Alt.Mustardland

Poor GLO. They are really giving you a hard time. Your scattered history of working like a demon for all the Great Names, never fails to impress, and to entertain. I am now hopelessly confused by their pathetic policy. It's an outrage about transferring a floodplain and high crime postcode without stressing to the Underwriters* that it applies to a different area altogether.

*IMO the biggest band of scoundrels unhung, barring munitions billionaires and bankers natch.

Local Authority have BAGS-OF-MONEY.. This lot recently set out a Sundial of Brick Paving - you stand on the Centre and your Shadow ponts to the Clock marking on the brick Paving. Them They defaced it by putting in street lights of Several Stems (each Lamp) with constantl changing colouerd lights, and Trees set in sockets about the square each one with set-in-the-paving Strip lights (all becoming trips when the trees caused heaving the paving to rise. Doesn't matter because set a new Market to give it more space (The Market is dwindling). The existing Market is to be planned as a Bigger Universary ... The Existing Uni is now closed... insufficient numbers. Nah.. Council has ooodles of Money.

When I was an employee in Local gov (a London Borough), us nonentities felt that the NEW Towns (Harlow and Essex) had no Histories or practicies.. Obviously changed since then.

Rwth.. House numbers Begin from the Town Centre - Hence the "Fashionable Numbers were in the Centre .. OK, Theres an exception Here... The Town was Designed to have Industrial access to the Railway and the Centre at the Other end of the main Road... BUT... BR was chasing around closing Factories Rail Connection... Hence after the houses (Drawing bord, building sites, or completed houses) were numberd in the reverse when Industry was Built along the Main road .. Away from the Railway. However, I digress.
To make the Number change, they changed the Postcode. They resurructed a Postcode Number from elsewhere ... A number that was a) a housbreaking area, and b) a flood plain. People who changed their postcodes to their Insurance Renewal had their Premiums increased....

If I ever get back to work ... one of my clients was Royal Mail - Prior to Gov Ministers sold Royal Mail into an EU outfit - I was working on the costs/savings of automatic address sorting. If (as I believe) the Renumbering Without My application (My house, not The Councils) is illegal: if I used the address fousted on me, I can hardly apply to continue to address to work on addressing.
No, I was not working here.. those Experiments were on the South Coast, not here... More like the importance of Being Worthing.

In big cities or conurbations, the burden of administration is so great that it would be better to break it up into parishes and do it all from there. But please don't tell them. They'd just jump at the chance to reorganise. And as any fule no it costs more than it's worth.

I don't know GLO if you would get anywhere if you appeal to the Post Office. Maybe in your case, postcode is all. I worked out that everyone at one end of our road had the same postcode and everyone at the other end had a slightly different one. My OH told me that all numbers begin from the city centre and work outwards, and I discovered the postcode did too. They were nearer town than we were and the code ended in x and ours ended in y. Down here, it seems similar. My postcode ends in F, and Blunders' round the corner on a loop, ended in G. What if you claimed not to have received the demand for Council Tax?

GLO,
I'm just amazed, at a time when local authorities claim to be short of money that, so many of them find mad schemes to spend cash on.

My wife worked for social services in a neighbouring authority for around thirty years. As such, she lost count on the number of times that the decision was taken to reorganise social services. Every time they did so, it cost money and ultimately overall costs increased rather than decreased as was planned.

The last Labour government set up a scheme whereby old schools, such as the one where I'm a governor (More than 110 years old), could claim money to knock down old, inefficient buildings and put up new ones 'Building Schools for the Future'. The incoming Tory administration of 2010 decided that any such projects that were underway by the end of that tax year could continue but, the grants for any further ones would be denied. Our local authority went berserk, setting up projects for several schools, including ours. All of the initial jobs went ahead, including architects drawing up designs. The cost for our school alone was £350,000 to this point. Suddenly, the order was sent out that all such work was to stop immediately. It turned out that, councils were to apply for this money and our council suddenly realised that they hadn't done so!

I worked for most of my life in the private sector, as a senior manager. I became ill with stress and lost my last job working for a private company. For the last six years prior to retirement, I worked for a neighbouring authority. I cannot believe the waste that I witnessed.

' afternoon each...
Yes, Like you, Brian, I also have been a Presiding Officer, but for Health reasons I've not applied this year. I have done tis for two Authorities ,,, and the same Visiting prospective MP was the Same Man?? (He is "One of Us" as Mrs Thatcher announced when she claimed a "win" when He was first (and therefore only thus-far succesful candidate).

