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Original poster

19 year old in charge of Children’s Services for Leicestershire Council

239 replies

MmeChoufleur · 17/05/2025 12:13

Reform have appointed a 19 year old, Councillor Charles Pugsley, to run Children’s Services for Leicestershire County Council, . How would you feel about this if you lived in the borough and had SEND children?

Does this make a mockery of democracy, handing over such an important role to a person with no experience in the workplace, certainly not at any high level?

Will this make Reform voters sit up and think about the consequences of voting for this party?

OP posts:
muminherts · 17/05/2025 14:34

How depressing

Espressosummer · 17/05/2025 14:33

MozartJoy · 17/05/2025 14:09

I object to the word moron just as I object to the words spastic, spaz, mong, and retard. Whatever your political opinion, there is absolutely no need to use outdated ableist language.

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Do you object to the word idiot too?

11811B · 17/05/2025 14:30

AlastheDaffodils · 17/05/2025 12:20

He’s not “running” children‘s services day-to-day. He’s the councillor with responsibility for them. It’s a part time oversight-type role. The department won’t fall apart.

It’s still stupid though.

This

Poonu · 17/05/2025 14:27

Reform voters got what they asked for.

tuvamoodyson · 17/05/2025 14:23

YellowOrangePink · 17/05/2025 12:22

I don't remember all this hysteria when Mhairi Black appeared on the scene in Scotland. People thought that was fantastic

I didn’t.

CantStopMoving · 17/05/2025 14:20

Wowwee1234 · 17/05/2025 12:50

I am no fan of Reform, but I think actually his age isn't an issue for me - he may well ask some excellent questions and encourage enagagement with users. Time will tell.

Yeah I’m with you on this. Whilst they may not have a lot of experience. They are clearly eager, hopefully clever enough to learn and actually might come at the job with a new approach. I know a lot of experienced people who are remarkably incompetent so I’d honestly be giving them the benefit of the doubt at the start and see how they get on.

LesserCelandine · 17/05/2025 14:20

This councillor is the political lead, not the Director of Children’s Services. He doesn’t run the Children’s services. He will be responsible for coming up with policies that would be voted on by the council. So he can cause some damage but councillors rarely have years of experience in the departments they are allocated to as political leads.

thismummydrinksgin · 17/05/2025 14:15

He’s not in charge though is he, the officers will be legally responsible for ensuring children are safeguarded. I accept he has a role but he isn’t making decisions alone, it’s all of cabinet.

AaaahBlandsHatch · 17/05/2025 14:13

Scentedjasmin · 17/05/2025 12:17

Wow. Still, I'm sure that his older experienced female colleagues will whip him into shape. They'll make mincemeat out of him. I'll give him a week in the role!

I think you underestimate how overconfident these types generally are, and how unfazed by obvious lack of ability they and their supporters are.

By definition, to be a Reform voter/councillor/MP you have to either be stupid, or in it for the con (or both). If you're expecting him to be cowed by shrewd and capable experienced women, that's because you're a decent and reasonable person and judge others by how you'd behave in such a situation. This guy will just scream at them and call them woke feminazis on Twitter - and blame them for the inevitable fuck up.

And his voters will lap it up. They don't want or admire professionalism and experience - those traits are evidence of metropolitan liberal elitism. And the resulting disaster won't be blamed on Reform or their actions, either. They will have another solution (leaving NATO/ the UN/planet earth?) which, honest to god, will THIS TIME make Britain great again once the idiots vote for them AGAIN.

MozartJoy · 17/05/2025 14:09

housinglife · 17/05/2025 12:56

She was a moron

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I object to the word moron just as I object to the words spastic, spaz, mong, and retard. Whatever your political opinion, there is absolutely no need to use outdated ableist language.

Whoarethoseguys · 17/05/2025 14:09

LumiK · 17/05/2025 13:55

Because of the abuse they're getting.

