My local council

31 Jul 2010

so it seems the people might be given the power to vito council tax rises
does this mean that they would have to prove that they are value for money
certainly things would have to shape up to get the public to agree a rise
looks like a plan lol

:lol:

3 Aug 2010

A Council near to me,
This is a couple wrongly investigated for not living in the catchment area for the school they applied for.
I understand that it is perfectly reasonable for a council to investigate some one if they feel some one is deceiving them. What I am not sure about is, is it right for untrained council staff to undertake, undercover surveillance on people? Surely this is a job for professionals
Don't get me wrong, I would never support any one from outside the catchment area who attempted to steal a place from some one who lived within the catchment area, its total and morally wrong, but as I see it not yet a crime.
Perhaps the knowledgeable persons among us could shed some light please.

3 Aug 2010

Quote by easy
Just wanted to clarify that this is Ken's assumption based on the limited facts he has available to him and should not be regarded as accurate. ;)

No surprise there - the same applies to each and every one of his posts... lol

:lol: :lol:

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Stevie J
Just wanted to clarify that this is Ken's assumption based on the limited facts he has available to him and should not be regarded as accurate. ;)

No surprise there - the same applies to each and every one of his posts... lol

:lol: :lol:
Do we really need personal insults dunno

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Bluefish2009

A Council near to me,
This is a couple wrongly investigated for not living in the catchment area for the school they applied for.
I understand that it is perfectly reasonable for a council to investigate some one if they feel some one is deceiving them. What I am not sure about is, is it right for untrained council staff to undertake, undercover surveillance on people? Surely this is a job for professionals
Don't get me wrong, I would never support any one from outside the catchment area who attempted to steal a place from some one who lived within the catchment area, its total and morally wrong, but as I see it not yet a crime.
Perhaps the knowledgeable persons among us could shed some light please.

It was a crazy use of resources by a Tory controlled council who seemed to employ gung ho fantasists who'd watched too many episode sof the Bill.
But, and it's a big but, I don't know how you could solve the problem of the parents who routinely lie about where they live or what religion they are to get their kids into a particular school without doing some kind of physical check on where they live.
ROund here, for instance, I know of a mum who approached four families offering to pay their council tax for a year if she could use the bill to get her kid into the 'right' primary school...
Now, if she'd submitted that bill as evidence that she lived at address X, how does the council check if they suspect she's lying? Bear in mind I know of one family who 'live' on the same estate - in fact all their post goes to grandma's house, while they live in a flat elsewhere. How do you check up on this? Home visits? Surveillance? Data matching? The nutjobs who shriek big brother at every opportunity will be out, crying at the moon. Some of the self same nutjobs demand that exactly the same tactics are used to detect benefit cheats.
You've got to love Britain. You can get five years for killing a man and eight years for nicking a book. Go figure.
/rant
I'm glad I've got that off my chest.

3 Aug 2010

A decent rant Awayman. And therein lies the rub - we would probably all agree that this sort of wrongdoing needs to be exposed and people punished, but how exactly do you gather evidence without carrying out some form of covert investigation? People won't just admit it. Dog shit on the streets is one of the biggest moans that people have - but how do you catch the offending owners, other than employing an army of dog wardens patrolling every single street - at great public expense - on the off chance they might witness it? In trying to tackle something which the great British public want, councils are once again castigated as spying busybodies interfering in our lives. Go figure.

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Bluefish2009
Just wanted to clarify that this is Ken's assumption based on the limited facts he has available to him and should not be regarded as accurate. ;)

No surprise there - the same applies to each and every one of his posts... lol

:lol: :lol:
Do we really need personal insults dunno

i do believe its called trolling blue but given another thread it seems to equate to inadequate :dunno:

3 Aug 2010

Quote by awayman

A Council near to me,
This is a couple wrongly investigated for not living in the catchment area for the school they applied for.
I understand that it is perfectly reasonable for a council to investigate some one if they feel some one is deceiving them. What I am not sure about is, is it right for untrained council staff to undertake, undercover surveillance on people? Surely this is a job for professionals
Don't get me wrong, I would never support any one from outside the catchment area who attempted to steal a place from some one who lived within the catchment area, its total and morally wrong, but as I see it not yet a crime.
Perhaps the knowledgeable persons among us could shed some light please.

