The Boiling Frog: Confused Census Gestapo

Monday, 11 April 2011

Confused Census Gestapo

The firm I'm currently contracted to had a visit from Census Gestapo today. This firm own land with park homes on it, and they are in the process of building 12 more - of which only 6 have been completed so far. However all 12 addresses have been registered.

So CG turns up to speak to the boss, who's in the same office that I'm working in, because apparently some residents haven't filled in their census forms. The conversation goes something like this:

CG: "Nos 2, 3, 4, 8, 12 & 14 have not completed their census form."

Boss: "That's right, the buildings don't exist yet."

CG: "But they have to complete a census form, it's the law".

Boss: " Who has to? No-one lives there, there are no properties"

CG: "But the addresses appear on my register so they've had a form delivered"

Boss: " Delivered where? There's no letterbox, no front door nor even a wall or a building".

CG: "Well someone must have received the form".

At this point they both go out and argue the point on the concrete foundations where the park homes will exist in the future. Eventually CG goes away to consult further because the option; "house does not exist" doesn't appear on his form.

3 comments:

WitteringsfromWitney11 April 2011 at 21:38
That illustrates TBF that all CGs are bureaucrats at heart - ie, they have no brain, hence no power to reason and possess no common sense!

ps: as asked on twitter: leafleting? Getting rather diary full at the moment what with meeting with the Minister of Housing....
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TheBoilingFrog11 April 2011 at 22:23
@JiC Agree stupidity is often accompanied by arrogance.

@WfW 2nd lot of leaflets due this week - Wednesday or Thursday. Thanks for the offer, will probably need help towards end of April if that's ok - not sure what days yet depends on work commitments. I can send you a provisional calendar if that'll help
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nominedeus13 April 2011 at 21:57
Excellent , bet the boss was amused as hell!
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(Virgin Group Chairman, Richard Branson, 2000)

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(Former Labour Party leader, Neil Kinnock, 2002)

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(Then UK Europe Minister, Denis MacShane, 2003)

"The euro, despite gloomy predictions from anti-Europeans, has proved to be a success".
(Former Lib Dem leader, Charles Kennedy, 2002)

"In reality the economic integration between Britain and the Continent is so close, and we have confirmed this because we all belong to the common market, that it can't be good in the long run to stay out of such a cardinal element as the currency union".
(Then German Finance Minister, Hans Eichel, 2002)

"There are no real benefits and some real costs to the UK of monetary independence... it makes sense from a financial stability perspective for the UK to contract out monetary policy to the ECB".
(Citigroup Chief Economist, Willem Buiter, 2007)

"Taking part in EMU would improve policy and performance enough to eliminate many of the strains that sceptics predict would emerge without the safety valve of devaluation".
(BBC Trust Vice Chairman, Diane Coyle OBE, 1997)

"The euro is like a breastplate that will become more and more resistant. The stability of the currencies within its area is without question".
(Then EU Monetary Affairs Commissioner, Yves Thibault de Silguy, 1998)

"The strict rules attached to the euro could emerge as one of the best ways to persuade the markets that we will put Humpty Dumpty back together again, put the public finances in order".
(Lib Dem leader, Nick Clegg, 2009)

"The question of entering the euro is worth a lot more to Britain than the wild anti-federalist fantasies peddled by those who think Britain should have nothing to do with Europe. Nobody of any consequence in Europe wants to create a federal super-state".
(Former Business Secretary, Lord Peter Mandelson, 2003)

The British Government Knew The Consequences In 1971

Foreign and Commonwealth Office 30/1048 - 1971

...the transfer of major executive responsibilities to the bureaucratic Commission in Brussels will exacerbate popular feeling of alienation from government. To counter this feeling, strengthened local and regional democratic processes within the member states and effective Community regional economic and social policies will be essential.

Parliamentary sovereignty will be affected as we have seen. But the need for Parliament to play an increasing (if perhaps more specialised) role may develop. Firstly, although a European Parliament might in the longest term become an effective, directly elected democratic check upon the bureaucracy, this will not be for a long time, and certainly not in the decade to come. In the interval, to minimise the loss of democratic control it will be important that the British Parliamentarians should play an effective role both through the British membership in the European Parliament and through the processes of the British Parliament itself.

Test

Monday, 11 April 2011

Confused Census Gestapo

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