DCC in the firing line

[Old Cruser]

I haven't watched the debate so can't comment on it.
The suggestion that DCC is over staffed raised my eyebrows though.
Are they really as over staffed as claimed?



Derbyshire County Council (DCC) was unexpectedly thrown into the national spotlight last night after Nick Clegg suggested the authority was overstaffed live on TV.

The Deputy Prime Minister claimed the EU employed fewer people than the council during a BBC debate with UKIP leader Nigel Farage.

The remark resulted in thousands of internet users talking about DCC, causing it to trend on the social networking site Twitter.

Mr Clegg said: “The total size of the European democracy – this monstrous superstate that Nigel Farage talks about – is about exactly the same size as the number of people employed by DCC.

“The bureaucracy is no bigger than the people employed by DCC.”

Figures show DCC employs about 36,000 people while the European Commission has just over 33,000 workers.

The county council has not yet responded.

On Twitter, @timothy_stanley said: “Clearly Derbyshire County Council employs far too many people.”

@redwineimbiber said: “I would suggest that Clegg knows very little about DCC. He probably thinks it’s in the south east somewhere!”

@christhedj1970 said: “Both organisations are bloated, overpaid, wasteful and screw money from hardworking people who have no choice in the matter!”

And @herders76 joked: “Well that was mildly interesting. I’m looking forward to next week’s debate regarding DCC.”

Wednesday’s debate was the second of two broadcast debates between the two party leaders. Mr Clegg told of the benefits of the UK’s involvement in the EU while Mr Farage argued that the country should leave the institution.

[therealjr]

It's unlikely that in a debate as public as this Nick Clegg would mis speak. I assume therefore that the figures are correct.
Of course the issue is he's not comparing like for like.
The 33,000 at the EU are almost certainly all there just to service the politicians.
The 36000 at DCC will include the teachers, Social workers, road workers, trading standards etc etc.
Comparing them equally would probably mean only including a few members of the Chief Execs office, probably 200 at the most.

[Pete]

Where did you get the info from OC?

[Old Cruser]

Derbyshire Times Pete.
It was brought up on Wednesday night on a debate on TV

[Pete]

Yes, I saw the program, just wondered where you had read the info you posted.

[Slacker]

Never been so overworked.

far more complaints come into our department because it's so accessible, even rants on Facebook and Twitter are acted on. One bloke has reported over 100 things since last summer via email, don't think he would have done that by letter in the old days.

May have been top heavy at one time but we have lost several levels of management.