So, when the barrier doesn't lift and you press the help button, who is it that is on the loudspeaker who grudginly tells you that if the screen says wait then you have to wait. That's yet another level of council employee I wager.
It is precisely because of those things that I think the authorities should have a presence on these and other similar forums.
I think the bottom line is if a forum is full of WuMs and journalistic exaggeration then it shouldn't be expected to be taken seriously.
I'm not singling out this forum for special criticism, in fact it's not criticism at all as people have every right to parody and have a good moan about the authorities. It's just the nature of the medium that local forums largely tend to be this way and as a result aren't a place for sensible discussion, on the whole.
Lifts:- Old Goat, with respect, you don't know all the facts. When the lifts are awaiting repair, the Parking department no longer directly manages the problem, and we wait for other departments to do their job. We can only wait for the engineers to say, "They're working again now!" The council hires lots of external contractors nowadays to save money, so its actually in their hands...we're just staff. If it was up to me, i'd be chasing up the issue everyday, until it gets resolved, but it just doesn't work like that!!
The lifts were installed with the car park in 1989, and parts are a nightmare to obtain. A lift replacement scheme would cost hundreds of thousands, which isn't pratical in the current economic climate in West Berkshire Council. Besides, its not the lifts, but the help buttons inside...
Brian:- A CEO is always on the other end of the help button to assist. But, if the display says "Please Wait", what else to you expect us to do? The wait is never more than 30 seconds (that is a fact) which is a little annoying i suppose, but its not a massive amount of time is it? We are also reliant on the computer system, which is generally automatic. We can't override it in terms of ticket printing, so everyone must display patience. I apologise, but not much
Greenham:- I've taken it upon myself to join, only to try and correct peoples sometimes strange opinions about parking and the council. I wish there was an official West Berkshire presence on here, if only to be more accessible to the general public, but I can never see that happening. As soon as I rumbled (if I am) I'm off!!
I think the bottom line is if a forum is full of WuMs and journalistic exaggeration then it shouldn't be expected to be taken seriously.
I'm not sure. I would imagine there are a number of people who read and don't post who would accept what they read as some sort of truth. I think it is incumbent for the authorities to debunk where appropriate. Another thread I know, but it is is only a point.
I'm not sure. I would imagine there are a number of people who read and don't post who would accept what they read as some sort of truth. I think it is incumbent for the authorities to debunk where appropriate. Another thread I know, but it is is only a point.
I'm not sure. I would imagine there are a number of people who read and don't post who would accept what they read as some sort of truth. I think it is incumbent for the authorities to debunk where appropriate. Another thread I know, but it is is only a point.
I'm not sure many of our authorities would have the resources to do this nor that they'd wish to act as some sort of thought police and attempt to debunk everything that could be debated as truth or not.
I'm not sure many of our authorities would have the resources to do this nor that they'd wish to act as some sort of thought police and attempt to debunk everything that could be debated as truth or not.
If they admitted when they get it wrong they would receive more trust from the public - as it is they wriggle and worm and twist the statistics to try and cover themselves - and User23 is a master of this.
As for other council employees at least Sparticus (who under his previous name I believe admitted to working for a different council) tries to give an alternative view with such distortion. Lets hope Greenmeanie61 takes that latter approach.
Welcome to the boards GM and thank you for putting your head above the parapet!
As for other council employees at least Spartacus (who under his previous name I believe admitted to working for a different council) tries to give an alternative view with such distortion. Lets hope Greenmeanie61 takes that latter approach.
Welcome to the boards GM and thank you for putting your head above the parapet!
I'm not sure many of our authorities would have the resources to do this nor that they'd wish to act as some sort of thought police and attempt to debunk everything that could be debated as truth or not.
I'm not talking about thought police, nor trying to debunk everything. Only those things that raise possible public concern that can be corrected. They need not get involved in everything; they couldn't, but only where there is some genuine misinformation or confusion. I see forums like this and others as another medium that communication can be forged. I am certain these, and other forums, are monitored more than you suggest user23.3.
I'm not talking about thought police, nor trying to debunk everything. Only those things that raise possible public concern that can be corrected. They need not get involved in everything; they couldn't, but only where there is some genuine misinformation or confusion. I see forums like this and others as another medium that communication can be forged. I am certain these, and other forums, are monitored more than you suggest user23.3.
I'm not suggesting they're not monitored, I know there are a number of companies that make a living from monitoring forums like this and then produce a rating system from their results.
I'm just saying that it would be a waste of resources and a worrying move if they were to employ someone to correct everything seen on a local forum, just as it would be employing people to go from pub to pub "correcting" people opinions.
I'm not suggesting they're not monitored, I know there are a number of companies that make a living from monitoring forums like this and then produce a rating system from their results.
I'm just saying that it would be a waste of resources and a worrying move if they were to employ someone to correct everything seen on a local forum, just as it would be employing people to go from pub to pub "correcting" people opinions.
A waste in your opinion, but it would not be the same as a person going from pub to pub. That is personal, where as this is global. I'm not sure why it might be a worry, but most places have departments or people that are charged with public relations; it is not a full time job in this instance. The NWN has periodic responses from councillors, so I see no problem with this method.
A waste in your opinion, but it would not be the same as a person going from pub to pub. That is personal, where as this is global. I'm not sure why it might be a worry, but most places have departments or people that are charged with public relations; it is not a full time job in this instance. The NWN has periodic responses from councillors, so I see no problem with this method.
It's all personal opinion one broadcast across the pub, the other broadcast across the world. The authorities should not be employing people who's role is to "correct" personal opinion.
If a media organisation publishes something that is untrue or illegal that's a different matter.
I suspect that parts are now hard to get. This happens and there isn't much, short of an upgrade, that anyone can do. It also comes down to whatever the SLA states.
Then again its down to contract management. If we are paying for a low service level,nothing wrong with that, save WBC should admit it and let users know what's going on. Why should parts be hard to get? - the lifts installed are very common indeed. If that were the case, then half the lifts in the Country would be out of action.
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