In a London Borough I remember One Lady, obviously elderly, and very forceful. Demanding politely her Ballot paper.. And in reply to the obvious question repied "How do I know my address, You lot are not being very helpful". It seems tha she was 106 (Yes thats her age, not her house number). She was living in a Sheltered Estate and only moved there within the last few weeks... She was en route to visit friends and remembering her address was not in her scan of importance.

Because I am sometimes a PO, but not in my own electorial catchment area, I have a Postal vote. and I see a problem. My Local council have decided to renumber the Houses. There is no road. This (a winner of a Design cometition by a Swedish University, with Parking and Garages accessed at the perimeter) has an easy to follow sequence of numbers - easily followed by postmen or others on foot. The council have changed the numbers by stopping the sequence at a random number and starting from one.. And indeed getting access to each house and spreading glue over the Legal number and stick their False number. Thus I am one af several same two digit number instead of my Legal number which was in the threehundreds... and took it on to themselves to advise NHS, (some) Police, etc including the Electoral Register.. I wont coform (Too many Evening meal deliverers, Home helps, Mobile nurses and their subsequent Family, Mourners and undertakers). I thus find that I have an address that I never Signed any approval.. i.e., It is NOT my authorised Polling address.

Rwth,
You'd be amazed how many people come into the Polling Station, explaining that their wife/husband/mother/father/choose any other possible relationship is ill and asking if they could vote on their behalf. The answer is "No", There is no room for manouvre.

Absentee voters have two possible routes. They can apply for a postal vote, as late as five days prior to the election . Alternatively, a 'proxy vote' can be arranged up to the day before the election.

I think that voter fraud has always gone on at elections. However, it is the scale of it these days that, has compelled the authorities to take a tougher, less flexible line. There have been stories of the representatives of candidates picking up unused postal votes, getting the voter to sign them, voting for their candidate and, taking the votes to the Polling Station en masse. I can take postal votes in at the Polling Station but, it depends on how many an individual brings in. One or two, I'll accept but, not handfuls.

As a Presiding Officer, I try to exercise some good sense. For instance, if someone comes in with a disabled companion and, asks if they can help them vote, the answer is in the affirmative. However, they have to complete an A4 form. The good sense issue came in a couple of years ago when an elderly couple entered the Polling Station. Both were clearly disabled. She had fairly advanced dementia whilst he had lost the use of one eye and, was partially paralysed due to strike. He asked to help his wife to vote. I agreed and, saw little point in getting him to fill in a form. He honestly had enough to deal with.

I'm glad I only asked if I had to produce the voter. Blunders said he didn't feel well enough, and I'd have cast his vote according to his opinions. Not the same as personation I don't think. That involves some attempt at deception. Ever since my father forgot to add me to the household registration, I've always made sure I was registered wherever I was and encouraged everyone else to vote. A stroll to the polling station after "The Archers" would reveal most of my neighbours on the same errand.

I have just eaten a couple of Hot Cross Buns, home made of course. Then there's only me to blame for any disappointment caused. It's surprising how many of my virtual friends have made their own this year. Breadmakers make it easier of course, but one still has to haul out the technology and set it going. It's much too far to find a Mr Firkin's establishment and they weren't as good after he died.

Good morning all.

As promised, I attended my Presiding Officer training yesterday. As usual, a couple of new problems that cropped up in one or both of last year's votes were dealt with. Apparently, a respresentative of one political party adorned his car with party posters and parked it outside several polling stations. All a PO like myself can do is politely ask him to move. Providing he is not obstructing access to the station nor, being aggressive towards voters, the police can't act.

Another problem actually occurred in my polling station last year. A woman and her husband(?) turned up late afternoon and she gave me her Polling card. I asked her to confirm her name and address which, she did. My poll clerk was just marking 'this' women off in the Register and, I was about to tear a ballot paper out of the book when, the woman said, 'Does it matter that the card belongs to my Mother?' At this, I called a halt to tearing the paper out of the book and, asked this woman to confirm what she said. She said that, her Mother was unable to get to the polling station and, had sent her out to vote. I explained that, she had attempted to commit the crime of 'personation' and that I would be reporting the matter to the office and, they may decide to involve the Police. At this, the couple disappeared.

It was a close thing. Technically, there was nothing that I could have done to prevent this. Unlike Northern Ireland, voters in mainland U.K. are not asked to provide proof of ID. There is talk that this may be required soon but, it's not in place yet.

