12:54pm Wednesday 1st September 2010
COUN Garry Perkins uses his column in the Adver (SA, August 26) to make the case for the engaging of expensive consultants. Coun Perkins bases much of his argument on the age old defence of ‘other organisations use them’ and by default therefore it must be right for Swindon Council to use them. A counter to Coun Perkin’s argument is the fact that many companies do not use consultants, preferring to utilise in-house talent and the expertise of their senior executives; after all that is why they are paid so much. I can refer Coun Perkins to many successful businessmen who would not have a consultant darken their doors. Equally I know that expertise is a precious commodity and maybe there are some occasions when the work consultants do is justified. One can only hope that SBC didn’t pay consultants to design and cost the new traffic system at the top of Drove Road.
Having not quite managed to persuade by logic and illustration, Coun Perkins reverts to the time honoured fall back of damning any criticism by suggesting that he and his colleagues are right (as ever) and that any comment made against them is from people who ‘lack understanding’. This negative and patronising attitude to criticism, so well beloved of his Leader is one of the reasons why apathy reigns in local politics.
The front page of the Adver of August 26, 2010, while unnecessarily using a quite inappropriate headline (‘What has God got to do with the budget?) suggests that few people are interested in the effects of the budget measures being proposed by the council. I think the real truth is that many people know that whatever they say will be ignored at best and trashed at worst by Couns Bluh, Perkins et al. There is certainly no firm evidence that they are prepared to discuss with concerned residents any alternatives to their plans. I know this to be a fact as I have offered savings suggestions to the council which have not even met with the courtesy of a reply and offers to meet with Cabinet members have simply been set to one side, probably in the vain hope that I would go away!
DES MORGAN
Caraway Drive
Swindon
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