Schools water charges

[blucey]

Can anybody explain the crazed logic here?
School gets money from the state: gets a bill from the state: pays bill to the state out of original grant: state doesnt top up grant to pay bill to itself?

Is this joined up govt thinking?

And as for statements like this from Minister G!

"Some method of calculation needs to be worked out to ensure that schools receive a reasonable allocation of free water per child, to cater for basic needs, with a charge for any usage above that amount. This would encourage conservation and recognise the special case for schools"
What exactly is the basic need? One flush per day, plus 20sec hand washing plus 2 slurps from the fountain after play?
Why not, oh, I dunno, WORK IT OUT BEFORE YOU IMPOSE THE CHARGE!

[michael1965]

Can anybody explain the crazed logic here?
School gets money from the state: gets a bill from the state: pays bill to the state out of original grant: state doesnt top up grant to pay bill to itself?

Is this joined up govt thinking?

And as for statements like this from Minister G!

"Some method of calculation needs to be worked out to ensure that schools receive a reasonable allocation of free water per child, to cater for basic needs, with a charge for any usage above that amount. This would encourage conservation and recognise the special case for schools"
What exactly is the basic need? One flush per day, plus 20sec hand washing plus 2 slurps from the fountain after play?

It's hardly that difficult to work out. Take an average monthly usage and divide by the number of staff and students.

Also, the water shouldn't be free at any level. But the schools should get a grant increase equal in value to the average usage. That willl encourage all schools to conserve.

[bluemajor]

another reason to vote no to upcoming treaty

[LooseCannon]

and blame the Mahon Tribunal as well

What happened to the good old days when all you needed for a school was a hedge?

[blucey]

another reason to vote no to upcoming treaty

B*lls. The EU have stated otherwise

13/12/07 Irish Times
" However, The Irish Times this morning reported a senior European Commission official saying Ireland was entitled under the terms of the derogation it negotiated from the directive to waive a charge to schools.

"I do not really see schools having a serious impact on the purposes of the directive . . . I don't see, really, that this is so much of an issue," Jorge Rodríguez Romero of the environment directorate general said. "

So, another reason to vote YES to the treaty, as at least the EU seems to be populated by reasonable people, as opposed to the Munitoir Mór herself

[KingKane]

We appear to be lumbered with a government that is incapable of taking a decision while thinking about the possible consequences.

Note: Noel Dempsey was minster for the Environment when this was negotiated back in 1999

[clareman51]

Going to my first BOM meeting tonight. The water charges should make it interesting. Some questions:

1. Is this another wheeze by the county councils to expand their unregulated budgets, under the guise of a directive?

2. If a school became self-sufficient in water supply (captured water/well), would they still have to pay?

[blucey]

Going to my first BOM meeting tonight. The water charges should make it interesting. Some questions:

1. Is this another wheeze by the county councils to expand their unregulated budgets, under the guise of a directive?

2. If a school became self-sufficient in water supply (captured water/well), would they still have to pay?

Just stuff the bill back into the envelope it came in and send back to the senders. I'd seriously doubt that any LA will be so thick as to start any sort of proceedings against anyone on foot of this muddled mess.

[clareman51]

Was talking to a joiner last night who has a workshop over in Smithstown. He has no water supply, but keeps getting water bills and threatening letters every year. It appears the LA couldn't be bothering it's arse to actually call down and see for itself.

[stanley]

Domestic water bills in the UK are a nightmare, first of all you are charged for your regular supply - fair enough, then they charge you for taking away waste water which they calculate to be about 75% of the water they supplied (same price), then they charge you for taking away surface or rain water which flows into their sewer/waste pipe system, your annual water bill soars, privatisation my ass.