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CROSSHIRE: NOT ANOTHER LEVY! I am doubtless not the only one accused of penny pinching when I remind staff not to waste money. Avoiding leaving electrical appliances running unnecessarily or ordering that extra spare part “just in case” are instances familiar to most hiremen. In fairness, most employees co-operate, so when I hear of anything that has the potential to squander money without us having any choice in the matter, I get irritated. I refer to proposed Business Development Initiatives that appear to be coming to many urban areas. Our local Chamber of Commerce sought my views on a scheme it is running on behalf of our local authority. It seems our city is being divided into areas containing large concentrations of businesses, and each will be asked to comment on how the infrastructure, parking, traffic management and other aspects can be improved. So far so good - but the devil is in the detail. The cheeky sods say that a levy will be imposed on each business to pay for this wheeze and that, once implemented, it will be mandatory for each business to pay up! After coming down off the ceiling I asked the young lady who visited us to confirm this. She replied in the affirmative: if such a scheme were set up in our area, we would be required, by law, to pay. So what do we pay inflated business rates for? I derive little tangible benefit from the four-figure sum I already pay each month to the town hall. “But,” countered the lady, “you will be able to influence the benefits to your area.” I pointed out that I had long given up trying to get our council to undertake sensible improvements in our street as it invariably had loftier priorities. Besides, in an area of mixed commerce and industry, just who would get the greatest priority? More brownie points are gained in putting flower baskets in retail areas than by quickly ejecting itinerants from a factory car park. The last time I met a councillor he proudly explained how the council had reduced social exclusion by over 50%; when I suggested that most of the socially excluded were on night shift sawing through our security fence he did not seem amused. We have no choice but to swallow excessive cost increases brought about by statutory charges, fuel charges and the like. Now it seems another stealth tax could be in the pipeline. If, as it appears, Chambers of Commerce are managing this new initiative, I suggest the first line of resistance would be for businesses simply to resign membership of their local chamber. • STAFF MOVEMENTS I have to inform readers that our trusty fitter and general dogsbody, Young Arnold, has left us for pastures new. He had not planned to leave but he had his wicked way with a young lady and events have entered a nine-month timescale and overtaken him somewhat. He has moved over 100 miles away from us and his suggestion that I could open a depot near his new abode in order to retain his services fell on deaf ears. The good news is that he has not left our industry but has taken a job with one of the larger organisations in the hire game. He has been on the phone regularly, giving me bits of gossip about his new employer, so we can all look forward to the odd despatch from him in the future. In the meantime, I am recruiting, and judging from some of the applicants that have shuffled up to my office so far, this is going to be interesting! Watch this space. Executive Hire News › Archives › October 2006 › Crosshire › Not another levy!
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