If you want to know why the good people in the south of the
country are currently finding their homes and property underwater, then read
this extract from the Tory MP John Redwood’s column:
“The staff costs of
the Environment Agency rose by £30m or 8% compared to the previous year,
reaching a total of £395.3 million. The Agency employed 12,252 people including
temps and contractor personnel. Pension
contributions cost £56 m, with a loss on the fund recognised that year in the
accounts bringing the total pension cost to £197.4 million. The total cost of pensions was almost as high
as the capital works, where they spent £219million during the year.”
“Within the capital
works just £20.3 million was spent on improving or maintaining culverts and
channels to ensure free flow of water. That is a mere 1.7% of their total
budget, or 3.4% of their staff and pension costs. A further £69.6m was spent on
improving embankments.”
This Coalition quango is chaired by a senior Labour person
who obviously knows next to nothing other than how to survive in politics. It needs closing and
the funds channeling directly to those who do useful work such as dredging.
Just like Tameside council who seem to insist on giving totally
unqualified sycophantic career councillors the task of overseeing important
projects (like Ashton’s money loosing Christmas Market) when what is really needed is strong local democratic
oversight by experts.
This again is an example of the grubby nature of our so-called democratic politics.
This again is an example of the grubby nature of our so-called democratic politics.
As for the Environment Agency - what a pity Cameron did not
follow through on his promise to have a bonfire of quangos.
How much money goes down the public money subsidised and backed local government pensions also. Why do state sector employees get such preferential taxpayer backedpensions? Answer: They just do.
ReplyDeleteThe only state employees who should get such largesse are the armed forces, all the rest on the public payroll should be enrolled in private pension schemes like the rest of the 'ordinary' people. The culture of entitlement is as entrenched as it is nauseating and unfair.