Competing against the subsidised

[Joe Newton]

I was talking to a guy running a local council tree team last week, they are now expected to go out and find domestic work.. I have heard of this before but first time experienced it in my area.. Hopefully they will price realistically..

 

 

That's not the point. Rugby is the same. The tree gang are set up from tax payers money. Equipment, wages, training all subsidised. Then they compete in the private sector against other firms who've had to work for their kit.

 

Rumour has it it's got to the point where outside contractors may get subbed in to do the Council trees as their teams are too busy with private work.

 

I have no animosity towards the lads on the tools whatsoever, but the way it's run is disgustingly corrupt.

 

I know of occasions where the Tree Officer has had the council quoting guy accompany him to TPO apps from private firms.

[TimberCutterDartmoor]

Probably means he's going to have to work to make a living like the rest of us. How do you not make a business with a £100,00 grant and a £1 woodland. Where's the money gone in 3 years

 

Tax payers money!

[Mortimer Firewood]

I was talking to a guy running a local council tree team last week, they are now expected to go out and find domestic work.. I have heard of this before but first time experienced it in my area.. Hopefully they will price realistically..

 

Doubtful

[TGB]

...£100,00 grant and a £1 woodland. Where's the money gone in 3 years

 

 

I'm guessing one or more or them made a mint from "consultancy fees". The grant/s would have been got by ticking all the right boxes. But not necessarily spent the way the grant was intended.

 

I know the Welsh government has recently pulled in its grant funding pots, which will now be administered from source, instead of through independent funding bodies. As there were such things as an intermediary funding bodies taking more than 50% of granted monies in consultancy & admin fees. And at least one chap who was giving out less in grants than was his salary.

[Logsnstuff]

We have the same thing in our area. A big funded community woodland with loads of volunteers. We are lucky that they only have softwood available so we can easily be different and supply quality hardwood. Competition is healthy, do something different and if you can't compete on price then don't. Not everyone wants cheaper, Offer something better

 

good to finally hear someone else saying you don't have to be the cheapest some people value quality over price.

[skyhuck]

This sort of thing really stinks

[Joy Yeomans]

I don't trust councils as far as I could throw them I was on a steering group I had a grant application in and they blatantly knicked my ideas and the chap running it is the biggest swindler out he and his wife go by different names and only when he got a job on the council running said scheme did I realise what a fool I had been sharing my ideas with such a pair of snakes.

[Jammydogg]

That's not the point. Rugby is the same. The tree gang are set up from tax payers money. Equipment, wages, training all subsidised. Then they compete in the private sector against other firms who've had to work for their kit.

 

Rumour has it it's got to the point where outside contractors may get subbed in to do the Council trees as their teams are too busy with private work.

 

I have no animosity towards the lads on the tools whatsoever, but the way it's run is disgustingly corrupt.

 

I know of occasions where the Tree Officer has had the council quoting guy accompany him to TPO apps from private firms.

 

 

I do agree it's frustrating for local firms having been on both sides of the coin, but In all fairness private jobs for us are very few and far between, we imo do about 1 a month, I've seen the costings and there's no profit made jus cost covering. I don't know where this rumour has come from as I've heard nothing like that, were generally too busy with highways/parks/street trees/council housing/callouts/woodland to be over run with private stuff...as u said Joe no animosity just respect towards other gangs from me...we jus do our job 😃

[Logsnstuff]

I do agree it's frustrating for local firms having been on both sides of the coin, but In all fairness private jobs for us are very few and far between, we imo do about 1 a month, I've seen the costings and there's no profit made jus cost covering. I don't know where this rumour has come from as I've heard nothing like that, were generally too busy with highways/parks/street trees/council housing/callouts/woodland to be over run with private stuff...as u said Joe no animosity just respect towards other gangs from me...we jus do our job 😃

 

makes it even worse you want to do jobs for cost.

there was same problem in forestry with farmers diversification they all bought harvesters on grant money and came in at 50% below everyone else.

[muldonach]

I do agree it's frustrating for local firms having been on both sides of the coin, but In all fairness private jobs for us are very few and far between, we imo do about 1 a month, I've seen the costings and there's no profit made jus cost covering. I don't know where this rumour has come from as I've heard nothing like that, were generally too busy with highways/parks/street trees/council housing/callouts/woodland to be over run with private stuff...as u said Joe no animosity just respect towards other gangs from me...we jus do our job 😃

 

Council firms who are in part paid by businesses operating in the area should not be competing with those businesses.....it is as simple as that.

 

cheers

mac