Cllr Cockell has initiated a propaganda programme to "sell" the Tri Borough. There many reasons it is not working, chiefly because Mr Fitzpatrick's £ million a year dept is running the campaign.
Leaders and Chief Executives need to be careful when they push out bold initiatives like the Tri Borough project. The risks are great and it is vital to adopt a balanced approach when reporting progress and making promises to residents and staff.
The last thing that is needed is a propaganda exercise to over-ramp what is going on. But this is precisely what seems to be happening. A straw poll of Kensington and Chelsea councillors has revealed deep disquiet about progress. Officers are in near revolt. So it is not surprising that the propaganda war has started.
A few weeks ago an article appeared in the Evening Standard that the Tri Borough had already saved £1 million. Now any businessman knows that what matters is cash flow. Paper projections are just that. The idea of £1 million saving after so short a time, a matter of days, is almost certainly an exaggeration. It is a "hope". It is certainly not "cash flow". And of course it does not reflect the huge start up costs of redundancy payments and reorganisation charges.
Why this rush to "announce"? Because Cllr Cocckell wants to manage opinion. And he knows that officers are up in arms and the councillors think there is a 'sell out' to Hammersmith going on.
You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all some of the time. But Pooter needs to learn that he cannot fool all of the people all of the time
When Leaders feel they need to get into PR to try and sell a deal after it is done, this often turns out to be early warning of disaster.
ReplyDeleteK&C customers (residents) are curiously disinterested in their Council, so they will only take an interest after the train crash. But the staff understand clearly what is happening. If they are "in revolt" then PR is the last thing that will turn the ship around.
Strange that councillors are not taking an interest. They have the power to act.
Two Officers who may or may not be confirmed in the new postitions. They will have to wait until after Christmas to find out if they are "approved" by Hammersmith.
ReplyDeleteThis is old style pork barrel politics. A period for the boss to extract all kinds of promises and wage all kinds psychological warfare. This management style is supposed to have been banished. A century ago.
Spot on, 12.57
ReplyDeleteHammersmith and Fulham changed the dates of these interviews at the last minute, meaning that some councillors on the panel could not attend. Despite this manoevre, K+C and Westminster councillors united against them to appoint the best people for the job - the officers H+F did not want. That is why they are now delaying matters.
ReplyDeleteWhere does Yet Another One Who Knows get all his information? Clearly must be the nomme de guerre for Dear Leader, or someone very close to him; there can be no other explanation. Good that he wants to share things with the Dame.
ReplyDelete