Non-job of the week

 

Redbridge Borough Council is looking for a Carbon Reduction Officer, paying between £15-£19.62 per hour. As we highlighted in our report last year, it is possible for councils to reduce their energy consumption without resorting to employing new staff. Perhaps this is something Redbridge council should be doing before spending more taxpayers’ money?

Staying in London, Camden Borough Council is looking for a Project Coordinator (Healing Histories). Here is part of the job description:

This is an exciting role where you will be supporting the School Improvement Service within our Children’s School’s and Families directorate, and manage the development, implementation, performance and delivery of the ‘Healing Histories’ Project.

Healing Histories will interpret the rich history of herbal medicine by engaging children, young people and the local community in a unique and innovative learning project. Participants will be involved in research, design and the planting of a physic garden. They will produce a Healing Histories Trail and learn to become expert debaters on the subject.

This is the same council that, along with Lambeth, wasted money advertising that the government had cut its grant money so was therefore forced to cut services. I am not passing any judgement on herbal medicine; I’ll leave it up to you to make your own minds up on that issue. All I will say is, if Camden really is being forced to cut services, is paying someone to do this job really the best use of its resources?

Less whinging, more action

The winner this week though is Nottingham City Council who are looking or a new Head of Quality and Efficiency Services. This is the only council in the country that has refused to publish spending above £500. The leader of the council is being investigated for alleged misuse of taxpayers’ money in the run-up to the elections. Hardly a record to be proud of, but if the council is committed to getting the best deal for taxpayers why isn’t it being open and transparent? It’s all well and good creating new departments and new jobs trying to give the impression it is trying to save money, but the proof of the pudding is in the eating. This council’s leadership is more inclined to spend our money on cheap political shots like the one pictured and spend its time arguing with Eric Pickles, rather than showing us it cares about quality and efficiency. Until it becomes transparent, can we believe anything it says?