Was out for a meal with my wife in Cambridge last night and couldn’t believe the number of people sleeping in doorways and begging. 12 years of Tory rule certainly hasn’t helped and I’ve heard all the arguments about idlers and addicts, but nobody would choose to live like this just to avoid going to work. It’s time this problem was taken away from the police and we had a properly funded social service department to give these unfortunate people what they need to get their lives back. I took a couple of young people to McDonald’s and bought them a meal but it seemed hopeless compared to the problem.
I write this at a time when Johnson is threatening to cut 91000 civil service jobs and there’s a backlog on passports and just about everything else.
It's crazy in this day and age. Very few choose it as a lifestyle. Whilst on a short break this year in Torquay. On one of/if not the coldest days of the year. A copper came into the large Hotel. 3/4 empty to ask the receptionist if they had a room available for a rough sleeper. They made up a room in a part of the hotel unoccupied. My mrs heard an oap moan next morning to the reception. Disgusted at their allowing a young man a room for the night. What the **** is up with folk. "O'reight love we'll let the young man freeze to death to keep you happy" what a horrible person .
This idea that the government had about housing asylum seekers in army barracks' could the same thing not be applied to the homeless should they wish to take up the offer...
Barnsley is currently really bad, walk round town at 18:00 onwards when the shops are shut, it’s awful and a really hard situation drugs is a factor but I try not to judge as some of them it’s whatever gets them through from day to day, when it’s cold enough for gloves and a hat I despair what it must be like to crouch through the night in all conditions. The sad reality is it will get a whole lot worse over the next 12 months, I often give loose change or buy some snacks but given the sheer number it’s impossible
Noticed the same around shops mate. Eg Asda. Both entrances. Harbro hills retail park 2/3 on most occasions I try give to all. (And as you say, try not to judge. People say we are feeding some of them their habit. I get that. but it's tragic ) . but we shouldn't have to. In this day and age. The adverts on homelessness say it all. No address = No job. The system is fecked.
tbf the Civil service has been long overdue cutting back, used to know somebody years ago who worked there for a bit and she aid it was ridiculous. Not suggesting folk should be chucked out of work, they could lose loads through 'natural wastage' , just stop replacing staff who retire from over staffed departments and stuff. While they are at it they could chop the MP's heavily subsidised bars and stuff and use the money for something worthwhile.
I’d bet I know more civil servants than the one you knew who thought it was ‘ridiculous’. They’re largely underpaid, working in terrible conditions and all with the joy of being an occasional aunt Sally when the government of the day needs a distraction. Currently, every arm of government is stretched close to breaking point, we all know this, so what kind of idiot nods agreement when JRM announces that it’s over staffed. This is a man who took 4 members of staff (2 SPADS & 2 senior civil servants) with him on his press rounds to discuss this, who has no computer on his desk and thinks it’s everyone else who’s ‘out of touch’. When the sh it hits the fan, people are glad there’s people to pay them benefits, get them home from abroad, sort out their furlough payments, keep the courts and the hospitals running. But once they’re ‘comfortable’ they soon come to the conclusion they’d rather not pay for those things to happen.
you are right we definitely need less border guards fewer people working in the passport office and DVLA.
During covid at work an Admiral walked around Navy Headquarters and was asking the skeleton staff who were in what the people do on the empty desks around the office, he realised that the office was employing a dozen or so to do the same job that the reduced staff can do comfortably, hence to see a cull was carried out
There definitely needs to be more affordable housing for single people, and more support for those who struggle to organise their lives for whatever reasons be it mental health, learning disabilities etc
How many of those not in the office were working from home. Genuine question. The entire office staff and those not on the front line at YW were asked to work from home. Some chose not to. You have to ask yourself why they were employed in the first place. Decisions made usually by those at the top. Maybe they should walk given their incompetence.
sorry for the misunderstanding, I was on about Whitehall staff, not councils etc, the ones on a cushy number while the departments that need help are struggling
Maybe so but can see the confusion, I'm only on about the ones in Whitehall, believe me , they definitely aren't overworked
Taking of passports, my sister needed hers renewing and was panicced (that's not a word but should be) that they were taking so long (according to the media). I'm not sure exactly how long it took but it certainly less than the 10 weeks quoted. One wonders if there ever was a real issue.