75ZT Community

Today, the ambient air temperature in Wolverhampton was roughly 19 to 20 degrees Celsius.

Wolverhampton Magistrates' Court being a public building, the heating was on from 1st October.

In my court this morning, all doors and adjoining windows were open and we had a total of six electric fans running just to bring the room down to merely equatorial. How about that for saving public money?

Further, to save even more money the admin got rid of the Court building's caretaker, which meant that since Wednesday, nobody has been able to discover how to turn the heating off, or at least, down.

The only option, we are told, is to call out the maintenance contractor whose services replaced those of the caretaker.

The problem is, they are only a cheaper option than the caretaker if we don't call them out.

Reminds me of when I worked in Stafford and regularly appeared as the plaintiff at the county court, turned up 1 day to find nobody there at all and thought I had got the date wrong , but was then advised that that the judge had decided the building was too cold and moved everyone, solicitors, defendants, court staff the lot across to the council offices across the road

The court was hastily set up in the council chamber and when I came to take the oath there was no bible !

The judge was named Voss , probably passed on by now, and had a reputation for hating everyone and not one to be crossed !

With adequate intelligent controls then there would not be this type of problem.

When I worked for the NHS (before I retired) our energy manager liked not to turn on the heating and when it was to ensure it was at a low temperature - the Finance Director always thought 'slash the energy budget by x% so always a problem to keep in budget which meant ward staff screaming 'the patients are cold'.

One of my responsibilities was for Business Rates and Council Tax, just under £2m per year. The FD also thought 'let's reduce the budget by y%'. Emails explaining that of the serious problems of not paying. Even when appealed successfully, which can take years, and a nice cheque is received, you still have to pay what is demanded until an appeal is successful.

Sounds like those holding the cheque book for the Court must have plenty in the coffers.

Surely an offence in common sense?