IN November 2007 I voiced my concerns in the YEP at the appalling waste of ratepayers' money and the scurrilous way that the council settled out of court in the sum of £275,000 with an employee who had tennis elbow and exacerbated her condition by operating a computer for six weeks.
The reaction to my concerns from Leeds City Council was unsurprisingly nil.
It has now come apparent from the YEP article (4 February) that this incident was only the tip of the iceberg and the ability of the council to squander taxpayers' money
through poor management has reached legendary heights, with £2.5million having to be paid out in compensation over the past two years.
When will we have some proper man-agement within the council who will manage our money and affairs in a proper business-like manner as exhib-ited constantly in the private sector?
In the private sector if affairs are conducted in a similar manner to Leeds City Council the company goes bust – the council simply increase the rates and carry on to enjoy their jobs for life and index-linked pensions.
Elected councillors should be representing the ratepayers and constantly holding somebody responsible within council employees for unnecessary waste of ratepayers' money but judging by the way the waste continues this cannot be happening.
I would suggest that all ratepayers ask their local councillor what they have done to minimise waste by council employees and if no satisfactory answer is received bear that in mind when the next elections are held.
When we are told about the increase in rates for next year no doubt the council will say it is to maintain frontline services when, in actual fact, a high proportion of it will be required for settlement of claims generated by the lack foresight and basic management skills within Leeds City Council.
P Murdoch, by email
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