It was a crazy use of resources by a Tory controlled council who seemed to employ gung ho fantasists who'd watched too many episode sof the Bill.
But, and it's a big but, I don't know how you could solve the problem of the parents who routinely lie about where they live or what religion they are to get their kids into a particular school without doing some kind of physical check on where they live.
Round here, for instance, I know of a mum who approached four families offering to pay their council tax for a year if she could use the bill to get her kid into the 'right' primary school...
Now, if she'd submitted that bill as evidence that she lived at address X, how does the council check if they suspect she's lying? Bear in mind I know of one family who 'live' on the same estate - in fact all their post goes to grandma's house, while they live in a flat elsewhere. How do you check up on this? Home visits? Surveillance? Data matching? The nutjobs who shriek big brother at every opportunity will be out, crying at the moon. Some of the self same nutjobs demand that exactly the same tactics are used to detect benefit cheats.
You've got to love Britain. You can get five years for killing a man and eight years for nicking a book. Go figure.
/rant
I'm glad I've got that off my chest.
On a personal level, I would be perfectly happy with a home visit and data matching.
But is a crime actually being committed? or just morally wrong?
I am possibly one of the persons likely to shriek big brother, but not under these circumstances. If I open an account, applied for driving licence, school place, etc, I expect to be checked. certain things we do are bound to invoke a response or some form of checks, that's life, but not followed and watched

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Bluefish2009
Just wanted to clarify that this is Ken's assumption based on the limited facts he has available to him and should not be regarded as accurate. ;)

No surprise there - the same applies to each and every one of his posts... lol

:lol: :lol:
Do we really need personal insults dunno

There lies the problem Blue.
I am at the moment easy pickings to some and it is usually me that gets the warnings.
I had one Mod telling me to stop bickering and take it to pm, and another saying not to, when I asked the other member to take it to pm....go figure.
When people hide behind an :lol: they think that is ok. I do that a lot and get picked up on it, but like the comment above, nothing will be said or done, unless I say it of course.
By all means say something like the comment above if there is also a valid response regarding the topic, but to just come in and say that and nothing else well......is that as some would say " a troll "?
It was a lot more than limited facts that I had, but worry not........I won't.

3 Aug 2010

i think with cuts on there way a lot of misguided loyalty will turn to anger and resentment
this will more than likely turn to whistle blowing on a scale we`ve never encountered the media will have a feast and the councils suffer an all time low

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Kaznkev

A Council near to me,
This is a couple wrongly investigated for not living in the catchment area for the school they applied for.
I understand that it is perfectly reasonable for a council to investigate some one if they feel some one is deceiving them. What I am not sure about is, is it right for untrained council staff to undertake, undercover surveillance on people? Surely this is a job for professionals
Don't get me wrong, I would never support any one from outside the catchment area who attempted to steal a place from some one who lived within the catchment area, its total and morally wrong, but as I see it not yet a crime.
Perhaps the knowledgeable persons among us could shed some light please.

It was a crazy use of resources by a Tory controlled council who seemed to employ gung ho fantasists who'd watched too many episode sof the Bill.
But, and it's a big but, I don't know how you could solve the problem of the parents who routinely lie about where they live or what religion they are to get their kids into a particular school without doing some kind of physical check on where they live.
ROund here, for instance, I know of a mum who approached four families offering to pay their council tax for a year if she could use the bill to get her kid into the 'right' primary school...
Now, if she'd submitted that bill as evidence that she lived at address X, how does the council check if they suspect she's lying? Bear in mind I know of one family who 'live' on the same estate - in fact all their post goes to grandma's house, while they live in a flat elsewhere. How do you check up on this? Home visits? Surveillance? Data matching? The nutjobs who shriek big brother at every opportunity will be out, crying at the moon. Some of the self same nutjobs demand that exactly the same tactics are used to detect benefit cheats.
You've got to love Britain. You can get five years for killing a man and eight years for nicking a book. Go figure.
/rant
I'm glad I've got that off my chest.
But he was just so annoying i think the judge invented the crime of general twattery just for him!
i actually wanted to add another consequence of the scramble for school places,i know that house prices wouldnt be as horrific in the tyne valley villages if people didnt move solely to get close to the schools.
That is something which had never occurred to me, must a great boost for these schools to know they are so good that people will go to such lengths, and that they have an influence over local house prices

3 Aug 2010

there is an upside we live 300 yards from one of the best primary schools in kent
which keeps our house price inflated compared with a house outside the catchment area wink

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Kaznkev
there is an upside we live 300 yards from one of the best primary schools in kent
which keeps our house price inflated compared with a house outside the catchment area

Which in small villages sucks for people born and brought up here trying to start on the housing ladder.
none of the houses in our immediate area are first time buyers kas in fact all but one of our neighbours are retired

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Kaznkev
there is an upside we live 300 yards from one of the best primary schools in kent
which keeps our house price inflated compared with a house outside the catchment area

Which in small villages sucks for people born and brought up here trying to start on the housing ladder.
I was born and brought up in a small village in Dorset, there is not one of my pears who has been able to afford to buy their. I visit the village and having spent the fist 21 years of my life their, It is now full of stranger,s who live there but work miles away, very sad for village life.

