Is The Office For Value For Money Poor Value For Money?

[naomi24]

Set up to advise the Chancellor, the title of the new Government department could have come straight from the pages of Orwell's 1984.  An independent chairman who has come in for considerable criticism on other projects he's been involved in, has been appointed and is expected to work one day a week.  He will be paid £950 per day.

 

https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2024/oct/31/head-of-governments-new-value-for-money-office-to-be-paid-950-a-day

 

I could very easily have put this in 'Jokes' - but it's not - unfortunately.

[Canary42]

About as useless as the Regulators so beloved of the Tory Party.

[naomi24]

This isn't the Tories though - they've been booted out for their sins.  This is Labour, Canary.

[davebro3]

Completely ridiculous - another "job for the boys" at taxpayer expense...

PS - the guy's credentials include senior roles at HS2 & 2012 Olympics, both ending up massively over budget!

You just couldn't make it up.

[Hymie]

If you translate that to an annual salary (for only days worked, no holiday pay), it works out at around £200k – I doubt (for that money) TTT would be interested in taking on the gig.

[Hymie]

I should add that my employer charges its clients more than £950 for a day for my time – so it would appear a bargain to me.

[naomi24]

Hymie, you'd be good at spin if you were better at it,  That really is very funny.  

[barry1010]

£950*52 =£49,400

[Hymie]

I fail to see anything humorous in my posts re the cost of some professional’s services being charged at the order of £1k/day.

[naomi24]

I woudn't expect you to, hymie. 

[Hymie]

How much would you expect to pay/day for someone’s time?

I’m looking forward to TTT’s comment on this (him being a millionaire).

[ToraToraTora]

11:17 depends on the expertise and what they are doing.

[ToraToraTora]

The important thing is that whatever service it is is worth the outlay. A bag a day is pretty low anyway. I would not baulk at that for a competant operative doing what is needed.

[ToraToraTora]

what would concern me more though is why is the guy working in the public sector?

[douglas9401]

At least he's not frittering his allotted lifespan away on an internet backwater I suppose.

[naomi24]

Hymie, potentially quite a lot more than that depending upon the level of expertise.   If this man is so competent I wonder why he didn't tell Rachel Reeves that this isn't value for money.

[Old_Geezer]

Seriously underpaid when I was employed then. Perhaps this £950/day should be reflected in the minimum wage level ?

[Peter Pedant]

I could be head for £50 000 a year

( based on Becky Sharpe Vanity Fair: I cd be a good woman on £5000 a year 1847)

[Peter Pedant]

no it is the going rate - the expert liar in the Post office Horizon case was charging that 

and all the lawyers in the many inquiires are on that rate

[naomi24]

I could he forgiven for observing that TWAU.

[theshedman]

Hymie's calculations at 10.51 yesterday of £950 x 52 as he is only working one day a week and works it out to £200k  sounds a bit like he has the same abacus as Rachel Reeves when working out figures.