Computer loss, Council employees, sharp objects

I was half listening to the TV news in the background. An item came up on, what seemed to me to be, an astonishing number of laptop computer losses from a council. A representative of the council was interviewed over this. Their response was that the council had investigated these losses. As a consequence of the investigation, they identified that council employees had not received any council training in preventing their laptops being stolen.

Politically I occasionally feel I may be slightly to the right of Genghis Kan. Other times I have quite liberal views (hanging too good for them etc). Therefore I feel quite at home with our currently elected (or unelected: none of us actually put an x in the box marked ‘coalition’) government. The major push that gets my full support: is making sure we tax payers receive value for money in government expenditure. How often has (in financial terms gold plated) red tape been used to justify the status quo when change was clearly and badly needed.

Now this caused me to wonder what else jobsworths or council employees needed training on? Had for instance council employees received adequate training on the use of toilet facilities? If they had, to what level: basic potty training or advanced? If they haven’t: is it only a matter of time before the proverbial hits the fan? What about sharp objects? Should we be wary on the (thankfully infrequent) occasions when we come into contact with council employees of an increased risk of personal injury? Would it be a good idea to have a refresher course on first aid prior to such an encounter? Are our human rights being infringed when we meet someone who (unknown to us) is a council worker? There is clearly an added danger encountering any individual who needs training in remaining attached to valuable objects, going to the loo or handling anything sharp. It seems common sense that such people should be forced to wear “I am a council employee” badges or t-shirt, perhaps better still one of those “end of the world is nigh” type of shoulder mounted advertising boards suitably inscribed.

We should be told...

PS If you like to see Jenson Button and Lewis Hamilon 'assemble' a Formula 1 car to council standards then click here...