manxy Posted February 24, 2011 Share Posted February 24, 2011 I missed this first time round and thought I'd copy part of a forum page to show what's happening across. Citizens Advice Bureau to face funding cuts despite taking on OFT consumer workload As part of its cuts programme to rescue the country from the problems caused by the reckless failure of our banking industry, last year the government announced the abolition of about 200 quangos in order (they said) to reduce costs and to improve accountability. Included in the government's hit list was the OFT, Consumer Focus and Consumer Direct which are meant to be the organisations which monitor the way in which markets behave and which are meant to help consumers with their complaints against suppliers. (Of course we have since heard that the abolition of quangos will neither reduce spending nor improve accountability.) The government said that the consumer work which was formerly done by these three organisations would instead be dealt with by the Citizens Advice Bureau and by Trading Standards. Last month we heard reports from trading standards that they did not have enough resources for the work that they already did and that they had to prioritise and that many cases which did not make their priority list would simply not be dealt with. Predictably – and inevitably – it has now been announced by several local authorities that they are reducing their funding to the Citizens Advice Bureau. It is now difficult to understand how the CAB which was already hard pressed to deal with their caseload, can possibly manage to accommodate the work done by Consumer Focus and Consumer Direct once they are abolished. CAB chief executive Gillian Guy said that the cuts could be devastating In case you hadn't received it loudly and clearly about a year ago, these new announcements are just to give you your wake-up call that the government message is that you are on your own, tough luck because you better get used to it. As for the finance industry, the retail industry, the service industries, the utility industries the transport industries and the rest, you can be absolutely certain that they are delighted because less public support for consumers means less trouble from consumers in complaining and asserting their rights. In turn that means that the industries can get away with less investment in consumer service departments and in quality control. People had better start understanding that they may only have The Consumer Action Group on their side. ---------------------- Thoughts on this? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 This needs to be seen in a wider context. It's an inevitable part of the onset of the austerity measures that the US is, and we SHOULD be now taking. It amazes me that so many people don't seem able to realise that the days of plenty are over because for decades, and especially the last ten years, that plenty has been being paid for by taking on increasing amounts of debt, especially in the case of the UK. Look at the UK and see us reflected back. Both of us have a balance of trade that is staggeringly out of balance and with no sign of it ever becoming positive again until we learn to live at a standard lower than the people in the competitive nations, a dependence on imports for the essentials of life, and a society based increasingly on “benefits” and increasingly in our case government funded work schemes. But governments have no money of their own and with an economy that is grossly distorted to the service sector, for us that is increasingly the internal domestic service sector, we're in trouble, just as is the UK. Massive cuts and the corresponding losses of services are inevitable and the cuts must be made where they will have the least negative national impact, individuals don't and mustn't be allowed to matter. All part of the legacy of New Labour in the UK and a changing world order. I wonder if the New World Order that was being promoted so much was understood in terms of just what a massive impact it would have, or how devastating the World Trading Organisation and its pushing for tariff free trading between nations would have on the Old World Order. The changes that now must take place such as the subject of this thread will result in all sorts of difficulties for many people but unfortunately it's a price that must be paid and one that will be well worth paying for future generations. Just wait until the REAL cuts come in. There is going to be a rude awakening for a couple of generations of people who have come to take for granted what other people in other countries have been paying for. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tweek Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The best UK Citizens advice is...'emigrate'. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The best UK Citizens advice is...'emigrate'. But where? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GD4ELI Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The best UK Citizens advice is...'emigrate'. But where? Southern Europe is very nice - despite predictions of doom and gloom I would head to Spain / Canary Isles or France. Were I thrown out of Switzerland and able to chose where to move to then it would be Spain but I run my own company, all I need is the Internet and dog food... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spook Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The best UK Citizens advice is...'emigrate'. But where? Southern Europe is very nice - despite predictions of doom and gloom I would head to Spain / Canary Isles or France. Were I thrown out of Switzerland and able to chose where to move to then it would be Spain but I run my own company, all I need is the Internet and dog food... No doubt at all that Southern Europe IS very nice but on the down side the rate of exchange with the Euro is abysmal added to which are the price rises that are constantly taking place. Add to that the adverse social security available in Southern Europe that is going to get worse with time and probably still be worse than in the UK not to mention the local population not being exactly pleased with the sight of an influx of people from the UK (they don't like us at the best of times) and the different culture and unless someone is very well off or has a much needed and high paid skill or profession a move out of the UK for most people is a case of out of the frying pan into the fire. The only emigration that I would consider would be emigration to the UK and that before the door gets if not shut certainly reduced in width. Look at what was done to Hong Kong, a British passport but no right of abode in the UK. It could very easily come to pass for us as well as other semi – UK places such as Gib and the Channel Isles. There's no easy way out of this mess. It's too deep rooted and there's too much taking place in emerging once Third World countries that are rapidly moving into becoming leading lights in the New World Order that is pushing former First World nations into the spaces being vacated in the Third World. Just think, if it were not for continued use of a National Credit Card that is now being repaid only by the forged money from quantitative easing where the UK would be, and when the UK sneezes we will contract pleurisy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The best UK Citizens advice is...'emigrate'. But where? Southern Europe is very nice - despite predictions of doom and gloom I would head to Spain / Canary Isles or France. Were I thrown out of Switzerland and able to chose where to move to then it would be Spain but I run my own company, all I need is the Internet and dog food... CABs are not now so necessary with all that is available on the Internet and likewise one can no longer directly compare the Island with "across". People on the Isle of Man should now stop