Other people’s money

By Terry Waite - 16/07/2008

As I write it has just been announced that another group of top “bosses” are in line to receive a six-figure bonus. This time it is for improvements to the railway system. Of course many readers love this sort of thing and can’t get enough of it, but I wonder if I am in the minority in finding the whole business distasteful in the extreme?

Let me say right away that I have no inside knowledge and so have no idea what these people have done to warrant such a whacking great sum on top of their normal salary. All I know is that some improvements have been made but then they were starting from a very low base indeed and there is still a long way to go.

I have to say that I am getting increasingly irritated with bonus payments. Take the banks for example. It might be argued that banks are in the mess they are currently in because of their desire to make bigger and bigger profits regardless, and that huge bonus payments rewarded many who seemed to be ignoring sound banking principles.  As soon as one begins to think along these lines one thinks of other examples that annoy. Frankly is a radio presenter worth £18 million for a three-year contract?  

Let me say that again slowly. £18 million for three years.  The BBC tells us that they have to pay the market rate. What market rate? Could they list other groups who would pay such money to present a radio show? My local authority pays the CEO £220,000 per annum with pension rights and other generous allowances.

I pay a hefty Council Tax to help pay that salary and yet they still demand that I pay extra to have my garden waste cleared. I had to spend just over half an hour at my local hospital the other day. As we only have four buses a day in the place where I live I had to go by car.  The minimum charge to leave my car in the hospital park was £2.50 and this is going up in July to £2.70. What can we do?

If we complain we get fobbed off with a standard letter. It seems as though our MPs are so busy feathering their own nests to really deal with the matters that considerably annoy and cost the older generation.

To be fair, the bus pass is a boon (if you have buses to use) and I am looking forward to free swimming next year, but the simple fact is that when the BBC, local authorities or MPs spend other peoples’ money then they lose all touch with reality.
I won’t embarrass you any further by quoting the old age pension. I’ll be content to say that if you have been thrifty and saved a little for your old age and if you still contribute to the economy and your own good health by working you will certainly pay tax.

I wouldn’t mind if it was used well, but I am pretty confident that waste is rampant and some of our so-called “public servants” are doing very well thank you.