SALARY TRANSPARENCY

So, now we know that the BBC is asserting that it is in favour of transparency, as it is dragged kicking and screaming to reveal the salaries of its highest paid employees. 

We must make of this what we will, but what it does demonstrate is the shift away from paying the salaries that a particular job warrants, to seeing who can be hired and for how much. Those with the most clout are obviously calling all the shots, and we get to pay for it.

The most effective way to curb the practice is for us to simply switch off; although I for one would miss John Humphries’ acerbic wit.

The practice of paying such disparate salaries is well established within many organisations. When advertising posts it is now common practice to ask candidates to state what salary they require rather than stating what the role in question warrants.

Whilst we all want to earn as much as possible, I find this focus on income distasteful. Many of the BBC’s listeners and viewers would just like to take home enough to feed and clothe their families and provide a roof over their heads. 

Samaritans Light Up County Hall

County Hall in Taunton will be lit up in green on the night of 24th July in support of the work done throughout Somerset by Samaritans.

The date 24/7 is a significant one for the charity which prides itself on being available to give emotional support to callers every hour of the day and night.

The scheme to light up County Hall in Samaritan colours highlights Somerset's commitment to suicide prevention and raises awareness of the support needed by so many people who are struggling to cope.

Volunteers at the Taunton branch of Samaritans, at 16Wood Street, answered over 40,000 calls last year, with volunteers putting in 580 hours of their own time to help those who are in distress or despair, including those who are suicidal.

Together with branches in Bath, Weston Super Mare and Yeovil, they provide round the clock services – listening to calls, answering emails and texts and talking to anyone who comes into the branch.

Every six seconds, someone in the UK and Republic of Ireland contacts Samaritans and, on average, 17 people per day take their own life.

Samaritans believes that listening is crucial to helping people find their way through their problems, and the charity encourages people to seek help early, rather than wait until they reach a crisis.
Director of Taunton Samaritans, Bob Cornes, said:

 “Lighting up County Hall in Samaritans colours is a visual reminder of our commitment to helping those in need of emotional support.  We hope they will call us.  It is also a reminder for anyone out there who wants to make a real difference to people’s lives to think about joining Samaritans as a volunteer.   It is an incredibly rewarding experience.”

Volunteers from Taunton Samaritans will be available at Taunton Station on 24/7 to talk to travellers and to collect money for the charity, which relies entirely on donations to run the branch.

Further information:

Samaritans 24 hour Helpline:     116 123 (free from any phone)
To volunteer for Taunton Samaritans: director@tauntonsamaritans.org.uk
To volunteer for Samaritans elsewhere: online at www.samaritans.org
Notes for Editors and Media Guidelines are available at www.samaritans.org

CONTROLLING INFORMATION LEAKS

As Parliament stands for its summer recess news headlines have focused on Cabinet divisions and the subsequent leaks.

Such leaks have long been the thorn in the side of both local and national governments worldwide, but we should remember that businesses, particularly large corporations, suffer in much the same way.

What leaders need to consider, in attempting to stifle opposing views and supress potentially damaging information, is why it is felt right to leak what is intended to be confidential information.
In the majority of cases, far from being seen to be in the public interest, it is for political or personal gain.

Nervousness generated by the increased focus on data protection, and the introduction of new legislation next year, means that increasingly matters are kept confidential which should be in the public domain.

Those who participate in public life and hold positions of responsibility are expected to adhere to the Nolan principles, which includes openness. Information involving decisions and actions taken should only be restricted when the wider public interest demands it. I believe it is this lack of openness that is at the heart of many leaks. When we feel we are not kept in the picture, we gain the impression that something underhand is afoot.

What we should all be aware of, is the extent to which, in order to stifle open debate, leaders will often resort to effectively paying for votes, by enlisting the support of their allies, creating roles that will ensure their support. I distinctly recall noting the comments of one leader, who in an unguarded moment said, ‘the job I created for him.’

