| I can't speak for Ealing Council, but at the risk of playing some sort of devil's advocate: While I worked in the public sector for only 12 years, and only at an administrative level, I can assure you that the effect on the civil service, when I joined just in time for the financial crash, was immediate. It appeared that the profligacy of such institutions as the Youth Justice Board (where I started) was solely responsible for the mess we were in -- all those meeting room biscuits and all that maternity leave! - and an across-the-board 1% pay rise cap was put in place that was only lifted in Sept 2017. Travel - no matter how far or how much work needed to be done on the way - was limited to economy class and/or coach, even if a cheaper 1st class ticket could be found (it was possible) as we not only had to be careful, but be SEEN to be being careful. Organising conferences became tricky, as international experts would be invited to take part but only offered economy class flights and a budget hotel once they got here, or asked to pay their own way. We were never, under absolutely no circumstances, allowed to be seen to be having any sort of fun whatsoever. So, while banks and financial institutions still had their bonuses, raises, staff jollies and Xmas parties, any team "bonding" session would involve hours of PowerPoint presentations, and we had to covertly call any sort of Christmas do an opportunity for "networking" and there was always more PowerPoint presentations of some sort along the way, just what you needed as you sat in the freezing function room somewhere in Didcot. |