NON JOBS – OR NON STORY?

28-12-2007

Right-wing pressure group the Taxpayers Alliance has had a pop at two West Midlands councils with its latest annual survey of so-called “non-jobs.” Posts in Sandwell and Birmingham are both held up for ridicule – although on closer examination, it’s hard to see why.

According to the TPA, work of “zero value” cost taxpayers £584, 877,644.80 in 2007 alone.

The Sandwell Council job they take exception to is the “Welfare Rights And Poverty Action Manager”.

Is this a non-job? Not if you listen to the local authority’s cabinet member for adult services Darren Cooper, who explains: "The Welfare Rights Team has been vital in helping and protecting the vulnerable and elderly people in the borough.

"It is quite right to say that the team has helped people claim million of pounds, but that is cash they are legally entitled to claim but for one reason or another were not.

"It has helped people get out of the poverty levels that they were living in. That has got to be seen as worthwhile.

"I am proud of the work the unit does and for what it has achieved for the elderly and vulnerable people in Sandwell.”

Would the Taxpayers Alliance rather see vulnerable people miss out on the benefits they are entitled to? It would seem so.

As for Birmingham, the TPA is critical of the job of Head of Service Transition – a role created when the government insisted that all councils split Childrens’ Services and Adult Services.

Previously vulnerable people would have been dealt with by one department from cradle to grave; the service transition post is aimed to at ensuring that under the new structure, children who’ve been brought up in care and other “at risk” youngsters aren’t suddenly left unsupported when they reach 18.

Perhaps the Taxpayers Alliance would prefer it if these people – who might be disabled, have mental health problems or who could well have suffered sexual abuse – were simply left to fend for themselves.

Other jobs criticised include the role of Chief Executive at Newham Council and Communications Media Manager at NHS London – as if the respective organisations could seriously function without these post-holders.

Check out the full TPA report and you’ll see that it’s actually an attack on the Society pages in the Guardian where many of these jobs are advertised – a fact which the breast-obsessed Sun has happily capitalised upon today.

The moral is clear – come on you lefty moaners, stop promoting socially useful jobs, and GET YER TITS OUT FOR THE LADS.

To see the full TPA report, click here for pdf format file

Is the TPA right to expose what it describes as non-jobs?

Or are they picking on socially useful public servants?

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