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Mick · 07-03-2007, 20:05

LESS asked me to post this for him

Hi, I’m still waiting for my telephone and broadband to be connected so I’ve asked Mick to put this on for me.

In Praise of Hyndburn Council
Well actually that is not quite true, I actually mean in praise of one lady from Hyndburn Council.

My tale begins late November last year, I was summoned to my front door by a light knocking.
There before me was a lady from the council, “Hello “, she said, “my name is Susan and I’m from the Council”, (actually her name was Sheila but I don’t want to get her into trouble with her bosses so from now on she’s called Susan). She then went on to explain that as I probably knew my house was part of the phoenix 2 project and therefore had I done anything about moving?
I replied with a definite no because I’ve been waiting for someone from the council to turn up and give me some information about what I should do, Susan smiled pleasantly and said that, “today is your lucky day I am that person, could I make an appointment to do a home visit in the near future and we can discuss your options”.

An appointment was made, Susan turned up spent a lot of time explaining my options and assisting with application forms, the result of which was that by the end of February I had been moved into a very nicely refurbished terraced house. This dear friend is where we come to what is the fly in the ointment, I am on benefits, rent and council tax paid, no real problem, a visit to the town hall and I’m told that there is nothing to worry about as I already have an ongoing claim for the property I’m already living in all they have to do is transfer it to my new address, wonderful, (erm no not quite as wonderful as you might at first think). I’ve been at my new address just about a fortnight and yesterday I got two letters, one from the housing association informing me I owe a weeks rent, the other from the council demanding the two months council tax I owe for February and March for my new address.
Rather than go down to the Town Hall and play at shuffle bottom on those seats waiting for my ticket number to be called out I thought I would give Susan a ring and perhaps cut through the red tape, as usual she was happy to help and would call that very afternoon, she called I showed her the letters, “oh, these are nothing to worry about Leslie, things will sort themselves out”. “No Susan”, I replied, “I’ve been here before I was told to ignore these teething troubles last time I moved and it resulted in threatening letters etc. from the council for money I don’t owe, so could you please get in touch with these people and make sure it doesn’t happen again?”
Never have I seen a person become so deflated so quickly, She hesitated, then rather meekly said, “but that not my department”. I had to agree it wasn’t her department but she had started the ball rolling and she would have more chance of contacting the correct people than I would so she eventually said she would see what she could do.
I now feel guilty, because a lady that is obviously very good in her own little world has now been given a job similar to something from ‘Mission Impossible’, will she have the nerve to carry out the task or will she take the easy way out and stay in the telephone booth hoping that when the tape self destructs it will also end her own suffering?
Only time will tell.

07-03-2007, 20:05	#1
Mick Resting in Peace Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Accrington Posts: 12,472 Blog Entries: 46 Liked: 428 times Rep Power: 102657	In Praise of Hyndburn Council LESS asked me to post this for him Hi, I’m still waiting for my telephone and broadband to be connected so I’ve asked Mick to put this on for me. In Praise of Hyndburn Council Well actually that is not quite true, I actually mean in praise of one lady from Hyndburn Council. My tale begins late November last year, I was summoned to my front door by a light knocking. There before me was a lady from the council, “Hello “, she said, “my name is Susan and I’m from the Council”, (actually her name was Sheila but I don’t want to get her into trouble with her bosses so from now on she’s called Susan). She then went on to explain that as I probably knew my house was part of the phoenix 2 project and therefore had I done anything about moving? I replied with a definite no because I’ve been waiting for someone from the council to turn up and give me some information about what I should do, Susan smiled pleasantly and said that, “today is your lucky day I am that person, could I make an appointment to do a home visit in the near future and we can discuss your options”. An appointment was made, Susan turned up spent a lot of time explaining my options and assisting with application forms, the result of which was that by the end of February I had been moved into a very nicely refurbished terraced house. This dear friend is where we come to what is the fly in the ointment, I am on benefits, rent and council tax paid, no real problem, a visit to the town hall and I’m told that there is nothing to worry about as I already have an ongoing claim for the property I’m already living in all they have to do is transfer it to my new address, wonderful, (erm no not quite as wonderful as you might at first think). I’ve been at my new address just about a fortnight and yesterday I got two letters, one from the housing association informing me I owe a weeks rent, the other from the council demanding the two months council tax I owe for February and March for my new address. Rather than go down to the Town Hall and play at shuffle bottom on those seats waiting for my ticket number to be called out I thought I would give Susan a ring and perhaps cut through the red tape, as usual she was happy to help and would call that very afternoon, she called I showed her the letters, “oh, these are nothing to worry about Leslie, things will sort themselves out”. “No Susan”, I replied, “I’ve been here before I was told to ignore these teething troubles last time I moved and it resulted in threatening letters etc. from the council for money I don’t owe, so could you please get in touch with these people and make sure it doesn’t happen again?” Never have I seen a person become so deflated so quickly, She hesitated, then rather meekly said, “but that not my department”. I had to agree it wasn’t her department but she had started the ball rolling and she would have more chance of contacting the correct people than I would so she eventually said she would see what she could do. I now feel guilty, because a lady that is obviously very good in her own little world has now been given a job similar to something from ‘Mission Impossible’, will she have the nerve to carry out the task or will she take the easy way out and stay in the telephone booth hoping that when the tape self destructs it will also end her own suffering? Only time will tell.