Active discussions

Please or to access all these features

Talk
AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To think Local Government is full of pointless jobs that exist just to justify managers’ roles?

133 replies

NimblePoster · 20/03/2025 18:15

I worked in Local Government for years and while some teams work hard and deliver real benefits to communities, there are also entire roles - and even teams - that serve no real purpose.

Managers accumulate staff because having a bigger team gives them status, justifies higher pay, and probably makes their own jobs feel secure (especially given the mass job cuts in LG over the past two decades). With little oversight, managers keep people on even when their function disappears. I’ve seen whole teams sitting idle, their jobs now pointless, yet still being paid as if they’re essential.

AIBU to think a huge chunk of Local Government is just wasting taxpayer money?

OP posts:
madamweb · 20/03/2025 18:32

I think, like with most parts of the public sector, it is a mix of incredibly hard working /overworked people nearing burnout (usually the technical specialists) and then too many manager type roles and waffly non -jobs where people spend their time doing very little or creating conflict /more jobs just to justify their own existence

Shabbysock · 20/03/2025 18:30

Staff at my local council are on their knees. People leave and aren't replaced, or where they are Staff turnover is very high. All levels feel overwhelmed and the service they are able to offer is very poor.

Now this may be in part because they're used to a culture where demands weren't high, but I don't think that's the case currently.

TheNoonBell · 20/03/2025 18:29

Superfurrymanimals · 20/03/2025 18:17

The District Council I work for has 250 staff down from 600ish 10 years ago. We're all super stressed doing the work of 3!

Can you ask whoever is in charge of road repair to do their fucking job!

Original poster
NimblePoster · 20/03/2025 18:26

Xiaoxiong · 20/03/2025 18:20

According to this report, between 2012 and 2024, the number of employees in England’s councils reduced by over half a million (552,000), a decline of 31.5%.

https://www.countycouncilsnetwork.org.uk/report-says-workforce-capacity-is-one-of-the-biggest-challenges-facing-councils-and-calls-for-national-branding-campaign-to-recruit-staff/

Yes, council staff numbers have declined significantly but that doesn’t necessarily mean every remaining role is essential or that resources are being used efficiently. Cuts often hit frontline services first, while some managerial and bureaucratic structures remain intact. The challenge isn’t just workforce capacity - it’s whether the roles that still exist are delivering the most value for the community.

OP posts:
Original poster
NimblePoster · 20/03/2025 18:24

Xiaoxiong · 20/03/2025 18:17

whole teams sitting idle, their jobs now pointless

Can you give an example of this?? It seems completely crazy when councils are so incredibly stretched and they are cutting services to the bone to prioritise their statutory duties (mostly social care these days, if the papers are to be believed).

The fact that councils are stretched makes it even more concerning that inefficiencies still exist. Just because resources are tight doesn’t mean they’re always allocated effectively. I’ve seen roles that had a purpose at one time but became redundant over time, yet they were never restructured or removed.

OP posts:
Xiaoxiong · 20/03/2025 18:17

whole teams sitting idle, their jobs now pointless

Can you give an example of this?? It seems completely crazy when councils are so incredibly stretched and they are cutting services to the bone to prioritise their statutory duties (mostly social care these days, if the papers are to be believed).

Superfurrymanimals · 20/03/2025 18:17

The District Council I work for has 250 staff down from 600ish 10 years ago. We're all super stressed doing the work of 3!