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Bluefish2009
there is an upside we live 300 yards from one of the best primary schools in kent
which keeps our house price inflated compared with a house outside the catchment area

Which in small villages sucks for people born and brought up here trying to start on the housing ladder.
I was born and brought up in a small village in Dorset, there is not one of my pears who has been able to afford to buy their. I visit the village and having spent the fist 21 years of my life their, It is now full of stranger,s who live there but work miles away, very sad for village life.
when purchased my first house it was no where near i had lived for that last 15 years with my parents as they was out of my reach
so it does seem the norm dunno

3 Aug 2010

Quote by Lizaleanrob
there is an upside we live 300 yards from one of the best primary schools in kent
which keeps our house price inflated compared with a house outside the catchment area

Which in small villages sucks for people born and brought up here trying to start on the housing ladder.
I was born and brought up in a small village in Dorset, there is not one of my pears who has been able to afford to buy their. I visit the village and having spent the fist 21 years of my life their, It is now full of stranger,s who live there but work miles away, very sad for village life.
when purchased my first house it was no where near i had lived for that last 15 years with my parents as they was out of my reach
so it does seem the norm dunno

I think your quite right, I shall however return to country life though :thumbup:

5 Aug 2010

The sooner schools opt away from local Government control the better.

I cannot understand what the feck this has to do with the local authority....the school itself should make the decision, and not some jumped up twerp, who thinks it is a good idea.
Schools I hope in a few years time will no longer be held to ransom by councils, and that all schools will be able to make their own decisions without the interfering busy body do gooders at the local councils.
The comments at the bottom sum it up better than I could.

5 Aug 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
The sooner schools opt away from local Government control the better.

I cannot understand what the feck this has to do with the local authority....the school itself should make the decision, and not some jumped up twerp, who thinks it is a good idea.
Schools I hope in a few years time will no longer be held to ransom by councils, and that all schools will be able to make their own decisions without the interfering busy body do gooders at the local councils.
The comments at the bottom sum it up better than I could.

Your own story says it is not happening rotflmao

. Read the last paragraph.
Blinking heck Kenny you make me laugh
Dave_Notts

5 Aug 2010

They are bound to say that now though Davey, after it hit the newspapers.
The power of the press eh? wink

Anyway it does not matter really, but what does matter is that this was SNEAKED in under the table in the hope to satisfy certain sections of the community, and for the councils to be seen to be pandering.
Well now it has made the news I am sure it will go no further....I bet the councils hate the press with a fashion.

5 Aug 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
They are bound to say that now though Davey, after it hit the newspapers.

It was in the same report Kenny rotflmao

............so how can it be after it hit the newspapers
Dave_Notts

5 Aug 2010

Quote by Dave__Notts
They are bound to say that now though Davey, after it hit the newspapers.

It was in the same report Kenny rotflmao

............so how can it be after it hit the newspapers
Dave_Notts
Did not have you down as a sheep Davey........bah.:bounce:
I may well change me name and me profile...that will confuse some on here....though that is usually easy to do.
flipa

5 Aug 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
They are bound to say that now though Davey, after it hit the newspapers.

It was in the same report Kenny rotflmao

............so how can it be after it hit the newspapers
Dave_Notts
Did not have you down as a sheep Davey........bah.:bounce:
I may well change me name and me profile...that will confuse some on here....though that is usually easy to do.
flipa

Awwwww whats up Kenny. Just my pet name of endearment to you kiss

Everyone else seems to call you Kent/Kenty/Ken so I am not a sheep but trend-setting wink

Dave_Notts

5 Aug 2010

Quote by Dave__Notts
They are bound to say that now though Davey, after it hit the newspapers.

It was in the same report Kenny rotflmao

............so how can it be after it hit the newspapers
Dave_Notts
Did not have you down as a sheep Davey........bah.:bounce:
I may well change me name and me profile...that will confuse some on here....though that is usually easy to do.
flipa

Awwwww whats up Kenny. Just my pet name of endearment to you kiss

Everyone else seems to call you Kent/Kenty/Ken so I am not a sheep but trend-setting wink

Dave_Notts
That is fair enough Davey..........now what shall I change it to I wonder.
The great thing is nobody will actually know it is me....how amusing. lol

5 Aug 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
They are bound to say that now though Davey, after it hit the newspapers.