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No, it's because of their toxic social.media posts or they didn't realise what a councillor actually does and how much work it entails or that you were not allowed to carry on working for the council if you are a councillor.
Most politicians from all political parties get abuse and in some cases death threats especially women. But they carry on regardless.

TwoFastHorses · 17/05/2025 14:06

Councillors do not RUN departments! There are properly qualified paid members of staff that run Council Departments.

Miley23 · 17/05/2025 14:05

ClearHoldBuild · 17/05/2025 13:50

Haven’t a clue.

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Likely no problems. Haven't Leicestershire childrens services got an outstanding ofsted rating?

MozartJoy · 17/05/2025 14:04

YellowOrangePink · 17/05/2025 13:58

Not everyone shares that opinion

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Everyone is entitled to an opinion.

Plotzbluemonday · 17/05/2025 14:04

MmeChoufleur · 17/05/2025 12:13

Reform have appointed a 19 year old, Councillor Charles Pugsley, to run Children’s Services for Leicestershire County Council, . How would you feel about this if you lived in the borough and had SEND children?

Does this make a mockery of democracy, handing over such an important role to a person with no experience in the workplace, certainly not at any high level?

Will this make Reform voters sit up and think about the consequences of voting for this party?

Prior incumbent was possibly much worse than a 19 year old.

MozartJoy · 17/05/2025 14:03

LumiK · 17/05/2025 13:55

Because of the abuse they're getting.

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Or because they have to attend meetings and they didn’t understand what being a councillor entails.

VaddaABeetch · 17/05/2025 14:01

JasmineAllen · 17/05/2025 12:57

This.

Give the guy a chance. You can't say someone isn't capable just because of their age FGS.

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Not that he’s not capable but that he doesn’t have the experience.

I’m learning Italian, I can order in a restaurant & have a basic conversation. I wouldn’t put myself forward as an interpreter at the UN

Whoarethoseguys · 17/05/2025 14:01

SickofSoup · 17/05/2025 12:14

I hadn’t spotted this but it affects me. Fabulous.

What is fabulous about an inexperienced teenage boy having oversight of educational services? Including how budgets are spent?

YellowOrangePink · 17/05/2025 13:58

MozartJoy · 17/05/2025 12:55

Mhairi Black was fantastic.

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Not everyone shares that opinion

Fuckitydoodah · 17/05/2025 13:58

ZepherinDrouhin · 17/05/2025 12:15

Well this is going to be interesting, let's see how long he'll last. Are there any compromising pictures of him or reports of anti social behaviour since he's only 19 so they'll be easily found on the Internet?!!

Just because he's 19 and probably shouldn't have been appointed, you'd condone potentially wrecking his life?

LumiK · 17/05/2025 13:55

MozartJoy · 17/05/2025 12:58

23 Reform councillors have resigned as of today.

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Because of the abuse they're getting.

ClearHoldBuild · 17/05/2025 13:50

FuckityFux · 17/05/2025 13:47

What is the problem with the department currently?

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Haven’t a clue.

FuckityFux · 17/05/2025 13:47

ClearHoldBuild · 17/05/2025 12:43

I didn’t vote for reform, but you never know, a 19 in charge might be the kick up the arse the department needs.

What is the problem with the department currently?

nomoreforks · 17/05/2025 13:44

I worked with a guy about 15 years ago who was a complete nightmare. He was a temp and was hugely difficult particularly with women. In the end I think he was asked to leave. He ended up becoming the leader of a council in London . I saw his face in the newspaper (I remembered him as he was the most horrible person I have ever encountered in a work environment) and I couldn't believe it. He knew absolutely nothing about anything but was very rude and aggressive in quite a scary way. From what I remember he was caught up in some controversy in approving some sort of multi-million housing project and he was sacked. It feels like the people we most need to be involved in politics (rational and sane with actual knowledge) are the people who would run a mile from politics as the environment is so toxic.

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