Labour in RCT - Guardians of the public purse

“Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has saved over £3m of public money by continuing to innovatively improve the way essential services are commissioned and procured.”

Yep must be an election on the horizon.  What a load of absolute bull.  So the procurement unit has done its job and endeavoured to provide value for money.  Halleluiah put the flags out.  What next, will they be using Tesco coupons to buy their £2.30 a packet printer paper?

This is a made up ‘Friday afternoon and we’ve put nothing out what can we say to show we earn our crust (or million pounds a year salaries) in the Strategy and public Relations Department.’

It then goes on to list some of the wondrous things RCT Council are doing for the public they serve with such respect.

Do me a favour – pass the sick bucket.

‘Over £200m is set to be spent in coming years as the Welsh Government’s 21st Century Schools programme is rolled out. Again, Rhondda Cynon Taf Council has taken a regional lead to ensure contractors appointed for all work relating to the scheme are procured consistently, to produce savings and protect local employment.’

Now this is the same Council who hired Costain to build the Porth bypass - estimated cost around £37m end cost around £98m.  But they did such a good job of coming in on time and on budget (!!!) that they gave them the contract for the Church Village bypass. 

That similarly trebled in cist and was also downgraded from a dual to single carriageway. (It did have some lovely Dormouse bridges mind).  But they did such a good job that the Council gave them the contract for the works in Pontypridd Town centre.  This includes Mill Street where they messed up the pedestrianised area by putting  a lip on the pavement that was too big an obstacle for wheelchair users, not helpful to the visually impaired, and had able bodied people falling over it.