It was in the same report Kenny rotflmao

............so how can it be after it hit the newspapers
Dave_Notts
Did not have you down as a sheep Davey........bah.:bounce:
I may well change me name and me profile...that will confuse some on here....though that is usually easy to do.
flipa

Awwwww whats up Kenny. Just my pet name of endearment to you kiss

Everyone else seems to call you Kent/Kenty/Ken so I am not a sheep but trend-setting wink

Dave_Notts
That is fair enough Davey..........now what shall I change it to I wonder.
The great thing is nobody will actually know it is me....how amusing. lol

I will :lol:
Dave_Notts

5 Aug 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
I cannot understand what the feck this has to do with the local authority....the school itself should make the decision, and not some jumped up twerp, who thinks it is a good idea.
Schools I hope in a few years time will no longer be held to ransom by councils, and that all schools will be able to make their own decisions without the interfering busy body do gooders at the local councils.

If you had read the whole story, you would have got to the quote from the council near the bottom, which says: "The decision about whether to use an individual provider is for schools to make, as the funding is delegated to them"
So, schools are not being held to ransom. They are free to choose which supplier they get their meals from. Many already do not choose the local authority caterer.
What Harrow have done is consulted with schools who they do currently supply and said they are considering a change following a recommendation from dieticians (not religious or minority groups as many of the comments on the Daily Mail forum assume). There have been some objections, so now it's not happening. That sounds like democracy in action to me.

5 Aug 2010

Quote by Dave__Notts
They are bound to say that now though Davey, after it hit the newspapers.

It was in the same report Kenny rotflmao

............so how can it be after it hit the newspapers
Dave_Notts
Did not have you down as a sheep Davey........bah.:bounce:
I may well change me name and me profile...that will confuse some on here....though that is usually easy to do.
flipa

Awwwww whats up Kenny. Just my pet name of endearment to you kiss

Everyone else seems to call you Kent/Kenty/Ken so I am not a sheep but trend-setting wink

Dave_Notts
That is fair enough Davey..........now what shall I change it to I wonder.
The great thing is nobody will actually know it is me....how amusing. lol

I will :lol:
Dave_Notts
Yes that is correct Davey but....that is something that as a moderator you would have to keep private.
I do not think the site owners would be very happy if that information was disclosed to anyone outside of the moderator team.

5 Aug 2010

Quote by kentswingers777
...............
Yes that is correct Davey but....that is something that as a moderator you would have to keep private.
I do not think the site owners would be very happy if that information was disclosed to anyone outside of the moderator team.

Interesting point this. I did look at it a couple of months ago when we had someone using another account to cause problems and whilst I agree it may be bad practice to reveal who a second account belongs to, as it's not personal data, I can't find anything in the rules to prevent us from doing so. It's completely down to the mops discretion.
I suppose you could argue 'naming & shaming', but unless you've done something to be ashamed of I don't really see the relevance in this particular scenario.
Funny ol' things rules, aren't they? ;)

5 Aug 2010

I think we'd know you ken name change or no......there is a certain something about your debating style

6 Aug 2010

Quote by Staggerlee_BB
I think we'd know you ken name change or no......there is a certain something about your debating style

What sort of a fuck off attitude?
I really am a big pussy cat really.
Miow.

6 Aug 2010

Quote by easy
Interesting point this. I did look at it a couple of months ago when we had someone using another account to cause problems and whilst I agree it may be bad practice to reveal who a second account belongs to, as it's not personal data, I can't find anything in the rules to prevent us from doing so. It's completely down to the mops discretion.
I suppose you could argue 'naming & shaming', but unless you've done something to be ashamed of I don't really see the relevance in this particular scenario.
Funny ol' things rules, aren't they?

It was a joke for Davey's benefit but seeing as you now have something to say on this matter, and have said it I think I will reply.
Yes it would be bad practice to reveal anything, but then again twice now private pm's sent to mods have been revealed in the open forum....bad practice indeed I feel.
As far as I am aware many years ago on this site, you could have as many accounts as you wished and I know of many who have more than five....or they used to the site owners at that time were a bit too slack on how many memberships someone could have, but it was certainly easy to do....and many did and still do.
Whether it be the first account or a secondary account, that information should remain OUT of the public domain. Yes there may well be no rule on here about that, but to reveal any details about any account either privatly to another member or on the public forum, would at the very least be morally wrong.
I will have a word with Steve when he is back to clarify this issue.
It has nothing to do whatsoever with doing something that a member would feel " ashamed of ",most would feel when they signed up that ALL information this site holds on them would remain completely private.
From a legal point of view I am not sure on this. I suppose the site could ban any secondary account, but the main account must be protected by some privacy law?
Yes rules are " funny ol things " indeed but,I believe this is nothing to do with rules, but what is right and proper with regard to keeping anyones details private.
But nothing would suprise me on here to be honest, and as private pm's have been disclosed to have been sent, then I suppose anything is possible....I think people may well then worry about information held on them becoming public knowledge, and in the swinging scene I am sure would worry many members.
Or would this site deliberatly set out to reveal details in the public domain of another members account/accounts? Now that would be a worry. Or would it be just " certain " members who would have details disclosed?