To think that the person sent to assess work needed doing should know water won't run uphill?

[insanityscatching]

The land next to our house is common land that is maintained by the local Council. I rang (and got passed back and forth as nobody seemed to know who I needed to speak to) because we have standing water gathering at the side of our exterior wall as there doesn't appear to be any drainage.
Today the "People's Champion" has been out to assess what needs to be done and explained how they would fit a channel to drain the water away from the house which is great only his plan was that the water would drain uphill (admittedly that route would be the quickest and easiest option if it wasn't uphill) and seemed quite surprised when I pointed that out.
AIBU to think that rather than having people with pretentious titles they would be far better employing people with the knowledge needed for the job in hand?

Our local Hero suggested we replaced our front windows with double glazed units. He couldn't believe they hadn't been done before. Said something about today's modern world and heating bills.

I suggested he leave and come back when he had done some research, suggested he looked again at the row of houses and had a think.

The whole street is listed, by his department!

I have resubmitted my request for information and suggestions, maybe they'll send out someone who knows something next time.

So I share your puzzlement, YANBU at all!

You have Local Heroes and People's Champions!

Where are these havens of sense and advancement?

Ha! Really Rural, backward place. Hence the need for a visible bod to wander round placating people

Yes another backward rural place here too. You really aren't missing out on not having a People's Champion if the one from today is anything to go by. There is also a huge tree stump (two feet across) on the common land and his idea for getting rid of it was to have someone come and burn it. He didn't seem to notice the massive tree next to it directly under the power cables which, I pointed out, would probably take out power for the whole village if it caught fire which was likely as the stumps are touching

Do they really have these job titles?

I currently work in Local Government in a small rural authority. It amazes me the number of people with zero common sense that also work there. I won't be staying long just in case it's catching.

Blanche - ask to speak to the Conservation Officer. They will know exactly what will be allowed in terms of replacement windows and will be able to explain what procedures you need to go through before you carry out any work. It varies between authorities.

Spartak - he came from the Conservation Office

Well, to be scrupulously fair, I asked to book my 20 minute preliminary phone chat, but they were inundated. Local Hero hadn't been to this town before so he came out to chat and to try and answer our questions.

So he had no reason to have a depth of knowledge. Then again this town is pretty famous for its historical architecture... and black and white buildings are fairly distinctive

His job is to chat to people, to canvas opinion, to collect data informally. So he isn't an expert. But it was amusing. I have since met with someone else and we are looking at all the possibilities for the house.