An interesting regeneration policy

[Quangogirl]

I've name-changed for this as I don't wish to be identified in RL.

So I work for a quango. A few years ago they started a relocation process from London to the west Midlands. This was completed, after great expense (including a brand new spanking building, pay-offs to people who had worked there for years, a generous relocation allowance to those going with the company and much hoop-la at the city's council to which it was moving) this February. And now it's been closed down by the government.

This may sound naive, but how does making 400 people redundant after spending millions of public cash, in a city that was pretty depressed economically anyway, actually kick-start the economy? And yes, I am feeling bitter today.

God that sounds shite.

Why on earth didn't they start with quangos in London, if they had to wave their enormous swords in that direction?

Who's your local MP?

Sorry to hear about your job loss.

But guess what? Different political parties have different opinions about which quangos are useful. And if your quango was not deemed useful then there is no point throwing good money after bad.

The way it stimulates the economy is by reducing our deficit at the cost of potential short-term increases in public sector unemployment. It helps make our economy more competitive by keeping tax rates as low as possible, and so the private sector will thrive in the medium to long term.

Really sorry to hear about your job loss.

longfingernails - fair point that different political parties value quangos differently. It is also true, however, that many economists would disagree with your final paragraph.

Low tax rates do not necessarily lead to a competitive economy or a thriving private sector - that requires an educated workforce, high savings rates & a high rate of capital acquisition and so on & so forth.

Takver

I'm not an economist, but I agree with your last sentence. Low tax rates definitely help though.

Sorry to hear about your job loss.

I also work for a quango and we are anxiously waiting to hear on our future.

Whilst I agree with longfingernails that different political parties have different opinions about which quangos are useful and implement policies in accordance with this, I think sometimes the decisions are taken at the expense of value for money, in particular in terms of public monies spent previously and the cost in/impact of getting rid of the organisation (redundancies to be paid, leases on buildings, unemployment etc)

Obviously it depends on the quango and their function, but many quangos deliver services, which the Govt dept to which they are accountable can no longer deliver due to a lack of staff, relevant experience, skills etc - in many cases these functions will still need to be delivered by someone somewhere so the long term cost cutting turns out to be negligible in some cases.

I'm possibly just tired and cynical but having worked in regeneration for 15 years I've seen this happen time and time again

Quangogirl, I feel your pain. If you're where I think you are, I read the letter Michael Gove sent to your chairman You're not the first and def not the last! I guess SFA next!

My organisation has published a paper that proves we're not a QUANGO ha ha fucking ha! That'll save us.

I fear for the next 12 months, so many unemployed....

Yep, you guessed right RedTartanLass. Jcee I was about to write pretty much all you've said. I do wonder who is going to do our work - what we do is pretty essential to our audience, so if we don't do it who will (unless of course, the government has completely different plans for our audience, in which case I fear for my children!

Quangogirl - I know where of you speak - and what with that, and another place just down the road I reckon we are knocking on over 700 redundancies this week in the midlands.....Have to say that once the tories got in this was on the cards, Cameron made no bones about how he felt about the quango....

Quango - it is not good to lose your job. I am genuinley very sorry about that.

However, the money for relocation has been spent already. It is what in economics is known as a sunk cost. It is irelevant to future decision making. The ongoing future cost of payng people to do a job that is no longer required or affordable will be saved by closing your quango and many others parts of the public sector down.

Regional development agencies and other forms of so called regional development have been targeted by the Tories as all are due to be cut. I have never thought regional development was being done properly.

Building good roads, broadband and railways is what brings jobs to regions - not subsidies to bring firms in.

I have heard of firms shopping around regional developement agencies playing them off against one another to get the maximum subsidy - even though the source of the subsidy is all out of the same Govt pot in the end.

I really hope you can get a related job quickly.

well apparent the civil servants (you know those people who have just had a recruitment freeze AND know bugger all about education) are going to do it... (dispair - worked for them many moons ago under a different name and know the fights we had with DFE...)

I know which quango it is and where by the way and that there have been other large job losses in the last week in that town so it is obvioulsy not a good thing in that area.

Yes that poor town is going to be hit hard, I feel sorry for all who had relocated there, and more to come if SFA is closed. 500 at yours QG, 330 at B*A and there is few others there as well isn't there?

What redundancy package are you getting QG, are you allowed to say? Think my organisation would only get statutory redundancy entitlement whihc means I would get £1,110!!

Absolutely agree with all everyone is saying but it's still pretty shit all round. And yes, with the others in the town it ain't looking good for the poor old place. Blackduck - we all know that is the plan, but for god's sake, can you imagine? What civil servants at the now DfE know about the curriculum you could write on the back of a fag packet (which is probably where this so-called regeneration plan was devised).

Thank you all for your good wishes by the way. I appreciate it.

Sorry to hear this.

Hope you find something else soon.

I'm depressed about this. Have a dd at the sort of school that was in need of these "useless" quangos. so depressed on that score.

And have family links to town.

Good luck Quangogirl.

QG I was being sarcastic! As I siad I worked for your place years ago and I can remember the fights we used to have with DFE civil servants over the content of the curriculum.....their only experience of school was 20/30 odd years ago when they were pupils! Good luck with the job hunt BTW

I know BD, my message was a response to your sarcasm! Sorry - always forget people can't hear my tone of voice or see my face on here! Animula, I wish people in power thought like you.