Hundreds of council officials are to be told to work from home to ease pressure on West Berkshire’s cramped council buildings.

The Tories have hired nearly 200 new staff since taking control five years ago, resulting in many staff working cheek by jowl. However, with more than two thirds of the 1800 council staff part-time, many desks are left empty for days on end.

Now, the council is offering hundreds of bureaucrats the chance to work from home, including time out to ‘walk the dog’, a health and safety check of workers’ homes, and more team-building activities to keep the team ethos alive.

The council’s new ‘working from home’ rules also reveal

• Staff will not be paid mileage if they have to come into the office
  
  
• Workers out ‘walking the dog’ should make a note in their Outlook calendars
  
  
• Officials shouldn’t send e-mails while driving
  

It’s thought the approach could save millions of pounds as the council’s search for suitable office accommodation in Newbury has proved largely fruitless due to high rents and lack of parking spaces.

Quoted from Administrator

Officials shouldn’t send e-mails while driving

My favourite.  

I had to look at the calendar to check if it was April 1st.

I am still not convinced that this is a genuine story.

I'm sure that all those taking 'walking the dog time' will be checked to see if they hold a valid dog licence before this activity is allowed.

"more team-building activities to keep the team ethos alive." And I'll just bet most of them are really looking forwards to that.


Threep

Quoted from Administrator

• Workers out ‘walking the dog’ should make a note in their Outlook calendars
  
  
• Officials shouldn’t send e-mails while driving
  

Are they allowed to tie the lead to the bumper and walk the dog whist driving?? (assuming of course that they have made a note to that effect in their outlook calender!)  

Quoted from Administrator

It’s thought the approach could save millions of pounds as the council’s search for suitable office accommodation in Newbury has proved largely fruitless due to high rents and lack of parking spaces.

Some of us know how it feels feels, and as the mighty 'Vision' reaps commercial dividends, it won't be getting any cheaper!

Good, as they do bugger all in the office.

Quoted from Threepwood

I'm sure that all those taking 'walking the dog time' will be checked to see if they hold a valid dog licence before this activity is allowed.

Threep

You can still get a monochrome licence for your dog if it is only black and white, but the licensing people never believe you and write to you anyway. It doesn't matter that your dog is small or that you have only one. You could have several of different sizes and still be adequately covered by your monochrome licence ... provided they are monochrome dogs. Of course, if you happen to own a video of dogs or dog screen saver on your computer, they will insist you get a licence for ALL dog colours, regardless of what you actually own, unless it is on a laptop, which is regarded as portable.  


PS: Dog licences stopped over 20 years ago, except for pitbulls, etc.

Ok, try this one..

Who would normally walk the dog whilst the WBC worker was at work?


Threep

Quoted from Administrator

Officials shouldn’t send e-mails while driving

Does that count as a 'revelation' or just common sense and compliance with traffic law?  

Presumably council staff will be getting PCs issued to allow them to work from home?  (If my PC's anything to go by it wouldn't be up to sharing as a 'work PC' as well as being the family PC for the kids to use....  which they tend to do during the day during half term and school holidays)

And will they have to have CCTV installed so that they can be checked up on from WBC Central Office?  I'd like to see how many of them spend more time working on their tans or watching Wimbledon etc rather than 'working from home' when summer decides to turn up this year....  so much work but so many distractions.....

Quoted from Threepwood

Ok, try this one..

Who would normally walk the dog whilst the WBC worker was at work?
Threep

This is a EUPHAMISM and ownership of a dog is not necessary to enable one to be "walking the dog".......rruf

[center][/center][quote=1]The Tories have hired nearly 200 new staff since taking control five years ago, resulting in many staff working cheek by jowl. However, with more than two thirds of the 1800 council staff part-time, many desks are left empty for days on end.

Why cant the part timers desk share?

.. a health and safety check of workers’ homes, and more team-building activities to keep the team ethos alive.

If your home does not pass the H & S check will we be buying the desk, chair etc.,

[*]Officials shouldn’t send e-mails while driving

Why would they be driving when working from home?

Quoted from Uncle

This is a EUPHAMISM and ownership of a dog is not necessary to enable one to be "walking the dog".......rruf

You mean like, "I'm going to see a man about a dog"?

I wonder if User has a dog.  I doubt it.  But what kind of dog do people think he might have, if he did have one?  

Quoted from Uncle

This is a EUPHAMISM and ownership of a dog is not necessary to enable one to be "walking the dog".......rruf

Aaah! I see.... 'Walking the dog' eh... Translates to 'upstairs with the missus while I'm meant to be working'  Nuff said....  Fraught with dangers this working from home business.  Alright if you have a trustful workforce, but some of the guys I've worked with in the past I wouldn't trust to lift a finger without constant surveillance.....

Quoted from jay

Why would they be driving when working from home?

Presumably we're referring to people like Social Workers and Healthcare workers?  People that are out and about all day long... Don't need a permanent empty desk space in an empty office as they visit clients all day long?  Their new 'work base' will be their home with an internet link......

Quoted from Downlander

I wonder if User has a dog.  I doubt it.  But what kind of dog do people think he might have, if he did have one?  

If he did have, he'd be barking up the wrong tree most of the time!