observer Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 You mean he's barking up the wrong tree - again?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 6, 2011 Report Share Posted February 6, 2011 No, just barking Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 It always amuses me what people read into post - not to however worry it will have been recorded. Â Some say even as we speak it is being bound for prosperity into an EU document or 2. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Do you mean "posterity" Geoff? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted February 9, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Yeh that word Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Well not to worry, the "big society" has been saved by a ?200mill(?) donation from the banks - nice to know that savers have now taken the place of tax payers! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 What are you on about now Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 9, 2011 Report Share Posted February 9, 2011 Can't you get the TV news on board your ship?! It's all part of the "new deal" with the Banks, which basically means buisiness as usual - outgoing Boss of Lloyds gets a golden handshake of ?1.45mill in shares, RBS Boss ?2mill in shares - average bonus for the rest of the whizz kids - ?1mill. In return "a promise" to increase their lending to buisiness - presumably regardless of risk? And no mention yet of repaying the tax-payer for the bale out, plus interest of course! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lt Kije Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 More of the same then Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Doesn't quite tally with what Vince Cable was "going to do" prior to the Election though! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Of course if you think in terms of what the Treasury will get out of the "bonus culture" -  Say the banks pay out ?7Bn in bonuses  Recipients (obviously paying the 50% rate + 13% NI) will pay ?4.41Bn in tax.  Say the banks don't pay any bonuses, the ?7Bn will be extra profit to the banks who will have to pay Corporation Tax at 28% giving a return to the Treasury of ?1.96Bn.  Hmm difficult one this, decisions decisions  Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wolfie Posted February 13, 2011 Report Share Posted February 13, 2011 Think the banks have already sussed that out and are looking at the notion that bonuses could be paid in contracts for difference, for which gains are subject to capital gains tax (at a flat rate of 28%) and National Insurance contributions are not necessary. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugtifino Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Big Society is Big News today: "WE REALLY MEAN IT"!, says Cameron.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/feb/12/david-cameron-big-society  Oh...  http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2011/feb/13/jobless-women-numbers-double  http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2011/feb/13/school-lollipop-patrols-at-risk  I sense another U-turn some time soon. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted February 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Well fugtifino that does seem to clarify the picture with more people facing ?90-day statutory consultation period? that it is hoped will produce the voluntary work force required for the big society. Â There is going to be a fund that charities can compete against each other for a slice of the action very devisive. Â I wonder if this means that the strongest and most able to put successful bids together will get what they need whislt the less able at form filling will go under? Â It does tend to look like the commercialisation of society where the fittrest and strongest will survive and prosper. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Geoff,  what we need is something in the middle ground. Labours idea of smothering everyone in red tape and benefits while stripping away their individualities only served to create a nation of people who were beholden to the state and reliant on benefits and charities  It isn't any easy thing to work out.  I am as far away from left wing as you are from the right which is why different people see ideas in different ways.  From what I understand; charity (and I always thought charity meant just that: "Charity")..... was actually costing the taxpayer and the state millions if not billions to administer and provide in various forms. When there is no money, surely everyone has to take the hit. Not all charitys are they?  You would know better than me because you work in that area; whereas I don't so please tell me Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted February 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 I'm not an expert in the admin side, I drive a mini bus once a week, teach a couple of days a month and do things for nature conservation usually at week ends. Â You are probably right that there must be smarter ways of doing the admin, grant applications etc. Â What I do see is the impact on charities. Services that they used to provide for free have been replaced by small charges to members - for example one charity has had to make a ?3 charge for picking up members. The charity made a significant loss for the first time last year despite a collection being made at a Wolves match. Â Schools are having funds reduced which means that another charity I work for is having to look elsewhere and come up with new initiatives all the time and so the schools lose out. Â As for nature conservation funding is also sparse and we have to work extremely hard to secure any money at