Local authority staff and others associated in social care, according to the latest Community Care Poll, are unwilling to take a pay freeze.

Look people, get real.

Not only will you face a pay freeze but your pension schemes will be capped, no longer those final salary scheme pensions and other service conditions will be made more reasonable – like no sick pay for the first week (except statutory minimum pay) and then up to a maximum of 3 months overall, broken down equally into full and half pay, and then only after 10 years service. Otherwise ,no sick pay, except statutory sick pay on the second week and up to a maximum of three weeks. Thereafter, join the dole.

Holidays – reduced to one third of current availability. High wages and bonuses – forget them darling.

This will apply to Council services and Whitehall alike. It’s called the real world.

That plumber, electrician, factory worker, shop worker and airline hostess are taking pay freezes – why are public servants different? You aint, and you know it – and if you do not, get a job in the real world, it’s very hard.

I have not raised my fees from £119.00 per hour for several years – so if I can take a pay freeze so can you. Along with those Dork MPs who think allowances mean a free ticket to claiming whatever they want.

A new order is coming, a new moral code and a new commitment to transparency.

Wake up.

Wilt

It is a case of the ‘pot calling the kettle black’ when Christine Gilbert (Ofsted) is critical of Safeguarding Boards and Serious Case Reviews. Ofsted of course has such a solid base of expertise in such matters – as evidenced in Haringey with Baby P.

Gilbert so underwhelming an example as a pinnacle of professionalism, competence and knowledge so impressed Parliament that they raised serious questions as to her and Ofsted’s fitness of purpose.

Wilt has his moles in Ofsted who regard Gilbert as a total liability and embarrassing. Why is it allowed to continue? And then of course we have Lord Laming who has, unwittingly, simply made matters worse.

See the BBC article here: Serious Case Reviews

Wilt

It seems Ofsted are back in the firing line after documents were leaked which indicate that inspectors downgraded the star ratings for Haringey following the Baby P story hitting the headlines.

This had already been alleged by Sharon Shoesmith during her recent High Court proceedings. Now, following the leaked documents, the unimpressive Christine Gilbert has been asked to appear in front of a parliamentary committee.

See the story in Society Guardian here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/society/2009/oct/13/ofsted-chief-haringey-review

Wilt

Also in the news are again those nerds at the GSCC. It has been announced that the proposal to expand the registration of care workers has been abandoned until further notice whilst the GSCC sort out the mess in their conduct service. I think what that means is that they could not organise a piss up in a brewery and to inflict them yet further unsuspecting workers would be tantamount to culpable homicide!

So, there go a few dreams of workplace empires at huge public expense. I wonder if they will be getting their bonus this year? You know, the mantra that failure should not be rewarded – probably means they will.

It’s good to see bullies and charlatans getting a good kicking.

Is there worse news to come for the GSCC? Yes, it’s called being disbanded and all the fools sacked – excellent. Their review is nearing completion.

Oh and if Cameron and mob get in (very likely) you can see wholesale grubbing of quango, and those that remain will see their salaries slashed.

Wilt

Sharon Shoesmith has again been in the news and it seems, to me, she has made out a good case. Rather than witter on about it myself, take a look at the very amusing article on Wall (Tales from the Playground) – excellent.

Find it here:  http://wallofbrick.wordpress.com/

Wilt

Regulator Watch is doing rather well in terms of traffic, across several continents and most regions of the UK. Outside the UK, Brazil is the highest source of traffic, followed by the US, Sweden and Belgium, this month.

Within the UK most major cities are represented (except Northern Ireland) and there have been a few hits from Eire (Dublin mostly), this month.

A total of 300 + visits

Top places in the UK are:

1. London




2. Birmingham




3. Swansea




4. Leamington Spa (always the same person)




5. St Albans




6. Rotherham




7. Manchester




8. Edinburgh




9. Bristol

10. Cardiff

11. Edgebaston (B‘ham)

12. Westhoughton (?)

13. Epsom

14. Fareham

15. Meriden (B’ham)

16. And 15 other cities and towns.

Excellent – they are representative of a mixture of private individuals, the press/media (including community care) and various regulatory bodies from England, Scotland and Wales, and some MPs.

There is a near equal balance of people directly typing in www.regulatorwatch.co.uk as there are who use a large number of search terms (some repeatedly), with a smattering of links from other blogs/websites and from links sent in email, which curiously mostly link back to a Warwickshire fan.

