The Empire of RCT

Seems to me that there are two abiding and central principles in RCT (and I assume other authorities);

1. If you kick a problem around for long enough it will go away. Especially if it goes from desk to desk at warp speed and nobody takes responsibility or action.

2. You are just politicians passing through. We (senior staff in the main) are here to stay. Thus we will pay you lip service but tie your hands with red tape that you do not (cannot with some elected members god luv 'em) understand. So go away and leave us alone to do the job of governance. We will smile, coo and nod then do what we know is best regardless of what you say, do, or want.

It becomes a war of attrition if you attempt to change this mind set. If just those two things could be changed within the first few months of any new administration by elected members willing to put their collective weight behind it then it would indeed be a huge victory for the electorate.

Emperors need Empires and it has always seemed obvious to me that this is where the priority of local authority senior management and the collective political ego lays. Preserving their Empires and the continuation of the illusion of "you (the public) need me/us" must be perpetuated at all costs. But it is an illusion. Problem is with illusions is that people live 'within' them and too often accept them as 'normal' and even 'desirable'. "It is the only way" becomes the mantra. It is accepted as the conventional wisdom not through rigorous inspection, constructive critique and consideration of alternatives but simply because 'it is'. It's always been that way so that's the only way.

Removing RCT political Emperors through the ballot box can be achieved once every 4 years, and at nil cost, but removing administrative Emperors is far more difficult and sometimes an almost impossible task that can be hugely expensive. However, that's not to say it can't or shouldn't be attempted.

For instance Carl Sergeant AM's idea of the 'sharing' of senior staff between local authority's. This says two glaringly obvious things to me;

1. He (and others at that level - since it must have been discussed and debated in the Assembly Labour Group and I have heard no objections to the idea from any other political party in the Assembly) have at last recognised that senior staff in our authorities are currently working at far less than full capacity (part time in effect) and that they could easily take on the same job 'as well as' and not 'instead of' in a neighbouring authority. (If that's the case then why are we currently paying them full time salaries?)

2. Not one authority in Wales has even made any serious attempt to pick this idea up and go with it. In fact it seems to have died a silently strangled death. And that by design. Why? Because it doesn't suit the Empires and Emperors, that's why.

It has, of course, taken the usual route of being first ignored; then heavily criticised; kicked in to touch; and will soon be forgotten. And I know there will be those who will say that sometimes neighbouring authority's have different political masters such as RCT (Labour) and Caerphilly (Plaid), but since these senior staff are supposed to carry out their duties in an apolitical manner then it should present no problem. If the two authorities were also to share the cost of ridding themselves of one (say) Director of Education or one Director of Highways then it could well become economically feasible. But, of course this is not the way of the Emperors because "it might be me next so this has to be stopped right now."

Of course, acting in concert with that are the political Emperors. What Emperor would want to share his/her generals with another army? Especially with one that, on a political level at least, they squabble with regularly in their own Council Chamber sometimes over the most trivial points? Sometimes it's almost akin to Gulliver's Travels and 'eggs pointing up-vs-eggs pointing down' dividing the warring Lilliputians, the divide is so minute. It is for all that though absolutely unthinkable. No - the political Emperor also wants to create and maintain the illusion of the grandiose; of the 'important me'. After all, I must be important. You only have to look at the Empire beneath me to see that!

It's about time some common sense and logic were applied. We have hugely top heavy authorities nation wide 'managed' by the over-paid and under-worked, whose first aim is to perpetuate and legitimise itself. And that takes place on a political and senior managerial level. It has to change.

Graeme.