A propos…

If anyone needed any confirmation that public administration is going to hell in a handcart, as we in Bradford enjoy our continuing crimewave, readers will be pleased to learn that the Council's police committee is on the case.

Having set up a "safer and stronger communities improvement committee", the key item on the agenda this week is an earnest discussion on the "audit commission inspection improvement plan", under the generic heading of "monitoring improvement" – not performance, mind you, but improvement.

And, amongst the items up for deliberation is this little gem:

So that stakeholders can contribute fully to building safer, stronger and more cohesive communities, the council should:

Ensure that its proposed rationalisation of plans, strategies and partnerships in this area is accompanied by a clear communications strategy so that all involved understand the relationship between the key plans, strategies and activities, and how each contributes to clearly articulated outcomes.

Needless to say, the council is also enjoined to "develop a robust, risk-based approach to involvement in new initiatives, to ensure it has the capacity to deliver existing projects and maintain focus on agreed priorities".

Councillors will, no doubt, he happy to know that this agenda can also be made available in Braille, large print or tape format, and that a buffet tea will be provided while they partake in their deliberations.

Afterwards, they may feel the need for something a little stronger.

COMMENT THREAD