Many have added Regulator Watch to their favourites list, hence the increased traffic that arrives directly.

Most popular search terms are (almost all Google):

• regulator watch wilt (number one) and various other variations on that terminology – the vast majority of single search terms




• Eleni Cordingley (hence the Swansea connection)




• Mike Wardle suspended (he of the GSCC – or is it ex-of)

In effect ‘Wilt’ is as infamous as ‘Regulator Watch’ – indeed they are synonymous in the minds of many visitors/contributors.

Here are some favourite search terms:

1. GSCC fucked (excellent)




2. GSCC incompetence (brilliant)




3. GSCC conduct team (what is left of em)




4. GSCC external investigators (Gawd do they need em)




5. Lisa watch gscc (on track)




6. Robin Weekes GSCC (someone is on his case)




7. Ed Wardle twat (I did not make that up)

I hope the GSCC are taking note.

Anyway, do not forget Swindon – see you all there?

Wilt

(frantically re-drafting presentation – why do I feel like Gordon?)

Wilt is back after a period of working away, a few days off, and shipping master Wilt to university. Oh bless him. By now he has probably been ravaged by numerous young women as he takes his good looks from his father!

The spammers have been busy in my absence – fortunately the software prevents any being posted on Regulator Watch. And there are a few news stories to catch up on – Wilt is on the case. More to follow.

In the mean time Wilt is presenting his thesis on Ed Balls, the GSCC, Ofsted and the future of social care at the G W Hotel Bar and Grill, Swindon(near the railway station) see:

http://www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/s/30/30219/G_W_Hotel_Bar_and_Grill/Swindon

See the delights of Swindon! Experience the whit of Wilt, or otherwise throw rotten eggs at him.

Meeting time: 19:30 (that is 7:30 pm to GSCC staff) on Friday 16 October – ask staff to direct you to the meeting rooms. All welcome.

They do a good pint of cider, although not as good as my local.

Press release available from wilt@regulatorwatch.co.uk.

The political season has begun in earnest, haven’t they Dear Gordon. Whilst you have your cheque book at hand, can I get a rebate please for the entire period you were not elected as PM?

Did anyone see Paxo interviewing Boris Johnson at the Conservative conference? Paxo ended up being interviewed – classic. Paxo was very good about it.

Wilt

Anyone with an ounce of insight into or experience of Birmingham Social Services will not be surprised by this news, see:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/west_midlands/8289954.stm

It is an utter wreck of a place which the wise social workers avoid to work within whilst the rest of the world look on in amazement. What exactly are the Government and various quango doing? Fuck all seems to be the answer.

It is as if quangolanders and Ministers look on and say – oh shit, what do we do with such a mess. So large is the mess that they are stunned into inaction knowing not where to start to begin to resolve the problems.

Wilt’s advice, unless fellow professional you are firm of heart, have no serious medical condition or are fearless – avoid Brum. Gawd help those already there. Just Gawd help them, and even more pertinent Gawd help those children needing protection.

Utter shambolic nightmare. An accident that has happened, and a further accident awaiting happening.

Wilt

Clearly the GSCC are coming under more and more pressure to review their decision to have Deidre Sanders (Sun Agony Aunt – or is that Sun twat) removed from the podium at the annual conference. Deidre herself is getting very defensive it seems, see the Community Care article here:

http://www.communitycare.co.uk/Articles/2009/10/02/112754/deidre-sanders-hits-back-over-gscc-conference-row.html

Ooooooops Deidre – keep cool lass!

Look at it this way, if the worst comes to the worst Deidre Sanders, Rosie Varley (GSCC Chair) and Bronagh Miskelly (Community Care Editor and GSCC sycophant) could do a Sun page 3 topless threesome! Yeah! I only say that I do not read the Sun and would never see it.

Wilt has heard a rumour (secretly he created it) that the GSCC are selling off tickets to the conference at one third of the price and have plans in hand to give them away to boost their delegate numbers. Stranger things have happened!! Anyway, I think it’s a good rumour to pass around.

What firkin idiots (other than arse lickers and sycophants) intend going anyway? OK I excuse Hilton Dawson – I suspect he might make a point of her attendance.

Is sharing a platform with the Sun equivalent to sharing a debating forum with the BNP – personally, I think it is. So, on second thoughts Hilton, you aint forgiven.

WiltPage 3 gp

Several new GSCC hearings upcoming listed here:

http://www.gscc.org.uk/Conduct/Conduct_hearings/Upcoming_hearings/

Wilt