Streetlife

1) People are not complaining about the Council WORKERS, they're complaining about the bureaucrats/dictators that run it without taking notice of what the Council Tax payers want or need.
2) It's strange how Councils that are run by less right wing bureaucrats can find ways to help those that need it without penalising as many of the most vulnerable.  Heaven forbid that the millionaires and their friends in East Devon pay a bit towards the children that are vulnerable or in danger!  Let the disabled do it!
3) How many other Councils fund their Children's Services solely from car parking charges?  If Exeter can do it another way, then so can East Devon.
4) Depression is a terrible illness.  If you truly feel the way that you say you do, then (a) you are in the wrong job and (b) you should be receiving specialised medical treatment.
In case you are wondering why I say that, I have been in exactly your position - and a lot further along that road than you seem to be at the moment!

Oh dear. Life has always been difficult. One just has to get on with it for goodness sake

Dear Peter D   life is always worth living please dont think it isnt. Think of the positives, you sound like you really care about the job you do, think of all the children you have helped. Talk to someone about how you feel. Hope you can get past these difficult times. x

Dear Mr D'Silva
I am absolutely appalled at most of the response that you have received on this page; please do not think that we are all bitter, narrow-minded people around here!! I do hope you are getting support for your ILLNESS from family, friends and mental health workers. Sadly, there are still people who do not recognise certain illnesses unless they are physical - these are the sort of people who used to think the World was flat - so don't take them seriously! Meanwhile , do come to the Sale at Wesley Hall on Saturday - I hope to raise awareness, as well as funds, for mental health. Take care.

Smiler - I hope that's not a dig at me!  If it is, please re-read my last sentence!

I'm a bit concerned about Peter's comment that this vital children's service is being funded by car parking income.  I may be wrong, but II thought  that all income from car parking is ring fenced for transport purposes, i.e. some councils use it to fund the bus pass scheme for the elderly.  Perhaps there is a difference in the rules between District and County?  We do pay parking charges to both in this town.  Can anyone throw any light on this??
We all appreciate that these decisions are made by committee and that employees are not responsible for policy so this comment is not directed at any individual.

If it is true that some parking charges are funding Children's Services, what will happen when this service transfers from Devon County Council to a private company in the near future.    I always assumed they came under the Transport Budget which pays for parking spaces or parking meters to be provided.

Who knows where the Axe will fall next.  Everything has a cost, and somebody has to pay for it.  If you are going to give Free Bus Passes, somebody will have to pay the cost of running the service.
Difficult decisions have to be made.  If you are going to cut costs, something has to go.  Fortunately, I am not involved in those decisions.

We are certainly living through changing and difficult times,  with rising prices, government cuts and unemployment, presenting many problems for local people.  It's amazing to find the tenacity and resilience of some people one meets up with who manage to get by and support their families in such challenging cirumstances.  But its good to know that there are people  (both groups and churches) who are or have become participants, rather than objects, in trying to help others in meeting these challenges and support their local community in some way.