new high court judgment re harlow council's decision to put contract for advice services held by harlow welfare rights and advice out to tender (for a significantly reduced amount .... !)

jr successful ... see

Meany & Ors, R (on the application of) v Harlow District Council (2009) EWHC 559 (Admin) (09 March 2009)

...on a mere technicality that the council could most likely easily overcome, and which was not founded upon the amount of the grant reduction but on the fact that the council had not paid "due" regard to certain equalities issues in reaching it's decision about the amount of the funding available to those wishing to tender.

.....and even if it had been a victory on more substansive grounds, the LA could (and will) go through the exercise again, this time ensuring they dot every i and cross every t .....and any other LA who may be thinking of reducing their WR commitment will take note and learn lessons from this .....

The wind and the rain beat on his fair head
As he stood in the darkness wishing he was dead
Only 17 when he went down the mine
And it's a year that he's been out on the line

Bitter tears rolled down his cheeks
He couldn't stand to hear talk of defeat
Despair in a terraced house and the ghosts from the past
The living death they fought is here at last

The weeds choke and the rust corrodes
You'd think it had been 50 years
Since the place was closed
Vengeance is not ours it belongs to those
Who seek to destroy us
How much more is there left to lose?

There can't be that many of us left that work for District or Borough Councils - in fact some of us could probably qualify for Grade 1 listing ........

I wonder if I could get a renovation grant?

i think i need a rejuvenation grant...you are very naughty gents...
past caring 2...near as jazz perfect left hook...mekons...hours later, still connecting...

...so, for now here

http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/dear-landlord


Dear landlord,
Please don't put a price on my soul.
My burden is heavy,
My dreams are beyond control.
When that steamboat whistle blows,
I'm gonna give you all I got to give,
And I do hope you receive it well,
Dependin' on the way you feel that you live.

Dear landlord,
Please heed these words that I speak.
I know you've suffered much,
But in this you are not so unique.
All of us, at times, we might work too hard
To have it too fast and too much,
And anyone can fill his life up
With things he can see but he just cannot touch.

Dear landlord,
Please don't dismiss my case.
I'm not about to argue,
I'm not about to move to no other place.
Now, each of us has his own special gift
And you know this was meant to be true,
And if you don't underestimate me,
I won't underestimate you.

Copyright ©1968; renewed 1996 Dwarf Music
Enter any keywords http://www.bobdylan.com/#/songs/dear-landlord

i don't know about you shawn...but i may need to return to a nice relaxing blast of mahavishnu orch...i had one earlier on the M6 in the rain...also perfect...on the other paw...a little matter of saving the universe...mekons...well, i never...lol!

jj - wasn't sure that anyone would know it was the mekons. And did think a bit before posting, because the song is far less defeatist than the lyrics alone would suggest.......

Saw 'em twice last week by the way - brilliant as ever.

Maybe the National Trust could take over a few WR services as examples of how things used to be when funders actually gave a damn. NT have already got the old workhouse on Southwell, Notts....a natural progression I'd say.

We could all dress up in 1970s flares and the tourists could watch while we call up benefit offices on bakelite GPO phones. We could charge five quid a head entry, then we could afford some more staff.

Judging by the budget I'm likely to get this year I seem to be heading back in time anyway, but with a 2009 caseload...

Seems to me that the local authorities are behaving in their normal blinkered or blind manner, by wanting to cut costs to the wrong departmentsforthe wrong reasons. They never seem to realize the true value of quality benefit advice.
Most of us worth our salt will be helping to put £1m+ each intothe local economy. Therefore If they cut the service, they cut the amount the public spend in the area, thus starting or adding to economic downturn.
We are all starting to see the problems the ill timed introduction of ESA has brought us. New claimants scoring nil points, going to the Job Centre, whose staff recognise people are to ill to work and advising them to go on the sick. The poor claimant is then stuck between the proverbial rock and a hard place.
The LSC are at it as well, they want to contract with large agencies and sascrifice quality for cost.
Our whole industry is at risk.

rant rant rant.

Happy Easter.