Yet Another Idiotic Waste Of Money

[The-HouseHusband]

BBC news this morning exposed that the MOD have been wasting thousands of pounds every time a light bulb needs changing as they have to get it done by a contractor.

Is this another case of health and safety gone mad? Or is it laziness on the staff's behalf because they dont think it is within their Job Description to have to do such a "menial" task?

It made me laugh when they tried to blame it on contracts that were signed when the previous government were in power.... Seems strange then that those that set up the contracts are civil servants and therefore don't change just because a new government gets into power.

All this at the time that the present government on the advice from these civil servants say that we need to make more cuts in the armed forces while keeping up the same operational tempo and humanitarian aid to other countries.

Would it not be better to get rid of the civil servants that have about as much idea of the real world as a politician and earn at least three times as much as your average armed forces member!!!

[Davethedog]

HH agree totaly, nothing to do with Government but to do with the pen pushers.

There should be review of how it was agreed and then heads should role, as I said when the previous government was in power not everything is directly the governments fault.

Its like blaming the MD when there is no milk in the canteen.

[tiggerblue10]

It happens every day where I work. We can't move desks or office/electrical equipment without contacting our Accommodation unit contractors to come and do it. And if you even attempt to move computer equipment you get a severe slap on the wrist.

[jackthehat]

I think part of the trouble is that, historically, the MOD budget has been seen to be 'untouchable' and so no-one has ever truly bothered to ensure that 'value-for-money' has been top of the agenda.

How about a bag of 20no. bolts at £ 80 per bolt ( £1600) being immediately binned on delivery because the paper order/requisition/parts detail sheet has become detached in transit ?

[The-HouseHusband]

Dave I totally agree with you, it is amazing how much blame gets pushed around so in the end you dont know where it came from or who should be held accountable.

Tigger are you employed in the private or public sector? It would be interesting to know if it happened in all areas or just those where the Government is the easy target.

Jack I have seen that happen quite a few times when serving in the forces, a lot of the lads I worked with would go down to halfords or similar to replace tools if they went missing as it was so much cheaper. Halfords screwdriver set (10 Piece) £15, Ministry of Defence single screwdriver £50! usually made by the lowest bidder so quality was not a word that could be used that's for sure

[Huderon]

More like daft government thinking.

If the public think the civil service employs too many people and a government says they will reduce the size of civil service, thereby cutting the wage and pensions bill, one way to do it is to contract out some of the services done by part of the workforce.

They transfer those people to the contractor, but a lot of them may still work in the same place, because jobs like cleaning and changing light bulbs still have to be done, they just have a different employer.

The service contract may well include what amounts to a call out charge for some of the things that need to be done, hence the high price of changing a light bulb.

It all makes the government look good - cutting costs and manpower while keeping the services in place - and the contractors are happy - making a nice profit. And the government gets to tax those profits too and doesn't get a lot of stick if, when things go bad in the economy, some of those service people lose their jobs.

Not that I think it works out cheaper for a government to do things that way in the long run, but I suppose they certainly thought it would when all of this was done in the first place.

[Huderon]

The-Househusband, it does happen in other areas too. My wife used to work for an insurance company which hived off all their ancillary staff - cleaners, receptionists, post room, security and the like - to a separate company. The staff involved all stayed in place of course, but their wages were being paid by someone else.

[Davethedog]

I have just realised we are being snowed, there is no doubt that the above happened but there are more "revelations" now and this is obviously propaganda to justify the defence cuts now that the PM can't back up his words about Libya with actions

[McMouse]

This is what happens when you outsource services.

[heathfield]

The MOD has explained that the light-bulb in question is part of a radar equipment, and it has to be specially made to incorporate a precision filament. It's not your ordinary 65p, 60w job. And they only need something like 7 or 8 of them in a year. (Sky news). That's the problem with the media - grab hold of a shock-horror item and report it without looking into the backgound facts.

[tiggerblue10]

THH, I work in the public sector (UKBA).

[R1Geezer]

It's no surprise, like any public sector operation, wasteful and inneficient.

[andy-hughes]

This is a problem that bedevils bureauocracies the world over - i know, I work for one - and always will -

the people who spend this money are unaccountable to anyone serious enough to matter.

It is simply figures on a page, which is why they can waste it with impunity.

A similar approach occurs in hiring 'Chief Executives' - "... we must pay the top salaries on order to attract the right calibre of applicants ...' but how often is that seen sinularly to fail?

Many major corporations will pay a multi-million poind bonus if everything pans out - but there is no sanction if everything goes down the toilet!

How about - "Yes we will pay you five million a year, but if you fail, we will take 99% of it back off you!"

Can't fail - after all, you are the 'best applicant', so you must be confident of justifying your salary, and if not, then the rest of us will not have to pay for your errors, you will stand or fall by your own ability.

Now what's wrong with that? Should concentrate the mind wonderfully!

And anyone who psts a response with the phrase 'market forces' as a defence will get a smack!

[Tuddypat]

// The MOD has explained that the light-bulb in question is part of a radar equipment, and it has to be specially made to incorporate a precision filament. It's not your ordinary 65p, 60w job. And they only need something like 7 or 8 of them in a year. //

Yes, that's probably the kind of boll0cxs I'd come up too, if I had to justify spending £22 quid on a 65p bulb.

[DaisyNonna]

I have a light bulb which needs changing. Unfortunately it is at the top of a flight of concrete steps and I cannot reach. Too scared to stand on anything on the landing. Will have to approach it only in daylight. How much would it cost to get it changed? Poor, pathetic old lady.

[factor-fiction]

Many of these concerns are valid and it's easy to make fun but the alternative isn't without problems. Is it really feasible to expect employees to change lightbulbs, particularly if they have to climb up ladders. There would be a requirement for them to receive training in climbing ladders and using electrical appliances. Think of the expense of that. And why stop there- maybe office employees should rewire plugs, unblock drains, repair computers, fix broken doors, replace broken windows, etc. There would of course be costs there but they are hidden costs- including the cost of sending someone to the shops to buy a lightbulb, new door handle, soldering iron etc

[DaisyNonna]

Sounds like home to me!