thinking in terms of "the UK" as if it were an homogenous entity. Likewise "the cuts" such as CABs should be seen in a regional context. Although the plan to make England a series of EU Regions to some extent backfired following rejection by the North East,(and withdrawal of Regional authority back to Parliament by way of Committees by the Coalition)there is nevertheless a lot of fragmentation going on. In fact, there is a tendency to remodel England along the lines of the original seven Anglo-Saxon kingdoms or "Heptarchy". This has resulted in varying Regional Economies. London for instance voted to be regional and thus we have an elected mayor and London Regional Assembly. London thus resembles an Island with its own Government. London is the only full EU Region. Where I live, the counties of Essex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Cambridgeshire, once known geographically and cultural as "East Anglia" have for some years been dubbed "The East of England Region". The original counties have for some time been referred to as "Ceremonial Counties". Ambulances have painted on them "The East of England Ambulance Service". The Royal Anglian regiment when recruiting calls itself "The East of England Regiment" (on signage etc) Then one has the devolution into Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland with tax spending and possibly soon enhanced tax raising powers. One cannot talk about NHS waiting lists in the UK as the devolved governments have disparate NHS services with varying prescription charges, or little or none, and different policies on elderly care etc. For instance, "the cuts" here in "the Ceremonial County of Essex" as the (EU centric) bureaucrats call us mean a few hours off library opening times,the shedding of many County Council jobs but it is a rich area adjoining London, encompasses the City in that tens of thousands work there every day, has a rich rural hinterland and also massive connurbations along with a strong military presence and 24/7 links with Europe by way of ferries and a major airport. "The cuts" are not so bad here. But then this region has been hoarding money for years and refusing to spend (The roads are bad but they have kept the cash!) There is also a substantial £2 billion annual tourist industry. Where I live NHS patients for this region are routinely sent as overflow to BUPA hospitals at the regional NHS expense and whilst there are problems with unemployable 18-24 year olds, there would need to be a transformation to Zimbabwean status before you even noticed there was a slump on! I mean, will they ever stop building and selling houses here? So it is regional and if you live in one of the other notional EU Regions of England then you may not be so lucky. For me, the cost of living has never been lower and the choice, variety and convenience never better. My 'leccy bill is only £36 a quarter or whatever it is. The Middle Class will suffer more. My neice was training to be a teacher Postgrad and the course closed as funds were withdrawn. So yes, there are changes. But the UK is now regional and for this reason the Island can no longer look towards London/England/"UK" and think that I(a) it is responsible for Island ills (b) will always be an ally. The EU is the back seat driver. For instance, England is only country in the "Union" not to have its own Parliament. It is being slowly fragmented despite rejecting this. (The fragmenting power is now back in Parliament but the sentiment is the same) Increasingly, the Island may have to negotiate with the devolved administrations and disparate regions and if they, the devolved regions, get the power to raise taxes for themselves, then they might well be the self-serving "offshores" as it were All this is producing regional economies and more powerful local politics. One might say that the UK is being split up into "mini-Isles of Man" In the above context a national chain of CABs is becoming irrelevant as so much is now variable and available on the Internet. There are so many agencies you can contact direct for advice and much can be downloaded. There is much more personal interface and people like me also do this to help others less able to cope (Otherwise known as "stirrers") I can tell you that NHS Direct is marvellous and if I want a Doctor or prescription at an awkward time I can wander into Sainsbury's 24/7 whereas it once would have been an overworked A&E or wait a week! (More direct interface) Put it all together and you can see that not only are CABs dispensible but they are not all that necessary in an information age. I mean, in this region, the WIFI in all libraries & etc is free. You gotta laptop. Go use it! I recall the 1950s and even petrol rationing and "austerity" is not the word. It is however, a "buzzword". Most will still have overfull bellies and still go on holidays abroad. Not true austerity! "I'm alright Jack!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Wright Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 How does this tie in with our CAS and our OFT and our legal aid and advice green form and full legal aid? Has any of this been cut? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Terse Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 People on the Isle of Man should... It's round about there that we want to scream Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Declan Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 Boredom - why the abuse of Barrie his post is no duller or tangential than the preceding one from Spook? You've posted two streams of invective at Barrie today, that seem unfair - just ignore him! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
P.K. Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 What has that got to do with Citizens Advice cuts? Are you actually mentally ill Barrie? Are you that desperate to appear intelligent (despite the obvious signs that you are not) that you have to post a slab of text like that is a fairly run of the mill thread about cuts in consumer advice programmes. I agree with Terse - STFU you Essex Rain Man you are the saddest, dullest, most boring pseudo-intellectual tosspot posting on here. And you don't live here anymore - SO JUST STFU. Nobody has even the vaguest interest in anything you say. Wrong! I'm vaguely interested in what Barrie has to say... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAIRB Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I can tell you that NHS Direct is marvellous and if I want a Doctor or prescription at an awkward time Barrie I was not aware NHS Direct Covered Mental Issues Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
NAIRB Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 if I want a Doctor or prescription at an awkward time I can wander into Sainsbury's 24/7 NO No Barrie you have it all wrong I have Just been to our Local Sainsbury's They don't have Doctors apparently just Dr Peppers Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 How does this tie in with our CAS and our OFT and our legal aid and advice green form and full legal aid? Has any of this been cut? It was under the International Section and thus non-Island? And also so that you might learn!! (PS I recall hitting your law firm with quite a bill that was never paid!) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Barrie Stevens Posted March 1, 2011 Share Posted March 1, 2011 if I want a Doctor or prescription at an awkward time I can wander into Sainsbury's 24/7 NO No Barrie you have it all wrong I have Just been to our Local Sainsbury's They don't have Doctors apparently just Dr Peppers Here mate 'tis a fact that Sainsbury's have NHS Docs/Surgeries/Pharmacies/Nurses but not all have them. 'Tis a new idea! 24/7 (Only in Essex But then IOM has no Sainsbury's) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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