Waste of taxpayers' money

I hasten to add that I think you were certainly not agreeing with that post, but GN rules can also delete replies.

I apologise if this point has already been made, but even the DM article stated that a) the march in question was in 2009 and the EA have stopped giving financial support to gay causes.

So by their own admission, a total non-story.

IMHO the most disgraceful money-waster in terms of junkets for staff, hospitality at expensive hotels etc is our beloved NHS, but of course the NHS is not headed by a gay former minister, and in any case is above criticism.
I remember when they wanted to change the boundaries of the PCT areas in the northeast, and felt it necessary to organise meetings in various places, with refreshments, so that the public could be consulted, as if the public cared. I read later in the minutes of the Health Authority Meeting that at some of the venues, not a single person had turned up.
And I have seen adverts on the side of buses in Newcastle, promoting a new hospital in Cramlington which hasn't even been built yet.
I think this is far more wasteful than the EA spending £30K promoting diversity within their department.

Thank you Ana yes I did know it was deleted. Although I thought I knew what I had said in my post and accepted it was right to be deleted, I was beginning to wonder what I actually HAD written. Oh dear!

Well, I hope they've stopped funding all the other diverse groups to.

too!!!

Jane, the hospital in Cramlington had its topping out ceremony yesterday, so it has been built, just not finished and fitted out.

Nellie, what I meant about the local income tax versus council tax was that the government would still decide how much the council could spend on the people who paid it.

Oh well, that's good to know Jen.
I still don't think the NHS needs to advertise itself on buses, though.

I agree with that, Jane. It's not as if you have that much choice where you go, whatever NHS Choices says. I think the Cramlington hospital is an emergency one anyway, taking over from Wansbeck, Hexham and North Tyneside.

Yes, and that's controversial in itself. I mean if you have a coronary in Hexham, do you really want to travel by ambulance 30 miles before you're treated, or do you want to be treated on your doorstep like you were before?

Sorry to have deviated from the OP everyone.

re NHS consultation meetings - there are a lot of legal obligations on publicly funded organisations to consult. I know this from being a school governor. Long list of things where you had to write to all the parents and some where you had to consult other interested parties. A few of these have been scrapped e.g. the obligation for the governors to hold an annual meeting for parents - to which about 3 people turned up if you were lucky. But still many remain.
Government departments too are obliged to consult on all kinds of things - generally these days they seem to consult, ignore feedback and carry on regardless but they can tick the box.

To hark back to the beginning: http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Christian_Voice .

And whoever started connecting floods and gays in the news? ....that daft UKIP man. Is he one of them too?

Just to stoke up the fire a little - lots of councils give money/sponsor to minority issues - all tax payers money - haven't heard any of you moan about that yet.

Sorry -
rationalwiki.org/wiki/Christian_Voice

And
pinkuk.com/events/
Just in case anyone thinks Gay Pride has died.
I have gay friends too

Lots of councils give money to arts and music etc. Ours still has a thriving parks department which helps keep the local towns looking very attractive.
The towns would be much less pleasant places without this expenditure. Attractive surroundings actual make people feel happier.

However that could be considered by some as a complete waste of taxpayer's money.

I think there is great value to the odd carnival and parades and a bit of community jollying to keep people cheerful and engaged with their communities.

I can understand councils doing it. It's their job to support local projects.
Different altogether.

And you have the chance to vote them out if you don't like the way they spend your money.

Well all that spending on nice things like parks, arts and libraries is heading out of the window - Osborne's cuts are only half implemented as yet.

And companies who support local projects and minority groups?

Gransnet obviously squandered their money turning the logo rainbow coloured for the Sochi games. I think they should keep the rainbow look.

Take your point about the legal obligation to consult, jess, but rather like referenda, it is perhaps taking democracy too far, especially when the results of the consultation are ignored anyway.
Nellie completely agree with you about the value of parks and gardens in urban spaces.

Just to let you all know that Margaretm74 who started this thread has bowed out of GN permanently because of the way that she was bullied and felt to feel a total fool by some members. As she said, life is too short to be treated this way.

Blimey!

That's a great pity, margaret made some good contributions to the forums...

I for one am sorry to hear that, Charleygirl, I wish her well, but I'd rather she came back.

What a sad indictment of Gransnet that really is.