk, underlines the danger of KCC's mind set, the notion that both Cllr Paul Carter has promoted, along with senior officers in the past, of Kent council being excellent, does nothing to deter the sort of complacency that resulted in Ofsted's damning report.

Currently KCC website, is promoting itself with this very questionable claim "A council that performs excellently" when clearly it doesn't. Obviously this is complete bollix, who exactly endorsed this assertion I wonder, no doubt, some fellow public sector dib dobs?


Cllr Paul Carter, the leader of the controlling group of KCC, ought to explain why KCC justifies suggestions of excellence when the council have made so many cock ups, I just wonder if KCC had to put its claim to trading standards, how long the excellence tag would stand up.

Here are just some examples of why, this surely cannot be true, 50 million pounds melted away in Iceland, many hundreds of thousands wasted on projects like, flights to America (hushed up), Kent TV, film finance which failed on any commercial level, poor performing schools,  fat bonus payments to council officers that fail to convince the public and others of worth.

Just as an example of the continuing controversial management of KCC take a gander at this report from Paul Francis, political editor for KM group.

14 comments:

  1. I should have thought that Tory Councillor Wells would have been popping up to offer an explanation or defend the County Council, especially as he was responsible for Education Children and Families there for a short while. Perhaps it only serves his political purpose to produce comments attacking the Labour Party - as he did earlier.

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  2. This latest excercise although essential to employ outside help to review the active 7000 child care cases can only be expensive. It must cost at least £50 per case at a total of £350,000. Some of this may be inhouse costs but even so its time spent that staff could be doing other things.
    In the real world if you cost your employer this extra expense you would soon be shown the door.
    And as you say Tony, this is at the 4 star council that only pays top dollar. £180,000 basic to the current director of childrens services and £170,000 plus a £17,000 bonus in his last month to the previous one. Oh yes he also got a £300k plus pay off when he left.

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  3. Anon of 0905. Tory Councillor Wells did just that, at length, in the Gazette last friday. Some 900 words of full explanation. Perhaps you should read more widely?

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  4. I wouldnt trust anything done in-house or at arms length which equates to 'brought and paid' for by KCC.

    The 4 stars were obviously a mockery and an insult to all the families they have helped to destroy.

    Who in their right mind would trust them to look after their pet let alone children.

    I would love to hear your views Chris Wells on the children who have been taken from their families for forced adoption whilst on your watch and what you and your colleges did to help and stop these atrocities .

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  5. County Councils are subject to external examination and that is the source of their 'excellent' rating, one they also held under the last Labour government's inspection programme.

    Sure there have been mistakes and some areas of concern but I doubt it would be possible to find a council anywhere in the country, and of whatever political flavour, where a similar length list could not be compiled if one wanted to criticise.

    Having lived in one of London's looney left controlled boroughs, the KCC is bloody marvelous by comparison.

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  6. Bluenote yes I am sure we can all agree the Kent is not one of those looney left controlled councils.

    Still after observing years of delusional self congratulation, crazy schemes, like links to America which must have cost many 100's of thousands, Kent TV, Credit card jollies, bonuses which have never been justified, the concept of Looney Tory Council comes to mind

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  7. Many would argue that KCC is a looney right council that operates with arrogance and with self interest as the number one priority. Just because its better than some of the London councils still does not make it right that it should waste money on crackpot schemes and on big payments and expenses to senior staff and bigger than average allowance to councillors.
    Kent TV is a good example of waste and the arrogance with which they answered critics with their made up financial justification. Many may remember that Tony was threatened by the Kent Tv company for excersigin his democratic right to critise it.

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  8. Tony, there is no council anywhere that could not be improved but I maintain my stance that there are also far worse.

    Similarly, I do not dispute your demotratic right, or indeed that of anyone else, to criticise for it is only by constructive criticism that things can ever be corrected. Just cannot stand the destructive criticism from some quarters made only for political point scoring purposes.

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  9. Nice picture Chris but no explanation from you ???

    Mr Carter said: "I commissioned a report in January 2008 and I am very disappointed the findings were not acted upon."

    Children receive 'inadequate' care
    The head of KCC social services is Rosalind Turner, who is paid £180,000 as managing director for children, families and education. Page 2.

    Chris Wells Page 3

    http://www.thisiskent.co.uk/where/thanet/Children-receive-inadequate-care/article-2938926-detail/article.html

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  10. Help for Low Income Natural Parents

    30 November 2010
    Dear Kent County Council,

    What help does your Council give Low Income Natural Parents to try
    to prevent their children being given away to more affluent Foster
    Parents who are then given substantial non-means-tested Child
    Maintenance Allowances to provide the children with a standard of
    living that their own parents couldn't afford to provide them with?

    Yours faithfully,

    A Williams
    http://www.whatdotheyknow.com/user/a_williams

    May be you could answer this one Chris as you do not appear to be very vocal on childrens matters.

    It would be interesting to know if you would feel confident if it was your children receiving this 'service'

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  11. anon 2.49

    Has Paul Carter lost his marbles or has the log rag got it wrong again or did they do 2 child protection reviews in the same year ?

    'A review of child protection work undertaken by Kent County
    Council's Children's Social Services was commissioned by a County Council resolution on 12 December 2008.'

    Which would make the review in January 2009 not 2008, seems at tad misleading unless one checks the facts.

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  12. Mr Wells, the press and other media publish lots of anti-Labour material. That didn't stop you promoting the same thoughts and viewpoints here. A bit of consistency would be good.

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  13. Corrupt politicians, etc, people just a little more successful at the game of commerce than the rest of us, might even say just greater victims of the construct than the rest of us. With a few exceptions did every politician follow the political path because they wanted to instigate some positive change in the world, to improve the quality of life of the people they serve. But somewhere down the line realised, that’s not how it works in the game. They realised that if they wished to keep their position of authority they would have to ‘tow the party line.’ The ego needs to keep this position of authority so it makes up little stories like ‘well if I do what is expected of me this time then at least there will be further opportunities to do the right thing when it really matters’. The problem is that now he has ignored his conscience once, it will be easier to do the same thing next time; the justification process gets easier and easier until the time comes when he has forgotten his original ideals, not paid attention to the gradual decline in his consciousness as he continually ignores his heart in the interest of the ‘greater good’, until one day he finds himself making deals with private corporations, covering up child abuse scandals, and fiddling his expenses.

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  14. On 1 July 2010, Freedom Advocacy & Law filed CLASS ACTION against the Family Division Courts of the United Kingdom and the Local Authorities operating within the Statutory jurisdiction of same.

    Breaking News! On the 20th July 2010, the International Criminal Court replied with acknowledgment, that a full and thorough investigation will be made, as to the allegations made in the Class Action. Currently they are researching our claim, and will advise us, as soon as possible.

    http://www.freedom-advocacy-law.co.uk/Class-Action.html

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