Today, I'm off on one of the tougher Action Heart walks, the first mile in a gentle incline throughout. We then undertake a u-turn and head off down a parallel track which, is constant downhill and goes on for a mile and a half. There's time for a break and a cup of coffee before miles three, four and five involve walking through a country park of variable terrain. It's tough but, a really enjoyable walk.

Enjoy the day ahead people.

Didn't know that. I think she had different Abodes in Westcliffe (Like Helem Mirrem). Joan Sims was the local Station Masters Daughter, who (it is said) started her perfoming life by entertaining the Passengers on the Platform - The Stationmaster was an Important Man, and the Floor level of His house was a diect entrance to the Platform. My Aunt was at school with her.

Actually GLO, personally being Wolverhampton born and bred, we can claim a piece of of Peggy Mount too. She spent several years early in her career working in Rep in Wolverhampton.

.... and all We've got is Peggy Mount, and Joan Sims... not to Mention Helen Mirren

Not heard of any of the Younger crew.

Will the Pedlar wrote: I agree regarding RA as Maigret. He makes a surprisingly good "straight" actor.

So does 'local boy' Lenny Henry and, (Not local, at all) Bradley Walsh. See them as 'Actors', rather than 'comedians' or 'comic actors' these days.

In the Insp. Morse books - the early ones. Lewis was the older bloke and could be quite stroppy. Morse was a tad more affable... Only a tad.

As you say Colin Dexter changed the book characters to more closely conform with the way John Thaw and Kevin Whately brought them to life.
Whilst they are not always particularly accurate in their portrayal in some of the stories. They are good entertainment.

Gone off a tad chilly here. Who has nicked the sunshine? I was just getting used to it.

Have a good rest of the day.


p.s. Edited to add: I agree regarding RA as Maigret. He makes a surprisingly good "straight" actor.

Good morning all.

Just been on a 4.6 mile walk halfway through which, I had a haircut. I also called at the local decent coffee shop prior to the return journey. Cool breeze this morning.

In about an hour I'm off into Wolverhampton for my Presiding Officer training, ahead of the election of the (Not wanted/Of no interest) West Midlands Mayor on 4th May. It's compulsory and, part of my fee as a Presiding Officer depends on me undertaking training. That said, Proportional Representation is part of this election and, there are always slight changes in the guidance issued for every election. They have given me two Poll Clerks for this election and, I fail to understand why. I doubt whether the turnout for this election will be much more than 25%!

Enjoy your days, my friends.

Charlie Resni k was OK. I also enjoyed Prime Suspect with Helen Mirren.

Out of the 'new' crop, DCI Banks is good and, I particularly like 'Grantchester'. Find the character of the Rev Chambers really interesting. Rather keen on Rowan Atkinson as 'Maigret' too. He's closer to the enigmatic character from the Georges Simenon books.

Can't take to some of the American crime series. Never liked Columbo, or Cagney and Lacey.

I liked Charlie Resnick. Not particularly flawed, but a lone detective with his Jazz records, It's a lonely job with very unsocial hours and it's not that surprising that detectives tend to resist any attempt to get them to work 'according to the book' Senior people with the Home office on their back to be financially productive more or less have to descend and nag for an arrest, when the obvious suspect doesn't have much of an alibi, but as we see with Inspector Banks, he wants enough evidence to convict, so resists too early an arrest.

I too like Frost and Vera. Agree that neither is 'flawed', unless you think of Frost's passionate dislike of authority and, following unconventional methods counts. Vera is an obsessive, of course.

It's interesting to see how the late Colin Dexter changed the character of Morse to conform to the John Thaw model on TV. Even went as far as changing the car that Morse drove from a Volvo (IIRC) in the early books to the Jaguar that TV's Morse drove. Of course, Dexter wrote some stories afterthey had appeared on TV.

| quite enjoy Frost and Vera. Particularly the Frost books.
Of course you have to make allowances for the needs of TV in solving any murder, in two hours or so. But neither of them are 'flawed.' Just working coppers.

Not sure that the 'rebel' type of detective is welcome in 'real life'. Too many rules. I think that the job calls for lateral thinking any way.

Ah, Yes I'm afraid many Authors seem to think that a "rebel" is A Good Example or Entertaining. I can't help but think how I could Co-operate with such person in "real life" (nasty cold shiver).