For me it sums up all that is rotten in the echelons of our society. As long as this situation exists the leaking of information will continue.

Where unpopular decisions need to be taken most reasonable people will accept the outcome if they feel fully informed, able to play a part in the decision, and understand the reasons behind it.

Effective and inclusive communication is the key to this. Sadly, behind closed doors too much discussion is focused on point scoring against opponents, instead of concentrating on the core purpose. We should all aim to do the right thing, in the right way, at the right time, for the right reasons. This is a personal mantra I repeat to myself several times a day when required to make decisions or take action on behalf of those I represent. It is after all the tax payers’ money that pays our wages. As a result, I often find myself in hot water, but as least I go to bed at night with a clear conscience.

The fact that I have a reputation for openness is one I am proud of but if I do want to keep anything confidential, I tell no-one anything. I can at least rely on keeping my own trap very firmly shut.

PUBLIC SECTOR PAY

At a recent council meeting, and in line with recent press reports relating to the issue of public-sector pay levels, a debate was held following a proposal for pay to be reviewed. There was unanimous approval for a review to be undertaken in the autumn.

During the debate, two thoughts occurred to me. The first was in connection with a comment made about the disparity between public-sector pay and that of the private sector. I believe that to compare the two is disingenuous. Those employed in the private sector know all too well the impact of business ‘transformation’ which has resulted in redundancies and pay cuts across the economy; with job roles often redefined to justify this stance.

The second statement that caused me to take note was that public-sector staff are now ‘working harder for less’.

If indeed this is the case, then this is largely as a result of funding cuts at a time when public demand for services is on the increase. Playing devil’s advocate, there is of course the argument that there are only so many hours in a day and we can only work so hard; if staff are working harder now, does this mean that perhaps they weren’t working as hard as they could in the first place?

In an average week, I work around 70 hours, but in my own case this is because I choose to do so, not because I am required to do the bidding of a demanding boss with unrealistic expectations.

Where staff are working beyond their contracted hours to get the job done, the fault lies in the allocation and management of their work load. This is down to senior management and brings into play the very real issue of staff frequently working extremely long hours to satisfy unreasonable demands on them. 

Those who work like Trojans do so feel because they feel obliged to do so, in order to keep their jobs. This is where the real problem lies, and it is clearly unacceptable. No wonder sickness levels are high; it is the only way that many can cope with the pressure.

Addressing Social Inequalities

In the current economic climate, and in line with the equality and diversity agenda, all responsible organisations are increasingly focusing on reaching out to the minority groups amongst our population; whether this is based on ethnicity, religion, age, sexual preference or other factors.

Where there are issues with regard to proportional representation or access to health and education services, for example, much of the time is spent on forming task groups and forums in an attempt to address what is perceived as the problem.

As might be expected, as a result of the resources put into these fact-finding exercises, someone, somewhere, has to ensure that ‘outcomes’ are met; to please the box tickers perhaps?

Personally, I am always left with the feeling that much of the time, effort and money put into reaching out to hard-to-reach groups is out of balance when measured against the results actually achieved.

Whilst I believe it is absolutely right to want to work towards an inclusive society, one where we are tolerant and understanding of others, what we must not forget is that in many cases people will not want to be singled out for special treatment or engage with officialdom.

Where individuals do choose to engage, as in much of the rest of society, it is often a small number activists who do so, and who do not necessarily represent the views of the wider community they are part of.

What worries me most is the tendency for those being tasked with taking action to be patronising in their approach, wanting to put us in boxes, with labels. I have spent my life going out of my way to avoid being pigeon-holed in this way.  

We are in real danger of excluding the vast majority of our society who are increasingly feeling disaffected. All most of us want is to be able to get on with our lives with minimum interference.

Sadly, in the case of the survivors of the terrible tragedy at Grenfell Tower, they are now suffering from an overdose of do-gooders falling over themselves to offer support. The cynic in me is inclined to think that guilt may well play a part in this sudden flurry of activity.