all. Â Even my work as a Race Marshal in the Isle of Man comes under pressure of securing donations and also getting out on the tarmac the 500 plus volunteers like me around the course. On a similar vein I can tell you that the entry fees for running events these days has shot up out of all proportion. I used to organise for Warrington Athletic Club and elsewhere like the Moore Nature Reserve Half Marathon for about ?3.00 or so in 1997 has risen to ?38 for the Warrington Half Marathon equivalent. Â What they have in common is that all the charities are competing for a decreasing amount of money when they apply for grants, from the Big Lottery etc. The ones that have expertise in this area, especially the national ones, tend to do better. The smaller local ones are less successful. The whole process of applying for grant etc is complex and could do with being made simpler BUT it is done because the organisations giving out the contribution have to make sure that it is going to be spent well and that the funds are safe and secure and being spent on what they have been told they are going to be pent on by the applicant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Perhaps if the government withdrew the funding from false charities like ASH and Alcohol Concern (which are in reality lobby groups mainly funded by the government) there would be more money available for real charities and community groups. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
observer Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Good job we've got stalwarts like Geoff, who'll do things for nowt then! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry hayes Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Think the big society is a good idea. At grass roots level it takes us back to the old days where neighbours helped each other - it's only an extension of that which is required. " from small acorns....." Â Let's see what happens at the royal wedding. again only grass roots, but street parties would be nice, plus bunting (should elf and safety, etc, take a day off). Â For various reasons, there are an awful lot of people in this country with time on their hands. Would be useful to tap into that resource. Things like youth clubs are not expensive to run. (CRB permitting). Â See Dave visited the peoples supermarket. Â Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted February 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 I thought CRB were for the chop as well HH? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
harry hayes Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hadn't heard that, but hope you're right. Â Happy days Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fugtifino Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 I thought CRB were for the chop as well HH? Â You might be thinking of the Vetting and Barring Scheme there Geoff, but this will mean far fewer numbers needing CRB checks: Â http://www.recruiter.co.uk/vetting-and-barring-scheme-to-halve-numbers-to-undergo-crb-checks/1008563.article Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Geoffrey Settle Posted February 14, 2011 Author Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Cheers fugtifino looks like I will still need the three I have, one for teaching, one for inspecting WBC children's homes and the other one was for helping as an assitant in after school clubs. Hopefully one day they will only be a need for one. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
asperity Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 Hopefully one day there will be a need for NONE! Stupid idea in the first place, but another money spinner for the government. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bazj Posted February 14, 2011 Report Share Posted February 14, 2011 cost my company hundreds of pounds for enhanced CRB checks and most of our work is done in school holidays! We are never alone with kids but the paranoia which has gripped schools means that we are often asked to send over CRB forms; even if we haven't even won the job!  Another Liebour "tax on jobs" idea.......  The other one is the CSCS card.... has anyone had dealings with that union backed, closed shop idea?  Basically most of our work is done in offices, schools and the like, however we recently had dealings with a few building site type places. In the past, our lads would have attended site in every bit of PPE you could imagine and then had a site induction and then gone off and done the job.  Not now...... under CSCS, each operative has to complete a "elf and safety" course which is run at various private venues at a cost of upwards of ?40.00 per man. Then there is the cost of the card - ?15.00  When the idea first came out, companies like mine could ring up the CSCS people and say "I have X amount of engineers who have undergone various in house and manufacturer run courses and they are competant at their job...." They would have then been awarded (subject to having the elf and safety course) a card which would entitle them to do their job on site  Not now..... in order to get a "tradesmans" card; you have to have an NVQ or be "shadowed" and assessed by someone who they deem to be competant. I now have the ridiculous situation where I have an engineer who has done this job for nearly 20 years who now has to get an NVQ or be shadowed and trade tested by an outside source (all at our expense) oh, and there is no company in the UK who currently offer trade tests for my line of work so the guy will probably have to do an NVQ.....  Liebour...... the party of the working man my arse! the party business red tape and of lining the pockets of the unions more like Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.