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Lots to do for volunteers |
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Friday, 20 January 2006 |
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At Wednesday's Parks Committee a paper was presented about how
volunteers could take part in Council activities. To most people this
sounds like a perfectly good idea. If folk have an interest in plants
and want to potter around a bit in the Botanic Gardens that is to
everyone's benefit. Or a golfer might want to give a bit of free
tuition. Or youngsters with an interest in animals might help in the
children's farm or with horses. All of this sounds perfectly sensible
as long as health and safety and other safeguards are in place.
However, some Labour councillors, especially Cllr John McKenzie, got
very hot under the collar about it. Their logic seemed to be that if we
can pay someone for a job that is much better than having a volunteer
help out for free. Agreed, we do not want staff to lose their jobs
because the Council is misusing volunteers. However, given the huge
needs in this City, ranging from youth disorder to litter, we are not
exactly about to run out of things for the paid staff to do! It seems
that some Labour councillors are so tied to the idea of creating jobs
for the boys that they have lost sight of the bigger picture.
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